Dear MDOspreyer,

Sorry to pester you once again this week, but 

National Audubon and the National Parks Conservation Association have both issued alerts regarding the Off-Road Vehicle regulations for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  I am preparing comments on behalf of MOS, but you can also submit comment.  This, however, is not a click and you're there sort of comment, you'll need to file via the US Government Regulations Portal.  The text I copy below will tell you how to do that.  Keep in mind, this is a public document, so consider carefully if you want to slap your name on it.  However, it is also your right as a citizen to comment.  I've done this many times, both on MOS' behalf and as a private citizen.   Comment is due by September 6 (next Tuesday).  A canned, sample text is below, if you don't have one of your own.
 
Kurt Schwarz
Conservation Chair
MOS

 
The National Park Service has proposed rules that are wholly inadequate to protect the wildlife of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This is our last chance to weigh in on this proposed regulation to help the rare birds and sea turtles that nest on its beaches—comments are due September 6.

The National Park Service is ONLY accepting electronic comments through Regulations.gov. Just follow the simple steps below to ensure your comment is counted. (If you run into any trouble, please email us at ) Usually our alerts will allow you to send emails directly from our Take Action site to the decision maker, but there was no way to do that this time. This issue is so important that we are asking people to take these additional steps.

1.     Copy these sample comments by selecting the text and pressing Ctrl+C (on a PC) or Command+C (on a Mac). You will be able to add to or edit them:

I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the National Park Service's proposed regulation for managing ORV use of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Under the current management plan at the Seashore, sea turtles and beach-nesting birds have made a tremendous comeback. I am very concerned that the proposed regulation treats wildlife protection as optional, provides few areas for families to safely enjoy vehicle-free beaches, and favors the rights of ORV users to drive on extensive areas of the beach to the exclusion of pedestrians and wildlife. I support regulations to manage ORVs within the Seashore that include specific, enforceable, science-based protections for wildlife and for pedestrians who wish to visit the National Seashore in a natural, vehicle-free state. The management plan should also set aside additional areas for those uses. 

The regulation will only protect the species that depend on the Seashore if it mandates specific, science-based protections, such as non-driving buffers around nests. Please add buffers and other wildlife protections to the regulation so that ORVs will not continue to dominate and degrade the Seashore. 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide these comments.
 
1.        Go to the comment form at Regulations.gov (will open in a new window or tab):
http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=NPS-2011-0005-0001
 
2.        Enter your name and address, then click inside of the "Comments" box and paste the sample comments(Ctrl+V on a PC or Command+V on a Mac). We encourage you to personalize the comments at this time with your own words. Be sure to mention any personal connection you may have, such as living nearby, vacationing at the Seashore, or enjoying peaceful recreation at another National Park.
 
3.        Click the orange submit button. You should receive confirmation that your comment has been submitted.

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