Dims Block Bill Restoring Cape Hatteras Access to Vechicles

The U.S. House of Representatives National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee heard testimony today on a bill that would set aside a consent decree and return management of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore to the National Park Service’s interim plan.

Even as the witnesses were testifying in the House, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources dealt the legislation what may be a fatal blow.

The Senate committee voted 12-11 not to report the bill, S3113, out of committee. The vote split along party lines, with Republicans, including North Carolina’s Sen. Richard Burr, voting to report the bill out of committee and Democrats voting against it.

Since this Congress will probably recess at the end of the month for the year, it seems increasingly unlikely that the legislation to set aside the consent decree will be passed.

The consent decree was signed on April 30 by U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle. It settled a lawsuit filed last fall by environmental groups, which charged that the park’s interim strategy did not go far enough to protect birds and turtles on the seashore. The plaintiffs were the Defenders of Wildlife and National Audubon Society, which were represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center. Defendants included the National Park Service and other federal entities. Dare and Hyde counties and the Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance were allowed by the judge to be defendant/intervenors in the legal action.

Folks, the envioroweenies have won another round in this fight. This consent decree was signed by an activist judge WITHOUT public input. It has effectively shut down access to prime fishing spots at Hatteras and Ocracoke that have been home to some of the best fishing for as long as men have caught fish from the NC seashore. The enviros are relentless in their efforts and managed to have, as part of the decree, provisions allowing for additional areas to be shut down whenever damage is done to ANY property or signage, whenever they "find" another nest or a number of other "reasons". A few weeks ago a "bird watcher" "found" a previously unknown nest in a section that had just been reopened to off-road vehicles, so they promptly shut it down. When signs posting beach closures were found to have been pushed over in one section, the National Park Service closed down even more portions of the beach without having ANY idea who did the deeds. Speculation is that enviros are doing this to get more and more beach closed down.

Don't be misled by reports that tourism was "up" this year either. Those numbers are skewed because most of those numbers came from rentals where reservations were made months and sometimes years in advance. Campgrounds and local shops saw dramatic DECREASES in revenues this summer and it is fishermen who stay there, not in rental houses.

One more thing, the enviros have also tipped their hand to their ultimate plans. They aren't just targeting Cape Hatteras National Seashore. They are also looking south to Cape Lookout National Seashore as well as beaches in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. So, even if you don't live in NC or frequent our beaches, they WILL get you sooner or later.

PLEASE call your representatives and senators and urge them to stop the enviros NOW.

Here are the Senate committee members:

Committee Membership

Majority Members (Democrats)

Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) [Chair]
202-224-5521
202-224-2852
http://bingaman.senate.gov/contact/types/email-issue.cfm

Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)
202-224-6361
202-224-2126
http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND)
202-224-2551
202-224-1193
senator@dorgan.senate.gov

Ron Wyden (D-OR)
202-224-5244
202-228-2717
http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Tim Johnson (D-SD)
202-224-5842
202-228-5765
http://johnson.senate.gov/contact/

Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
202-224-5824
202-224-9735
http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
202-224-3441
202-228-0514
http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Ken Salazar (D-CO)
202-224-5852
202-228-5036
http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
202-224-4744
202-228-2197
http://menendez.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D-AR)
202-224-4843
202-228-1371
http://lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html

Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
202-224-5141
202-228-0776
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/comments/

Jon Tester (D-MT)
202-224-2644
202-224-8594
http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

Minority Members (Republicans)

Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) [Ranking Member]
202-224-6621
202-228-3261
http://domenici.senate.gov/contact/contactform.cfm

Larry E. Craig (R-ID)
202-224-2752
202-228-1067
http://craig.senate.gov/webform.cfm

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
202-224-6665
202-224-5301
http://murkowski.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Richard Burr (R-NC)
202-224-3154
202-228-2981
http://burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

James DeMint (R-SC)
202-224-6121
202-228-5143
http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Bob Corker (R-TN)
202-224-3344
202-228-0566
http://corker.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

John A. Barrasso (R-WY)
202-224-6441
202-224-1724
http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm

Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
202-224-4124
202-224-3149
http://sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?

Gordon Smith (R-OR)
202-224-3753
202-228-3997
http://gsmith.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Jim Bunning (R-KY)
202-224-4343
202-228-1373
http://bunning.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?

Mel Martinez (R-FL)
202-224-3041
202-228-5171
http://martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?

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