The fate of the program could be decided by sensitive, behind-the-scenes talks between environmentalists and recreational riding groups. "The stakes are very high," said Daphne Greene, deputy director of the off-highway program told the Sacramento Bee. The off highway program is a branch of the state parks department. Vehicle parks allow thrill-seeking, trail-loving motorists to run their engines on thousands of acres where environmental degradation can be monitored and damage treated. The negotiations are intense and most likely will end successfully but any agreement to preserve the off-highway riding program is likely to more than double entrance fees at the eight state parks, which generally charge $5 per vehicle. Besides Prairie City in rural Rancho Cordova, the parks are Carnegie in Alameda and San Joaquin counties; Hollister Hills in San Benito County; Hungry Valley in Los Angeles, Ventura and Kern counties; Oceano Dunes in San Luis Obispo County; Clay Pit in Butte County; Ocotillo Wells in San Diego and Imperial counties; and Heber Dunes in Imperial County.

Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, has jumped into the fray by proposing Senate Bill 742, which would keep the off-highway program alive while overhauling its funding and operation. Steinberg's bill has passed the Senate, 21-17. But many issues remain unresolved and, at Steinberg's urging, officials for recreational riders, environmentalists and other interest groups are scrambling to reach consensus. "My message is, if the program expires, everyone loses -- so figure it out," Steinberg said. SB 742, by preserving existing fuel-tax revenue while increasing rider fees, could generate more than $30 million annually in new funds. Steinberg said the money should benefit all sides. "Riders want to ensure that there's maximum opportunity to ride, and environmentalists want to make sure that as much land is protected from riding as possible," he said. "Compromise is the order of the day."

Under SB 742, park entrance fees would double to $10 per vehicle, and motorists pulling a trailer would pay an additional $10. The price of state-issued stickers to qualify a vehicle for admission also would rise -- from $25 every two years to $84 every two years. SB 742's details might change if competing factions can settle on a compromise, but the bill would extend the program until 2013, and key elements call for:• At least 45 percent of the program's grants to be spent on maintenance and operation, 20 percent on law enforcement, 20 percent on restoration and 5 percent on education programs, leaving the remaining 10 percent uncommitted.• The governor, rather than legislative leaders, to appoint a majority of the off-road commission that helps oversee the program. Membership would be expanded from seven to nine, with five appointed by the governor.• Changing the commission's role to more of an advisory body. It no longer would approve grants or capital outlay projects, but it would continue to review and approve the program's general and strategic plans.Pending negotiations will cover issues ranging from the extent of fee hikes to whether the off-highway park program should be extended for an indefinite period, rather than to 2013.