THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 23, 1994 TAG: 9411230471
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
A congressional delegation is expected to ask the secretary of the interior today to rescind Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge's action closing much of the refuge. It also will seek to reopen trails that lead to False Cape State Park.
In a letter from several area representatives to Bruce Babbitt, the delegation terms as ``extreme'' and ``unwarranted'' the closing of the refuge's interior trails from November to June to protect migrating birds.
``We are concerned,'' the letter said, ``. . . that imposing such severe restrictions on access to the refuge and in turn False Cape will only serve to degrade public support and understanding for the important mission of our national refuge system.''
The letter also says the closure ``denies Virginia citizens the opportunity to visit False Cape State Park and for the Park to fulfill its mission of visitor recreation, habitat protection and environmental education.''
Walking or biking on the refuge's interior trails provided the main access to the isolated state park, which is in the southeastern corner of the state.
Since the seasonal closure Nov. 1, visitors must make a 10-mile round-trip trek along the beach to reach the park. The park also can be reached by boat.
The refuge's closure of most of its wildlife impoundments and interior trails, or dikes, to visitors will remain in effect until June. Meanwhile, the northern 1 1/2 miles of the refuge has remained open for walking, biking and wildlife observation.
Joe McCauley, acting refuge manager, said Tuesday that the beach route and the interior route are ``virtually the same distance.''
He added that the refuge is trying to cooperate with the park by offering rides down the beach in four-wheel-drive vehicles to groups that want to use the park for environmental education activities.
The letter, expected to be delivered today to Babbitt, was signed Tuesday by Sen. John Warner, R-Va.; Rep. Owen Pickett, D-2nd; and Rep. Herb Bateman, R-1st. Others were expected to sign it today.
The congressional delegation is also questioning the reasons behind the closure.
The wildlife service is under court order to eliminate public uses that are not compatible with their primary purpose of preserving wildlife.
As a result, the refuge conducted a study last year that indicated that human activity, such as walking or biking, disturbs the birds and prevents them from feeding and resting properly so they can return north in their best breeding condition.
``We do not believe the Service has clearly determined and demonstrated that these activities threaten the primary purposes of the refuge,'' the letter states.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was sued by several national conservation groups, which alleged that some public uses at refuges were damaging to wildlife and wildlife habitat. A settlement last year gave refuges until Oct. 20 to eliminate disruptive activities.
The congressmen and senators also charge that proper procedure was not followed when Fish and Wildlife acted to institute the seasonal closure. They maintain that Congress should have been notified under the 1995 Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
That bill directs that ``no actions to significantly alter or eliminate any activities on refuges should be undertaken without 30 days' prior notice to the appropriate oversight committees.''
State officials, including Gov. George F. Allen, have blasted the refuge and the wildlife service for denying Virginians' access to their own state park and for excessive regulation.
``It is yet another example of an overbearing and uncaring federal bureaucracy that ignores the impact of its orders,'' Allen has said. ``Virginians cannot be expected to cheerfully accept this kind of unreasonable dictate from the federal government.''
Since the closure earlier this month, the number of visitors to False Cape State Park is less than one-tenth of the usual number. On a recent weekend, there were 15 visitors. A typical fall weekend would have drawn 200 to 300.
KEYWORDS: FALSE CAPE STATE PARK
BACK BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
by CNB