Off-road vehicles (ORVs) include motorcycles, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, bicycles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that can be ridden or driven in areas where there are no paved roads. While the use of off-road vehicles has gained in popularity, conservationists and landowners have prompted some legislatures to restrict their use because of the damage the vehicles do to the environment.

During eight years under President Bill Clinton (1946–), environmentalists continued their progress in limiting or banning the use of off-road vehicles in federally protected areas, such as national parks and forests. However, with the election of George W. Bush (1946–) in 2000, environmentalists began to worry their progress might be in jeopardy. As of 2002, the Bush administration had sent mixed signs regarding off-road vehicle use on public land.

In October 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to impose pollution control restrictions on off-road vehicle engines. The EPA said...