Beach Driving Negotiations Stall
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For Immediate Release: Dare County
Contact:
Public Relations Office
475-5900
darecountypr@darenc.com
Dare County, the National Park Service, Defenders of Wildlife, and the National Audubon Society were unable to reach an
agreement this week on parameters for beach driving in the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Seashore.
Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society are Plaintiffs in a lawsuit for a preliminary injunction that would prohibit
beach driving in the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Seashore. Last week Judge Terrence Boyle continued the hearing to
allow time to finalize a settlement known as a “consent agreement” between the parties.
Negotiations went into the evening on Wednesday, and lawyers for all sides had reached agreement on parameters for a resolution
to present to their respective clients. They had agreed on buffers for nesting birds that would create opportunities for recreational
access. Those buffers may have caused closures depending on the movement of the birds, but the opportunity for access would still
be available.
On Thursday when the two sides met to finalize the details of the agreement, it became clear the Plaintiffs were not willing to agree to
the terms discussed in previous meetings. The National Audubon Society and Defenders of Wildlife expanded the size of buffers
they were willing to accept to a size that would effectively eliminate opportunities for access and eliminated 5 of the 6 areas of
concern from consideration.
Since the changes proposed by the Plaintiffs on Thursday evening essentially eliminated opportunities for access, Dare County and
the other Interveners could not agree to those terms. Talks toward an agreement were terminated, and a date for a hearing has not
been set.
Dare County Public Relations Department
(252) 475-5900 - Office
(252) 473-4594 - Fax
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