Shown below is the press release of North Carolina Third District Congressman Walter B. Jones announcing the introduction of his Bill to change the management of ORVs, birds and sea turtles at the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Area back to the Interim Strategy. This Bill would eliminate the Final ORV Rule which started February 15 of this year as well as the Consent Decree. It is imperative that this Bill is successful and to be successful everyone needs to contact their Congressman in Washington DC to express their support of H.R.4094. Thank you in advance for communicating to your Congressman. Larry Hardham, President
JONES INTRODUCES BILL TO RESTORE ACCESS TO CAPE HATTERAS NATIONAL SEASHORE RECREATIONAL AREA WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) introduced H.R. 4094, legislation that would restore reasonable pedestrian and motorized access to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. The bill would overturn a final rule implemented by the National Park Service (NPS) two weeks ago, as well as the 2008 U.S. District court approved Consent Decree. Both the Rule and the Consent Decree excessively restrict human access to the Recreational Area. The bill would reinstitute the Park Service’s 2007 Interim Management Strategy (IMS) to govern visitor access and species protection in the Recreational Area. The Interim Strategy was backed up by a 113-page Biological Opinion issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which found that it would not jeopardize the species of concern, namely piping plover and sea turtles. H.R. 4094 has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee for further consideration. Catherine M. Fodor