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Drakes Bay Oyster Co. Seeks TRO To Keep Point Reyes National Seashore Oyster Farm In Business

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Politics stalked the national park system throughout 2007. From snowmobiles in Yellowstone to off-road vehicles in Big Cypress, it seemed natural resources and careful stewardship were trumped too often.

We heard both National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne promise that science and careful stewardship would rule the national parks, and yet it seemed those promises fell short.

Not all the news surrounding the parks was negative, though. Congress approved President Bush's hefty funding increase for the parks, the National Park Foundation held a summit to explore partnership and philanthropy in the parks, and the Centennial Challenge was launched.

That said, here's a look at some of the top stories that rippled across the national park system in 2007:

  • Yellowstone snowmobiles. Despite scientific reports that detailed how snow coaches were the best alternative for Yellowstone's environment, wildlife, employees and visitors, park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis approved a plan to allow as many as 540 snowmobiles per day into Yellowstone. That decision, which conservation groups have promised to test in court, could have consequences far beyond Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks as I noted back in November.

    Rick Smith, of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, speaks of decision (1:00)
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  • Fran Mainella points finger at Interior Department. A year after leaving her job as director of the National Park Service, Fran Mainella told the Traveler that Interior Department officials, not her office, called the shots on allowing snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park.

    Fran Mainella talks to the 'Traveler' (4:34)
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  • Jet skis. Conservation groups asked the Park Service to reinstate bans against personal watercraft in Gulf Islands and Cape Lookout national seashores as well as Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. If the agency balks, the groups say they'll take it to court over the matter.

  • ORVs in Big Cypress National Preserve. A decision by Big Cypress Superintendent Karen Gustin to reopen 20 miles of off-road vehicle routes was greeted by a lawsuit just before Christmas when a coalition of groups filed a lawsuit to overturn that decision.

  • Katmai Bear Hunt. A groundswell of public outrage greeted the annual hunt of brown bears in Katmai National Preserve. Though hunting technically is allowed in the preserve, the seeming habituation of bears to humans created the impression that the bear hunt was akin to "shooting fish in a barrel" and prompted calls for the Park Service to end the hunt. Watch Video

  • Park Service budget. President Bush proposed, and Congress approved, a hefty funding increase for the National Park Service. True, the $2.39 billion FY08 budget cannibalizes some sections of the agency's budget so its base operations funding will rise $153.4 million. But an increase is an increase.

  • Centennial Challenge. In his fiscal 2008 budget request, President Bush proposed a Centennial Challenge with visions of infusing $3 billion, in a mix of public and private funding, into the park system as the National Park Service moves towards its centennial in 2016. Though controversial on several fronts, and falling short of his 2000 campaign promise to spend $5 billion to wipe out the Park Service's maintenance backlog, the initiative gained congressional approval, though not exactly as the president requested it.

    Kempthorne Announces Centennial Projects; Podcast (10:50)
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  • National Park Foundation Leadership Summit on Partnership and Philanthropy. Private philanthropy long has played a crucial role in the construction and health of the national park system. To explore how philanthropy and partnerships can bolster the parks as they head to the National Park Service's centennial in 2016, the National Park Foundation in October convened a summit in Austin, Texas, to examine the possibilities.

    NPS Director Mary Bomar addresses Leadership Summit (1:45)
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  • The Demise of the National Parks Pass. This much-loved $50 pass, which got its holder into as many parks as they wanted for a year, died on January 1 when the $80 America the Beautiful Pass came to be. However, congressional efforts towards the end of 2007 could spur the return of the National Parks Pass.

  • Climate Change. In a telling report, the Government Accountability Office said the Interior Department has failed to provide the National Park Service with the tools it needs to cope with climate change and its impacts on the national park system.

Comments

All about them, Zeb. But what do you expect with a long time mentor to the present occupant like Bill Ayres (speaking at University of Oregon). How are the Parks likely to fare in this new world? I would have thought the likes of this would be far out there but it's arrived. Going to be interesting ...

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/bill-ayers-to-university-students-americ...


C'mon, Zeb, like it or not, we're a nation of laws. You can't pick and choose the ones you like. If you don't like one, work to change it, just as the mountain bikers are when it comes to wilderness, but don't complain when folks point to laws to support their views.

And of course removing the buildings and operations of the oyster farm will make the place wilder and more pristine. Will it turn the clock back 150 or 200 years, no.


"nation of Laws," Kurt? That argument is being shot full of holes on a daily basis. Laws are just bumps in the road for the current crop of ideologues, I believe.


Of course this is a nation of laws. Kevin Lunny actually went as far as to lobby for a law that did give hope that the farm's operation could be extended. This was a policy decision. If Salazar had approved a new 10 year special use permit, that would not be a violation of law. There's your Congressional intent.

Of course it remains to be seen how the balance changes. There are still cattle surrounding Drakes Estero, and they are still going to be there (in fact Salazar is encouraging the terms to be doubled) and the runoff flows every time it rains. Don't be surprised if a dead zone forms in Drakes Estero due to a combination of the runoff and increased amounts of phytoplankton.


Kurt - I agree 100%. We are supposed to be a nation of laws. Unfortunately, the progressives have a way of twisting those laws to creating meaning that was never intended. You know "living Constitution" and the like. This is a case in point. The original law never intended to have the Oyster Company removed (per the words of its sponsor). The bureaucrats have used their interpretations to get to their extreme outcome. Removing the buildings and operations will have insignificant impact relative to the 33,000 acres that are preserved as wilderness.


EC, show me where in the "original law" that there was no intention to remove the oyster farm? I can show you the language that called for it, but haven't seen "the words of its sponsor" embedded in it.

In light of that, I would disagree that the bureaucrats have used their interpretations. Rather, they have pointed to the language of the original wilderness legislation as well as the lease agreement the Johnsons originally signed to support their decision. Even Mr. Lunny acknowledged that the lease would expire on November 30 without an extension.

I would agree with y_p_w that Salazar made a very curious decision to remove the oyster farm yet extend the ranching leases.


Kurt - YPW has already provided the comments from the Burton - the sponsor - saying it was not the intent. And obviously if the ranching leases are extended, the "law" isn't the reason the Oyster Company wasn't shut down.


EC, I know what Mr. Burton has said, and I've talked to Pete McCloskey, Jr., as well. Whatever they recall, they apparently didn't insist that that clarity be inserted into the wilderness legislation. And in light of how crafty politicians are at slipping things into legislation, that comes somewhat as a surprise.

The oyster farm and the ranching operations are two separate issues. I don't believe the ranching leases are in areas that were/are to be designated official wilderness.


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