Help us get the beach open!

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Subcommittee to Hold Hearing on Public Access Issues Facing

Cape Hatteras National Recreational Area, Biscayne National Park



WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, April 27th the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands will hold a dual legislative and oversight hearing on H.R. 4094, the “Preserving Access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area Act,” and, “Access Denied: Turning Away Visitors to National Parks.”



The National Park Service is pushing a new management plan at Biscayne National Park that will eliminate access to over 10,000 acres of sport fishing waters and dissuade visitation to other areas of the park. Fishing is an important economic activity that draws tourists and provides locals with an excellent outdoor recreational opportunity.



Access to Cape Hatteras National Recreational Area has been severely limited by Park Service management and environmental lawsuits under the guise of species protection. Not only have vehicles been restricted from areas traditionally available, but in some areas pedestrian access was eliminated as well. Due to severe enforcement under the current management plan, local business have seen 50% declines and 19 families were recently put at risk when the Park Service denied access to a stretch of beach needed to retreat from the rising tides.



WHAT:
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

legislative hearing on:



H.R. 4094 (Jones), To authorize pedestrian and motorized vehicular access in Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area, and for other purposes. “Preserving Access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area Act”


Witnesses to be announced.



WHEN:
Friday, April 27, 2012
9:00 A.M.



WHERE:
1324 Hearing Room in the Longworth House Office Building

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THE BILL TO RE-OPEN NORTH CAROLINA'S BEACHES HAS PASSED THE HOUSE!!! ON TO THE SENATE.

thats news from my brother i dont have a link.

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My name is XXX Dawson, I was born in Cape Hatteras in 1956, a year later the National Park Service came to this island and under imminent domain, took 100's of acres of property from the people here, over 100 acres from my grandmother. She fought them but lost. The NPS made many false promises to us, none of which were upheld. My ancestors were shipwrecked here in the 1600's.
I found out today that nobody from the island of Cape Hatteras would be testifying at the hearing on June 27, 2012. I attended the hearing for the house on May 2, for house bill hr4093.
James Streeter contacted me before the hearing and I sent him many signs and pictures of the beach closures, also the number of businesses that have closed, 24, because of the total collapse of this island's economy. I have two businesses in Buxton, NC where the lighthouse stands, and they are off 50-70 % for the past four years. Families have lost everything, generations of families that are native to here have left because they could not survive without the tourism. Both of my sons had to leave the island to find work, my grandson is not a part of our lives because he lives in Japan with my son. The sadness and hopelessness of the faces that are still hanging on to their businesses is so sad to see. We are tough hard working Americans, that endure hurricanes, storms and unnourished, non- stabilized beaches but we won't survive these beach closures. This is not an ORV issue! It is being sold as one, but clearly the NPS has signs all over this island, no walking on these beaches! In a recreational national park, you cannot WALK on our beaches. There are three areas along the 42 miles of Hatteras Island that families for generations have gathered to enjoy the seashore, the famous Cape Point, best fishing spot on the East Coast, Hatteras Inlet and Oregon Inlet. These plover birds just happen to want to nest in those three areas too! There is a national wildlife refuge on this island already, Pea Island. We are the most under-developed coastline along the Eastern seaboard, miles of untouched land. The NPS have murdered thousands of animals on this island that cannot fly back here. Raccoons, fox, rabbits, geese and many more are killed daily, all to protect less than 10 bird EGGS. These birds have more sense than to nest on a beach, we have hundreds of dredge islands along these Outer Banks, thousands of birds nest there because they know their eggs will be safe. Last week some of the NPS traps that were set to kill minks along a pond trapped and killed 8 turtles, diamond back turtles! They are endangered, and it made the natives furious. If anyone can co-exist with nature it is the people of these Outer Banks.
What has been allowed to happen here is criminal in my opinion. We have no voice and no leadership. I have been told that Audubon and the National Park Service look for areas like this to swallow up. I don't think they realized the fight of the locals along these banks. I will not stop until my last breath to expose them for what they have done to my hometown.
My mother is 84 years old, owns a motel here, widowed 39 years ago, she works every day fighting to save her business that has been her life's work. Others like her, the same thing, families have lost everything.
I know the NPS has figures that show business in this county is up. It is up for the Northern beaches, they have gotten all the tourists that used to come to Hatteras Island and now do not come because they can't go to our beaches. We on Hatteras Island have been destroyed. I really believe this is not a bird or bird egg issue. It is about control, seeing if they can go into a weak political non populated area and take over, wait a few years, then sell it for profit or turn this island into a bird sanctuary.
I am a proud hard working American woman but I am pleading with you to please belief me and when the paid lobbyists or attorneys or the Southern Environmental Law Center tells you all the lies they spread, I'm here in Buxton tonight, writing to my elected officials, still believing in democracy, praying that a few of you will read this and understand that with your vote on S2372, will determine the future of this island and the people that call Hatteras their home. When I tell people that come here that have not heard about our beaches being closed what is happening, they don't believe it. As crazy as it sounds to them, the fact remains that for years we have been living with closed beaches, a destroyed economy, generations of families that have lost everything they have worked for their entire lives, because of ten bird EGGS.
Please vote YES, pass senate bill 2372, save us, you are the only ones that can....

my mother wrote that

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My name is Mayumi XXXXX
Last year I traveled to North Carolina all the way from Japan. This was during July, the only vacation time available. Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke were ranked as top beaches in the world. My friend had been there in 2005 and had a wonderful time. I spent a lot of money and time to vacation in Buxton. To my shock, the famed public beaches were closed. They were not just closed to driving, they were closed to walking. I was not allowed to enter the park. The reason given was that the park was closed to protect a bird. But it is a recreational park; it is not a wild life preserve. How can you close a beach on an island? How can you close the most popular beach in the middle of the summer? We were so disappointed. With all the hype about American freedom, the government allows special interest activists to rob people of their own land and civil liberties. I feel sorry for the people who live there and the people who vacation there regularly but will never return to the Outer Banks. It is truly criminal what was done to the people there by a pack of extremists and an activist judge, none of whom even live in the affected areas. And it is also criminal and typical that the American government could turn such a blind eye for so long and drag its feet year after year while people suffer, businesses close, vacations get ruined, and two islands fall apart.
Shame on America.

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today they vote on S2372

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good news I got lawyer on % and I sent him loads of ammo today. we have a slam dunk case.

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