Rob Bishop got shot down on a couple of items in the last session, so he's at it again. Here are two items from today's NPS Digest's legislative action report:
re: "I really believe that our Senators and Representatives will do what is right for all the people, wildlife and resources."
If this issue comes to a "political settlement," I hope the above sentiment is the outcome.
Let me start by saying that I am not going to try and convince any of you that I know more than you do about anything. I do believe some of the content of the article itself, and some of the comments that follow it, are exactly the reason that the issues concerning access to the beaches at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area are now to be addressed by Our U. S.
I was born in California in 1940, the state had a population of 6 million. Now, in 2013, we have a population of 37 million and counting. Restrictions on the uses of public lands were minimal when I was a young boy, but the pressure of use from increased population has resulted in restrictions many of us our having trouble getting use to.
I have lived on Hatteras Island for 40 years. Fished and enjoyed about ever recreational aspect this island it has to offer. I loved the old locals who can trace their families trees back generations. There are not many of them left, they viewed "beach birds" as food and lumped most of the shorebirds as sea chickens.
Beachdumb for whatever ah ha moment you are trying to achieve go to CAHA's website and seek the answer to your question. The amount of beach open to pedestrians only changes on a day to day basis depending on set seasonal dates and resource closures. Here is a link that might help you:
There was another new plan finalized in July 2007 and USFWS issued a “no jeopardy” opinion and the Atlanta office of the NPS issued a “finding of no significant impact”. While not everyone was completely happy with, it was accepted by locals and visitors. But under pressure from SELC, they threw that out and developed a completely new excessively restrictive plan.
How much pedestrian or ORV access could change daily depending on resource protection protocols and set seasonal dates where some areas of beach change from ORV access to pedestrian access or pedestrian access to ORV access.
[size= 14px; line-height: 18px]"The efforts of the Southern Poverty Law Center" - now that is funny. Are they helping the people who lost their jobs and the struggling businesses from the tyranical NPS? [/size]
This is the way I see it, their extensive NEPA compliance effort was flawed, went way to far, did not fairly account for economic impact, has turned out to be very visitor unfriendly and they know it. That is why it appears they have agreed to reassess the new plan and not have to start completely over.
Thank you Buxton for the informative post. The efforts of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Defenders of Wildlife, North Carolina Audubon, citizens groups from the Cape Hatteras area, well the list was quite lengthly, it appears the efforts made here by the the NPS are quite creditable.
In addition to the Organic Act the enabling legislation for CHNS was pretty clear(at least to me) that recreating in the park was expected as long as specific criteria and management were maintained.
The overriding mandate of the National Park Service was spelled out in 1916. We all know it -- or should.
". . . . to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."
Interesting post. I hope the park can hold on to its decision based on their extensive NEPA compliance effort. I do think its important that our Federal and State Agencies follow the Federal and State compliance laws.
Reading someting like this really increases my admiration and respect of the people who worked so hard and ingeniously to construct places like this originally. I keep looking at places like Alcove House and wondering, "How in the world did they do that!"
Folks -
Reasonable comments by MM and ec , but the discussion has wandered way off track from the original subject of this story (special events in parks) and the purpose the Traveler. I share part of the blame for that with a previous comment, but let's try to limit future posts on this thread to subject-relative items.
Mike,
Any employer that denies employment for anything other than behavior that may effect job performance ( and I would say in most cases the scam of medical marijuana would qualify) is only hurting himself. An employer certainly has the right to do so (as long as its not a protected class) but not many do.
[size= 14px; line-height: 18px]"Would you question a potential employee how he is going to spend his wages before you hired him?"[/size]
For all intents and puposes, doesn't this happen when people are denied employment because of off- the-job activities/behavior/lifestyle? (ex. smoking, people who legally smoke medical marijuana, etc.)
