Asbestos?

[Grumpy]

Nevermind the Asbestos, Riders Want Back in at Clear Creek
5:00 a.m. | Myron Levin | Special to KPCC


Under the circumstances, keeping off-roaders out of the Clear Creek Management Area seemed like a no-brainer.

With its rugged scenery and miles of challenging trails, the federal tract in San Benito and Fresno counties has long been a cherished destination for thousands of dirt bike and ATV riders. But the site straddles an immense deposit of chrysotile asbestos, and airborne dust from vehicle tires contains high levels of the cancer-causing fibers. After years of on-again, off-again study and debate, the federal Bureau of Land Management ordered an emergency closure in May 2008, based on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finding of long-term cancer risk.

There were strong emotions from the off-road community, but gratitude wasn’t among them.

At a public meeting to explain the decision, “we probably had 600 pretty ticked off OHV (off-highway vehicle) people,â€