The Latest News

SELC Champions Clear, Enforceable Regulation of Beach Driving on Cape Hatteras

added 5.4.11

In the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the populations of nesting seabirds, shorebirds, and sea turtles have rebounded significantly (PDF)—some to record levels—thanks to three years of reasonable limits on beach driving secured by SELC and its partners. In accord with a legal agreement we reached with the National Park Service in 2008, the agency has developed a plan for managing off-road vehicle use on the seashore. Although the plan does not implement all the protections scientists have recommended, it goes a long way toward safeguarding sensitive areas of the seashore for wildlife and pedestrian use while still allowing reasonable vehicle access for activities such as surf fishing.

Our goal now is to make sure a new regulation based on that plan, to be proposed by the Park Service this summer, has clear, enforceable standards for protecting wildlife and their nesting grounds, with specific provisions for when and where people can drive off-road. The final rule is scheduled to be issued in November.

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Previous Case Activity

Conservation Groups Seek Responsible Off-Road Vehicle Management within National Park

added 11.16.10

After a record-breaking year for wildlife at Cape Hatteras National Seashore and visitor occupancy in Dare County, NC, conservation groups are studying the Final Environmental Impact Statement released yesterday by the National Park Service as its latest step in the process of establishing rules for managing beach driving within the seashore. More details are in the press release.

Nesting birds and sea turtles break records at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

added 8.25.10

With the breeding season still underway, 2010 is already a record-breaking year for rare sea turtles and waterbirds that nest on beaches at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, according to preliminary numbers from the National Park Service. More details are in the press release

Judge Rules for Protecting Piping Plover Habitat

added 8.18.10

On August 18, a federal judge agreed with SELC and ruled in favor of designating critical habitat areas for the wintering piping plover on the beaches of North Carolina, in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. An off-road driving group and two North Carolina counties jointly filed suit to strike down this protection for the piping plover, which has been listed as a threatened species since 1986. Representing Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society, SELC intervened in the case to support federal efforts to safeguard the shorebird’s nesting areas and promote its recovery.

Conservation Groups’ Comments on Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan

added 5.12.10

National Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Southern Environmental Law Center yesterday submitted comments regarding the National Park Service’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Off-road Vehicle Management Plan. More information is in a joint statement.

take action to preserve hatteras

added 5.6.10

Please help with an urgent conservation issue that could have an impact on all national parks—the future management of off-road vehicles within Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The park's beaches are crucial nesting areas for rare birds and sea turtles. Other park visitors also enjoy areas without ORVs for recreational activities and safe family recreation.

The public has one chance to comment on this plan (called a Draft Environmental Impact Statement or DEIS) before midnight (Mountain Daylight Time) May 11, 2010 to make sure that the Park Service protects the rare birds and sea turtles for which Cape Hatteras is famous and provides equal access for all visitors.

Please make your voice heard by submitting comments to the National Park Service.