Mike
Ec:
You asked a rather philosophical question: "Is money really that evil a thing?" and I was simply replying in kind when I responded, "No, with the caveat it depends on how it's obtained or used ... and that clearly is a value judgement :-)"
Does ecbuck understand the difference between "Grand Canyon" and "Grand Canyon National Park"? He's pretty good with numbers, but maybe he needs some guidance in this regard. I do understand that such designations can be confusing. Much more difficult to comprehend than say...oh I don't know...climate science for example.
"If you want to what is best for the NP park survey the locals and then do the opposite."
Actually, the NPS have been doing this for awhile now, its called the NEPA process.
Isn't the point that National Parks, Monuments etc are established for the Nation not a local community? Local input should not succeed the bigger picture. Let state parks decided state interests and local parks decided local interests.
If I understand ecbuck's post correctly, I think he raises a good point. The issue is/or should be, the appropriateness of the activity itself. In the NPS, these policies on appropriate activities have been debated and discussed for almost 100 years now, and many have been formalized in regulations and or management policies.
but whether it's appropriate to convert public parklands to private use for profit
That's were we disagree. Private vs profit should not be the issue. The issue should be is the activity itself appropriate or not. A destructive private activity should not be allowed while a contributive one for profit should be perfectly fine (and vice versa).
Jim--You make a very good point, and getting back to Colorado NM and the bike race, it's what comes along with it that makes it inappropriate for a setting like the monument.
ec - reasonable questions in your previous comment. I'd suggest that the impacts on the park of Evil K's event, with or without the money or publicity, would not have been the exact same thing. Examples of differences would include the amount of supporting infrastructure for media coverage and spectators.
Lee -I don't know that I would want either of those events in the park but I have to ask... why was it OK if Evil Kenevil jumped without money and publicity but not if he got a monetary gain? It's the exact same act, the exact same impact on the Park. Is it just evil Evil because he would have made money? Is money really that evil a thing?
Correct, Ron. It's located about fourteen miles outside the park on the Navajo Reservation.
But Little Colorado doesn't have the bang that Grand Canyon and probably wouldn't suck in as much money. So what's a little exaggeration or slight dishonesty in advertising?
If I have read the "telegraph" article correctly, the gentleman is doing this stunt over the Little Colorado River Canyon outside of Grand Canyon National Park.
It was very encouraging to read the park emloyee meeting summary. Having lived in Big Bend at Panther Junction and in the Basin, I applaud the concern for safety and maintenance.
As a daughter of a retired Park Ranger, "park brat", I thoroughly enjoyed your article. There is an unfortunate ring of truth to the coment about lack of equity from continuous moving. I agree wih the Mission 66 houses, although the first one at Saguaro was much better than the mobile home.
As long as we're dreaming,
I would like to visit the historic parks and monuments in the order of the event or person they're commemorating.
I've already started. Hah.
Although I've been lucky enough to visit NPSA and write about it here for NPT, my bucket list includes going back to lie on the white sand beaches of Ofu, and we have that scheduled for this next winter.
I've been blessed with vititing all the big parks except Samoa.Some I have been to several times.I guess now that my health is not the best any longer I can look back and thank God for giving me the drive it takes to do them all and wish that I could go back to some and enjoy them more and longer.I took alot of picture and look at them now and say to myself wow what an awesome land God created
As long as we're dreaming, and cost is no object, it would be great to enjoy a leisurely visit in the National Park of American Samoa. Looks like beautiful scenery, amazing resources, interesting local culture - and the only NPS area south of the equator.
The two biggest things on my NP bucket list I've already done -- spend enough time (although I still want to spend lots more) in Yellowstone's geyser basins waiting for and watching eruptions, and travel cross-country alone for several months, hitting as many national parks as I can along the way.
Having grown up in California and spending most summers in the Sierras I can truly say that I am both conflicted and concerned with the dialogue on all sides. I find that when people visit places like Yosemite, they access a bond to nature that they may have never known was there. For me, the longer I vamp and am out of cell range, the better for my soul and love of the national parks.
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