House & Senate to decide Hatteras ORV Issue

[Pirate]

Dole, Burr and Jones Introduce Legislation to
Allow Off-road Vehicle use on Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr and U.S. Rep. Walter Jones today introduced legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives that would reinstate the Interim Management Strategy governing off-road vehicle use on Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS). The reinstatement of the original Interim Management Strategy, issued by the National Park Service (NPS) on June 13, 2007, would set aside current mandates and requirements which were put in place in the wake of a consent decree filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, that prevent off-road vehicle and citizen access to a significant portion of this National Seashore.

“I share the concerns of many North Carolinians about the negative ramifications that severely restricting off-road vehicle use at CHNS will have on the local community and economy,” said Dole. “Beach users and members of the local community deserve to have their voices heard to ensure the development of a long-term plan that protects the natural habitat of the Seashore while maintaining its economic and recreational benefits.”

“As Ranking Member on the National Parks Subcommittee, I always try to make sure that North Carolinians have access to our state’s scenic treasures,” said Burr. “It is unfortunate that people are prevented from accessing Cape Hatteras at times because of the new restrictions. I am certain we can come to a compromise that allows people to have access while at the same time addressing any potential environmental concerns.”

“The consent decree has once again shown that managing the Seashore through the courts – without public input – is always a bad idea,” said Jones. “This bill would restore reasonable public access and would bring the public back into the process on a level playing field by reinstituting the Interim Management Strategy until the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee can produce a final rule.”

If enacted, the National Park Service’s Interim Management Strategy will go into effect immediately and end upon the National Park Service establishing a long-term off-road vehicle management plan for the use of CHNS by the public.
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See Bill at NCBBA.org

[wentfishn47]

This could be good news!!! It was only a matter of time before this issue went to congress....

[SteveW]

Great news. Now all of us need to get on our local congressmen and make sure our voice is heard hear. Remind them that NJ has similar issues looming on the horizon, and that what is decided in NC could set precedent.

[moparfan]

That is some of the best news I have heard in awhile. Imagine that people in congress actually for the people.

[LONEWOLF856]

yes, this is very good news,everyone should contact there local reps and make sure your voice is heard. it still amazes me how the Audubon society would try to force there beliefs on other people with out giving them a say in the matter!

[Pirate]

From NCBBA - Take the time to write:

It only takes an Act of Congress--We need your help--Do it for your Children & Grandchildren

On June 11, North Carolina U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr and U.S. Rep. Walter Jones introduced legislation into the Senate and the House of Representatives that would set aside an amendment to current resource management (consent decree) and require that the Park Service operate the seashore under its duly authorized resource management plan (interim plan). Upon reading the letter provided below, it should be obvious that the importance of these bills extends well beyond the current issue regarding Cape Hatteras. This is no longer simply the classic debate over protection of resources versus human use and development. This is a debate regarding who is in charge of managing resources, the government in compliance with congressional acts or environmental groups with one goal, maximizing resource protection without regard to the costs of their proposals. ; The courts have been supporting the latter.

At this point, the bills have been referred to the appropriate committees. This is where most bills die. If we want these bills to get to the floor, we need to give our representatives a reason to co-sponsor the bills. If you don’t do something now, this type of action on the part of the courts and environmental groups will likely impact you in the very near future.

Take a stand. Print these instructions and take the 30 minutes needed to send the emails. Better yet, if you want to have the biggest impact, fax the letters and follow up via phone. Please, at least write your Senators and House Representative—steps 1 through 11.

Don’t forget PASS THIS ONTO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. THIS IS NOT JUST A CAPE HATTERAS ISSUE.

If after you are done you would like to follow the progress of the bills, bookmark the following links:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/...s=110#activity
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/...s=110#activity

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
2) Type your zip code, you will get a list with 2 senators and 1 house representative
3) Click on the first senator in the list.
4) Fill out the form (use National Parks, Natural Resources, or Judiciary for the topic) and Senate Bill 3133 for the subject.
5) Copy the letter presented below to the message area.
6) Edit the letter filling in your information and deleting HR 6233.
7) Hit the back button until you get back to the list of representatives.
8) Click on the second senator and repeat steps 4 through 7.
9) Click on the house representative (3rd person in the list).
10) Fill out the form (use National Parks, Natural Resources, or Judiciary for the topic) and HR 6233 for the subject.
11) Copy and edit the letter filling in your information and deleting Senate Bill 3133.
12) Go to http://www.rahall.house.gov/index.ph...521&Itemid=162 .
13) Repeat steps 10 & 11, except there is no topic field.
14) Add the following: Please forward my request to the entire committee. 15) Go to http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx .
16) Repeat steps 10 & 11, except there is no topic or subject field—type your own subject line.
17)Goto http://energy.senate.gov/public/inde...n=Contact.Home .
18) Repeat steps 4 through 6, except there is no topic field.

LETTER

My name is (Your Name). I am a voting member of (Your state or district). I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor HR 6233/Senate Bill 3133. As described below, my request is based upon the opinion that environmental groups, with the assistance of the courts, are usurping governmental authority for resource management on federal lands. More often than not the management techniques that result ignore the cost benefit analysis required by NEPA and other Congressional Acts.

On April 30, the United States district court for the eastern district of North Carolina, northern division accepted a consent decree that resulted in the voluntary dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Defenders of Wildlife and Audubon against CHNSRA. The consent decree (signed under the threat that all public access would be denied) amended a duly authorized resource management plan (Interim Plan). The amendment eliminated ALL discretion on the part of NPS and has severely limited public access to park. As a result, the decree is not only having a severe economic impact on Dare County and NC, but also, has the effect of delegating managerial functions of NPS to the court and private environmental groups. This is an unconstitutional delegation of federal authority.

The impact of the decision to accept the consent degree is not limited to CHNSRA or NC. In fact, each time the courts overturn management decisions made by governmental units, the courts embolden environmental groups. For example, the following comment from the Center for Biological Diversity clearly shows the Center's total disregard for the government’s role in management of federal lands and their confidence in being able 1) to dictate to NPS and USFWS, and 2) to ignore Congressional Acts regarding appropriate rulemaking procedures.

"To remind the Service of the true definition of ‘essential habitat,’ in 2007 the Center filed a notice of intent to sue the agency over that decision (Piping Plover Habitat) and 54 others that have driven imperiled species across the country closer to extinction." (http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/s...ver/index.html)

Co-sponsoring the above-noted bill will send a clear message that management of federal lands is the sole discretion of the federal agency in charge and must be done in accordance with Congressional Acts. Anything less, is equivalent to abdicating governmental responsibility for federal land management, to ignoring Congressional Acts, and to encouraging massive expenditures of government funds on legal fees.

Please take a stand and co-sponsor this bill.