OBX Access

[ffemtreed]

[Finaddict]

Well, it is good to see new legislators fighting for us.

Has a bill been introduced on the Senate side yet?

[Finaddict]

Thought you guys would like to read this. This a letter from mike Berry to the talk to the Dare Co. tourism board,by Mike Murray. Murray's statement to the board is below this letter. This is not good news. To me, it signals NPS intention--I know all too well how these people work. Stage one of the master plan closes 40.4 miles--I believe this to have been decided months ago by the bureaucratis in Denver and Washington... Then--stage 2-- there is nothing to stop environmental groups and NPS from using the Endanger Species Act, Critical Habitat Designation, Organic Act, etc. to close off the remaining 26.6 miles. We need to publish the pro-access plan ASAP, explain it and keep it before the public so as to not allow NPS to ignor all the thoughtful design and hard work that went into it. Murray's public comments are a flatout insult to all those who contribute in good faith to reg-neg. If you're not outradged by this news, you should be. Mike Berry FYI From Thursday 3/26/09 Coastland Times relating talk by Mike Murray at Dare County Tourism Board as reported by Jessica Horbach: One possible alternative: Open to ORV use year round - 26.6 miles Seasonal open to ORV - 30 miles Open to pedestrians - 11.7 miles "Murray related, the easiest type of plan to implement would simply divide areas into two categories - where ORV's were allowed all year and areas where ORVs were not allowed." Closed to ORV use - 40.4 miles Open always to ORV use - 28 miles Of course, there is no explaination of where these miles are. I doubt the 28 miles are where we would like them to be.

[kingfisher29]

Thanks for keeping us all up to date. Well I just pray to god this will go away but until then I will keep fighting this as hard as the next fishermen. This crap makes me wanna . But thanks again.

[Finaddict]

[Finaddict]

Pedestrian Access Open to Cape Point

Superintendent Mike Murray announced today that the east side of Cape Point
has reopened to pedestrian access, effective immediately, via a pedestrian
access corridor that begins about 60 meters south of Ramp 44. Although the
remaining piping plover chicks in the Cape Point area had fledged by last
week, access to the Point has remained closed due to a resource protection
closure for American oystercatcher (AMOY) chicks south of Ramp 44. The
AMOY chicks, which are provided a 200 meter buffer under the consent
decree, have now fledged and the access corridor has reopened to pedestrian
access. Because young AMOY fledglings are relatively big birds and weak
flyers, and are less capable of getting out of the way of moving vehicles
or pets off leash than are the fledglings of smaller shorebird species,
there is a two week waiting period after AMOY chicks fledge before an area
is reopened to ORVs or pets. It is expected that the access corridor to
the Point will reopen to ORV access and pets in about two weeks, provided
no new resource closures occur in the area.

Under the consent decree, the prenesting areas are to remain in place
“until the later of July 15 or two weeks after the last chicks within the
area have fledged, as determined by two consecutive monitoring events.”
Other closures, outside of the prenesting closures that were established
based on observed shorebird breeding behavior, are to remain in place,
depending upon the circumstances, until at least two weeks after a nest is
lost to see if the birds renest, or until all chicks have fledged. Colonial
waterbird nests and chicks and American oystercatcher chicks are still
present west of Cape Point and in the eastern portion of South Beach. The
prenesting areas and other resource protection areas that were established
in these locations earlier in the season will remain posted until nesting
and chick rearing activity is completed and the prescribed reopening
criteria have been met.

As a result of the reopening of pedestrian access to Cape Point, of 66.8
miles of Seashore beaches, approximately 24.7 miles are open to ORVs and
pedestrians, 26.8 miles are open to pedestrians only, 4.2 miles have
limited access for pedestrians only (i.e., “open” areas sandwiched between
two closures), and 11.1 miles are fully closed to visitors to protect park
resources. Currently, ramps 4, 30, 34, 38, 43, 44, 49, 55, 59, 67, 68, 70,
and 72 are open; and ramps 23, 27 and 45 are closed.

Temporary resource protection areas are established to protect threatened
and endangered species, including piping plovers and sea turtles, as well
as state or federal species of concern, including American oystercatchers
and colonial waterbirds (terns and black skimmers). For more information,
call 252-473-2111 ext. 148.

[Grossy]

Is there any access for 4x4's anywhere down there ? Headed there in October for a few days and need to know for planning purposes.

[derf]

the most up to date info :
http://www.islandfreepress.org/2009A...cessReport.pdf

check the island free press for all the updated info

[ffemtreed]

does anyone else find it ridiculous you have to read through a 19 page document to figure out where you are allowed to go?

[Finaddict]

National Park Service News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DATE: September 4, 2009
CONTACT: 252-473-2111, ext. 148

Vandalism Incident Results in Expansion
of Turtle Protection Area near Ramp 49

A new vandalism incident has resulted in expanded buffers of a turtle
protection area approximately 0.2 miles northeast of Ramp 49 in a section
of beach that is open to off-road vehicles. The incident was discovered on
the morning of September 3, 2009. One set of vehicle tire tracks drove
through the perimeter fencing on one side of the closure, continued through
the black filter fencing at the nest site, and then ran through more
perimeter fencing as the vehicle exited the other side of the closure. The
tracks missed the nest, which did not appear to be damaged. The incident
is being investigated by NPS law enforcement personnel and has been
evaluated by park management.

The court ordered consent decree mandates that if a confirmed deliberate
act that disturbs or harasses wildlife or vandalizes fencing, nests, or
plants occurs, NPS shall automatically expand the buffers. As a result of
the violation, the buffer will be expanded 50 meters. Under consent decree
modifications approved in June 2009, NPS is not required to expand the
buffer if information from the public or developed by NPS leads to the
apprehension of a violator. If a buffer has been expanded because of
vandalism, as is the case here, and subsequent information leads to
violator apprehension, NPS may retract the expansion.

NPS law enforcement personnel continue to investigate the incident. If
anyone has information about any of these violations, please call Dare
Community Crime Line at 252-473-3111. Destruction of government property
and entering a resource closure are federal criminal violations, each
subject up to a $5,000.00 fine and up to six months imprisonment.

For up-to-date information on currently open or closed areas, check the
Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Google Earth maps at:
Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Current Interactive Beach Access Map using Google Earth (U.S. National Park Service)


-NPS-

[fishin'girl422]

[HULK]

How do you join the groups?