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County of Dare |
| For Immediate Release: 6/27/2012 | Contact: Public Relations Office 252.475.5900 darecountypr@darenc.com |
Dare County Board Chairman Testifies Before Senate Subcommittee
Warren Judge, Chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, appeared at a Senate hearing before the National Parks Subcommittee. He testified in support of a bi-partisan bill, S. 2372 that was introduced by U.S. Senator Richard Burr, R-N.C., and co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, D-N.C.
S. 2372, known as the Preserving Public Access to Cape Hatteras Beaches Act, would reinstate the Interim Management Plan at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. Similar legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week.
During testimony, Judge emphasized that the Interim Management Plan best balances resource protection with recreational access by allowing decisions to be made by the Park Superintendent, who is ultimately accountable to Congress, rather than the courts or a rigid and flawed ORV Management Plan. He spoke of the far-reaching nature of the closures and the economic hardships they have caused for the people of Hatteras Island.
Allen Burrus, Vice-Chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, attended the hearing and was grateful for the support shown by Subcommittee Member Joe Manchin (D-WV). "It was clear that Senator Manchin is familiar with Hatteras Island and understands the impact of what is taking place at the Seashore. He seems to understand the hardships being felt by the local people and we are appreciative."
Reflecting on the day's events, Warren Judge stated, "We are not over the hurdles yet but we were energized by what happened at the hearing. The key to success in the Senate is bi-partisan support. We appreciate the efforts of Senator Burr, Senator Hagan and their staffs for working together in support of this issue."
An archived video of the hearing is available on the Senate Committee's website at http://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2012/6/national-parks-subcommittee-hearing
