There's 10 days left for us to comment on the NPS weapons regulations.

There are over 13 thousand comments already. We got a HUGE number of those from the VCDL co-petitioners but we need all the support we can get.

In a nutshell, the DOI proposed regulation is itself a "patchwork" of unnecessary burden thanks to them proposing their vague "analogous state lands" language. The VCDL Petitioners proposed revised language which eliminates this language.


You can comment online here

Please, if you do comment, PLEASE incorporate the VCDL petitioner language in your comments:

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I support the proposed change to permit loaded firearms / weapons in National Parks and Wildlife refuges but comment that the proposed regulation should be amended as follows:

the Department of the Interior & National Park Service should amend the current regulation concerning weapons as follows:

Title 36--Parks, Forests, and Public Property
CHAPTER I?NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DOI
PART 2?RESOURCE PROTECTION, PUBLIC USE AND RECREATION
1. The authority citation for part 2 continues to read as follows:
AUTHORITY: 16 U.S.C. 1, 3, 9a, 17j-2, 462.
2. Amend § 2.4 by adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows:
§ 2.4 Weapons, traps and nets.
* * * * *
(h) A person may possess, carry, and transport loaded, and operable firearms or other weapons within a national park area in the same manner, and to the same extent, that a person may lawfully possess, carry, and transport loaded and operable firearms or other weapons in the state in which the federal park, or that portion thereof, is located, provided that such possession, carrying and transporting otherwise complies with applicable federal and state law.

Title 50--Wildlife and Fisheries
CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DOI
PART 27--PROHIBITED ACTS
1. The authority citation for part 27 continues to read as follows:
AUTHORITY: Sec. 2, 33 Stat. 614, as amended (16 U.S.C. 685); Sec. 5, 43 Stat. 651 (16 U.S.C. 725); Sec. 5, Stat. 449 (16 U.S.C. 690d); Sec. 10, 45 Stat. 1224 (16 U.S.C. 715i); Sec. 4, 48 Stat.402, as amended (16 U.S.C. 664); Sec. 2, 48 Stat. 1270 (43 U.S.C. 315a); 49 Stat. 383 as amended; Sec. 4, 76 Stat. (16 U.S.C. 460k); Sec. 4, 80 Stat. 927 (16 U.S.C. 668dd) (5 U.S.C.685, 752, 690d); 16 U.S.C. 715s).
Subpart D -- Disturbing Violations: With Weapons
2. Amend § 27.42 by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
§ 27.42 Firearms.
* * * * *

(e) A person may possess, carry, and transport loaded, and operable firearms or other weapons within a national wildlife refuge in the same manner, and to the same extent, that a person may lawfully possess, carry, and transport loaded and operable firearms or other weapons in the state in which the federal wildlife refuge, or that portion thereof, is located, provided that such possession, carrying and transporting otherwise complies with applicable federal and state law.
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I have more information at:
http://www.bighammer.net/Frame-24-timelinepage24.html#05/01/08
Or
www.bighammer.net/timeline.html

Here are some highlights.

Some opponents of this change, including some Park Service unit superintendents have commented they don't see a need for this change and why would a person need a weapon in a park. This of course is a false premise. There have been several murders, rapes, robberies, drug smugglers, and other crimes in National Parks. Further, the National Park Service has publicly stated it "(NPS) cannot guarantee the safety of ... park visitors"

Documented in NPS Intermountain region FOIA response IMR/08-51 dated 02/01/08. In the response, officials from the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument admit that they require researchers to sign a waiver that they will not hold the government / NPS liable if they are injured or killed by border crossers or other criminals. They go on to admonish that NPS cannot guarantee the safety of researchers or assistants.

See - http://www.bighammer.net/images/020608_NPS_permit.pdf
See also - http://www.bighammer.net/images/020608_NPSFOIA_notsafe1.pdf

The proposed regulation "analogous state lands" unnecessarily over complicates administration of Parks weapons regulations. The changed regulation should harmoniously assimilate the law of the state in which the park or wildlife refuge resides without having to maintain a list of current state park or similar "analogous" lands at the federal level.


The proposed regulation does not address those whose domiciles lie within, or adjacent to NPS managed lands. Under the proposed regulation, citizens who live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Ocracoke Island, Oak Island, Colonial Parkway, George Washington Parkway, Cape Cod National Seashore and many more NPS managed lands would be in violation of the propose regulation the moment they walked outside their house if the firearm was not loaded & concealed.
See - http://www.moffatcountysheriff.com/brookstocomstock.htm
See also - http://www.moffatcountysheriff.com/npstomantle.htm

If you haven't commented, please take the time to do so. If you know others who haven't, then please ask them to as well.

Thanks!

Done. Added your comments verbatim, I liked them so much.

Previously commented, but added your verbage verbatim as an addendum...
Thanks for keeping on top of this...

Thanks guys, we can win this.

If you know anyone who may not be aware, please help spread the word.

I submitted my comments the first time.

Thanks.

I did. It works now.

Thanks guys, BTT...

I know it sounds like (reads like) a broken keyboard or something, but they revived this comment period while I was out of country ....

PLEASE: If your comments didn't include the language above, amend your previous ones! Just submit 2nd comments with the opening line of "I am amending my previously submitted comments."

Include the language between the lines above in the original post. It's important that as many comments urge the simpler "assimilate the state law" language rather than the crazy legaleze DOI offered.

Just added my comments.