<font color="yellow">legislation is being pressed to allow responsible OHV use of a corridor near the beach. The Wilderness Society (TWS) would have you believe otherwise.... I would suggest a letter to your congress persons asking them to support H.R. 896 and allow responsible OHV use of the beach....</font c>

>
> ****************************
> * WILD ALERT
> * TUESDAY, June 5, 2001
> ****************************
>
> ***SPECIAL NOTE: We have a new action page! Now, you can fully edit
> letters, and your personal information will be saved for future use.
> Any problems or feedback? Contact wildalert@tws.org ***
>
> Dear WildAlert Subscriber,
>
> New Jersey's Holgate Beach provides an extraordinary experience for
> solitude and bird-watching. But illegal dune buggies and other
> off-road vehicle threaten that experience, as they violate Holgate
> Beach's federally designated Wilderness status. Now, legislation
> introduced in Congress would change the Holgate Wilderness boundary to
> legitimize off-road vehicles there. Tell your Representative to
> oppose this wilderness-busting legislation -- take action at
> http://www.wilderness.org/takeaction/?step=2&item=423
>
> Background
> Amid the hustle and bustle of the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey
> Turnpike, there are few wild places to experience solitude and
> wildlife in their natural habitat. The Holgate seashore on the Edwin
> B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge provides visitors a spectacular
> experience to birdwatch, fish, and relax free from the sounds, smells,
> and wildlife harassment caused by off-road vehicles, common on other
> beaches.
>
> This congressionally designated Wilderness area, on Long Beach Island,
> was set aside to host thousands of shorebirds that migrate and feed
> along the coast of New Jersey. The area is so critical that from
> April through August the Wilderness is completely reserved to allow
> piping plovers, a federally threatened species, time to nest and
> migrate. Moreover, this area remains a prime area for migrating
> shorebirds through the fall months. Close to 300 bird species have
> been sighted there, including Atlantic brant, American black duck, and
> brown pelican.
>
> Problem
> Illegal dune buggies and other off-road vehicles are violating Holgate
> beach's Wilderness status and are most likely harassing migrating
> birds during their critical migration seasons. In New Jersey, only 2
> percent of the land is protected as Wilderness, while more than two
> dozen beaches allow beach buggies and other off-road vehicles to drive
> along the shoreline. On Long Beach Island alone, off-road vehicles
> are allowed on nearly 18 miles of beaches -- only 2.5 miles of
> undeveloped beach in the Refuge are off limits to vehicles.
>
> Anti-Wilderness Legislation
> Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
> (H.R. 896) to change the boundary of Holgate Wilderness to allow beach
> buggy and other off-road vehicle use. The bill would undermine
> Holgate's Wilderness protection simply to legitimize an illegal
> activity. It's not appropriate for Holgate beach, and it sets a
> terrible precedent for Wilderness areas nationwide.
>
> Take Action
> Your voice is needed to support New Jersey's Wilderness. Contact your
> Representative today at
> http://www.wilderness.org/takeaction/?step=2&item=423 or tell them
> directly:
>
> - OPPOSE H.R. 896, which would change the Holgate Wilderness
> boundaries simply to allow illegal off-road vehicle use, at the
> expense of disturbing migratory bird habitat and the recreational
> experiences of visitors who seek to birdwatch, fish, and relax, free
> from the sounds and smells of off-road vehicles.
> - What little remains of New Jersey's wild shores should be protected,
> not opened up to more destruction.
> - H.R. 896 is a bad idea for New Jersey and sets a terrible precedent
> for the rest of America's Wilderness areas.
>
> Send your comments to:
> Rep. _______________
> U.S. House of Representatives
> Washington, DC 20515
> Capitol Hill Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
> Fax/Email: too many to list, so go to http://www.house.gov for your
> Representative's contact information.
>
> Also send a copy to Rep. Saxton:
> Rep. Jim Saxton
> U.S. House of Representatives
> Washington, DC 20515
> FAX: 202/225-0778
> EMAIL: jim.saxton@mail.house.gov
>
> ************************************************** *************
> For a full list of Action Items, visit
> http://www.wilderness.org/takeaction
>
> ************************************************** *************
> An archive of past WildAlerts can be found at
> http://www.wilderness.org/wildalert/wildalerts.htm
>
>
>
>
> ************************************************** *************
>
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