Park Service suggests limits on Hatteras beach use

Written by Associated Press

Friday, March 05, 2010

BUXTON, N.C. — A proposal from the National Park Service would allow vehicles year-round access to 40 percent of a popular Outer Banks beach.

A plan released on Friday said drivers would be able to use 29 miles of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with some limits during the breeding periods of sea birds. Off-road vehicles would be able to access another 23 miles of the 68-mile seashore during some parts of the year.

About 16 miles would be permanently closed to vehicles.

The new rules are an attempt to settle a dispute between environmental activists who want to protect seashore animals and outdoors groups who want access to the beach for recreational activities.

The government will have public hearings on the matter and has proposed several other alternatives to its preferred plan.

Source: http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/32db3f4c-www.wlos.com.shtml

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“As a rancher who leases public lands for cattle, I’ve seen my share of cut fences and rangeland damaged by ORV use. I’ve also experienced ORV trespass onto my private lands. But I’ve had no way to identify the culprits when reporting trespass or illegal ORV use to local law enforcement. Congress should require that ORVs used on public lands have visible identification plates or decals. Doing so would remove the anonymity enjoyed by ORV riders who are bent on breaking the rules.”

- Ambers Thornburgh, second-generation rancher from Oregon who grazes cattle on his private land and adjacent lands leased from the Bureau of Land Management