Defenders of Wildlife Launches Radio Ads to protect Cape Hatteras and wildlife

Senators Hagan and Burr legislation would undermine balanced plan for the park

WASHINGTON, DC (6/13/2013) –– Defenders of Wildlife has launched a radio ad campaign in North Carolina to advocate for wildlife and balanced beach access at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It features the voices of North Carolinians speaking out for conservation and against NC Senators Hagan and Burr’s efforts to overturn the successful Cape Hatteras management plan.

Senators Hagan and Burr have introduced Senate bill 486, which scraps the successful and balanced final policy for managing off-road vehicle (ORV) use and protecting wildlife and park visitors that the National Park Service put into effect in 2012, following extensive public involvement. In its place, the bill calls for a return to an interim strategy, a set of old protocols which failed to control ORV use and devastated imperiled sea turtle and shorebird populations.

“There is no need for this legislation; Cape Hatteras saw record numbers of tourists last year, (North Carolina Department of Commerce), sea turtle nest counts were at an all-time high and piping plover and other shorebirds are rebounding(National Park Service) since the plan was put in place,” said Jason Rylander, senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. “Their efforts will turn this great national park back into a parking lot.”
By introducing this bill, Hagan and Burr are putting politics before conservation, common sense and the facts.

The bill is expected to be voted on by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 18.

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For more information:
Read Cape Hatteras 2012 Sea Turtle and Piping Plover reports
Read Outer Banks Visitors Bureau 2012 Tourism Reports

Contact: Haley McKey, hmckey@defenders.org, 202-772-0247

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.organd follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.