Editorial: Good faith needed for Hatteras deal

Somewhere in the National Park Service's 810 pages of proposals for managing off-road vehicles at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, there's a workable compromise that will displease all the parties involved.

Perhaps, as the contentious debate revs up again, that's precisely where all sides should agree to meet in the end.

There certainly isn't an option among the six in the plan - available for review and comment at http:/bit.ly/dsLVeZ - that will make everyone happy.

Some beach drivers don't see the need for anything more than the most basic restrictions. Conservation groups, meanwhile, have raised concerns about the thoroughness of wildlife protections in the option identified as "environmentally preferable."

But the unavoidable reality is that the long-term viability of the park as a natural resource and a public attraction would be best served by compromise, not continued bickering.

It's been almost 40 years since President Richard Nixon signed an executive order calling for ORV rules that honor "wise land and resource management practices, environmental values and other types of recreational activity." The Hatteras park still doesn't have that plan.

For two years, park officials have been operating under a federal court order. That has achieved the goal of protecting vulnerable shorebirds and turtles but alienated many recreational fishermen and business owners.

One of the options outlined in the plan is to continue following the consent decree hashed out in court. But park visitors deserve a more predictable set of wildlife buffer zones.

The option preferred by park officials appears close to creating predictability, while still protecting wildlife and preserving the tradition of beach driving on the Outer Banks.

Among the most promising ideas - present in the majority of options - is a requirement for beach drivers to obtain permits. The system would set capacity limits and require an education course for drivers.

The Park Service-preferred option also would create new access points and parking areas. These would open up distant areas for people to reach by foot and might ease ORV access to areas between buffers.

Generally, the option would keep 29 miles of the seashore open to ORVs year-round, slightly more than under current rules. Another 23 miles would be open from Aug. 1 to March 14, and roughly 16 would be closed to beach driving year-round.

The National Park Service will accept comments on the plan through May 11. Public hearings include two at Ocracoke and Buxton April 26 and another at Kill Devil Hills on April 27. The target date for completion of the plan is the end of the year.

There are many aspects that need further exploration - including whether it's possible to expand access to popular fishing spots, by ORV or by foot, that have been closed often over the past two years. But, as the discussions continue, it's important to remember that a plan is decades overdue. It's time to reach an agreement to disagree - and restore peace to the park.

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Source: http://hamptonroads.com/2010/03/good-faith-needed-hatteras-deal

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