Jet Skis banned from Lake Powell (environazis strike again)

US Gov ^ | 11-06-02

[narby]

Personal Watercraft use will be prohibited within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area effective November 6, 2002. A National Park Service ruling regarding personal watercraft use within the National Park Service System and a subsequent court settlement agreement with Bluewater Network will effect the use of personal watercraft within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. (NRA)

As of September 15, 2002, Personal Watercraft will not be allowed to operate within Glen Canyon NRA until a regulation is finalized. An environmental analysis regarding personal watercraft use on Lake Powell is underway but will not be completed by the September 15th deadline established by the court approved settlement agreement. Glen Canyon NRA’s goal is to have the process complete by visitor use season 2003.

[narby]

If we're going to have Constitutional "penumbras" found, then I believe that our "Right to Assemble" implies a right to travel to the assembly by any means available. This includes Jet Skis, airplanes, roller blades, whatever.

Just as any Constitutional right can be limited in small ways, travel certianly can be regulated regarding safety. But an outright ban on any form of travel, I believe, is un-Constitutional. I would hope there would be some group that I could give some money to that would promote that agenda.

[shadeaud]

I read about this possibility last year. At the time I thought it was a lot of ''The Sky is Falling'' paranoia, but oh how wrong I was.

[narby]

I originally saw this news in the San Diego Sunday newspaper this weekend. I could not find it in the Arizona Republic's web site using their search.

The original article said that parts of Lake Mead above Hoover Dam, Yellowstone Lake and several others will be affected as well.

A government web site says that there are three plans they are considering. One will keep things as they are. One will put some restrictions in place (always a prelude for more). And one will be an outright ban.

Comment period ends Nov 27, I believe.

Here's a web address for more info (I don't know how to make a genuine link, so cut-and-paste): http://www.nps.gov/glca/plan.htm

[Dr. Scarpetta]

We go boating every weekend in the summer, and it's mostly teenagers and people in their 20's on jet ski's. For the most part they're a menace SPEEDING and making a lot of noise, driving the rest of us crazy. Good riddens.

[Endeavor]

Oh, lighten up, narby. We sailors are thrilled to hear this.

[MrB]

I used to race jetskis back in the early 80's. And my parents sold them through their motorcycle shop.
We ran into the most envious people at all lakes that we took our little boat to. It probably isn't as bad now since pwc's are more common, but I'm sure that's what is at the heart of this issue - just plain jealousy.

[Glutton]

ping

[EggsAckley]

link

a href=http://www.nps.gov/glca/plan.htm link</a

Add a "<" before the a, a ">" after htm, and another ">" after </a and you have your link.

[Ditter]

I don't know where Lake Powell is, or anything about it, but I do know jetskis can be as annoying as h*ll to humans. We have a house on Galveston Bay & we have given up going down on weekends like Memorial Day, 4th of July & Memorial Day. The jetskis have axcess to the whole bay but for some reason they congregate by our house to drive in circles or do figure eights. We are not fuddy duddies but sometimes the noise gets to be unbearable so we just let them have it.

[RonF]

If we're going to have Constitutional "penumbras" found, then I believe that our "Right to Assemble" implies a right to travel to the assembly by any means available. This includes Jet Skis, airplanes, roller blades, whatever.

It would also include armored tanks, semitrailers filled with fuel-oil soaked fertilizer, trucks with parts that fall off and get trapped under minivans so that their passengers burn to death, etc. Rules and regulations over what can and cannot travel on commonly navigatable road and waterways has been part of governmental function since the beginning of the Republic. And those damn jet-skis aren't safe, either for the users thereof or the people around them. Modes of transportation that either damage the roadways or are dangerous to their users or other roadway/waterway users are legitimately regulated, in my opinion. Jet skis seem to fall under this classification.

[HairOfTheDog]

Count me as supportive if this is within a park type setting.

Last thing I want when I am camping in the woods is a bunch of rowdees on loud jet skis running in circles all day. Same rule holds for motorcycles.

However, if it is a lake where other fast motorboats are allowed, I would fight for their right to be there. Freedom sometimes means some places should be kept free-of things. And parks are those places.

[AAABEST]

We go boating every weekend in the summer, and it's mostly teenagers and people in their 20's on jet ski's. For the most part they're a menace SPEEDING and making a lot of noise, driving the rest of us crazy. Good riddens.

My parents live on the river, and we hate people over their 20's who drive by in their fat-ass boats causing wakes and eroding the shoreline.

Enviro-nazis really hate you guys.

How 'bout we eliminate your source of freedom and enjoyment, so everyone that doesn't like the way you live your life can say "good riddence"?

[Carry_Okie]

Well we know who the sue-ee is, but who is the suer?

That's a joke, son.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

THERE IS NO AUTHORITY IN THE CONSTITUTION TO BAN ANYTHING!

[BearCub]

At least until all jetskis use 4-cycle engines I have no problem with this. Nasty, loud, speeding, reckless stinkboaters.

[dila813]

Why don't you try to get Bluewater Network listed as a terrorist org.

Maybe you should just hire some anarchists, just pay them to protest the Bluewater Network and have fun. They will probably end up blowing up all their cars and stuff.

Remember, take a lesson from the Dems, if you didn't explicitly tell the protesters to do it, it isn't your fault.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Last thing I want when I am camping in the woods is a bunch of rowdees on loud jet skis running in circles all day. Same rule holds for motorcycles.

These jet skis are EXPENSIVE and usually owned by spoiled brats. There's nothing you can do with them except weave in and out of other boats, make loud noises, and annoy families.

You can't enjoy a picnic lunch, read a book, fish, or listen to music on one of those things. We always go to the part of the lake where they're not allowed, but jet skis aren't going to be banned everywhere so there's no need for anyone to get upset if they wasted their money on one.

[unixfox]

We sailors are thrilled to hear this.

But will you be thrilled to hear it when they say YOU can't have any kind of motorized watercraft?

Give em an inch and they will take a thousand miles.

[Endeavor]

I wouldn't mind these things if the two following could be enforced:

1) muffle the sound of the darn things
2) make those who drive them take a boating course - many jet ski drivers don't have a clue how unmaneuverable other craft are that they dodge in front of.

[Mike Darancette]

Lake Powell

On a busy weekend.