National Parks....Carry Now Allowed!

[TheMrMitch]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Lyle Laverty today announced that the Department of the Interior has finalized updated regulations governing the possession of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges.

The final rule, which updates existing regulations, would allow an individual to carry a concealed weapon in national parks and wildlife refuges if, and only if, the individual is authorized to carry a concealed weapon under state law in the state in which the national park or refuge is located. The update has been submitted to the Federal Register for publication and is available to the public on www.doi.gov.

Existing regulations regarding the carrying of firearms remain otherwise unchanged, particularly limitations on poaching and target practice and prohibitions on carrying firearms in federal buildings.

“America was founded on the idea that the federal and state governments work together to serve the public and preserve our natural resources,” Laverty said. “The Department’s final regulation respects this tradition by allowing individuals to carry concealed firearms in federal park units and refuges to the extent that they could lawfully do so under state law.

This is the same basic approach adopted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Forest Service (USFS), both of which allow visitors to carry weapons consistent with applicable federal and state laws.”

On February 22, 2008, Interior Secretary Kempthorne responded to letters from 51 Senators, both Democrats and Republicans, as well as from the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, urging him to update existing regulations that prohibit the carrying of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. In his response, the Secretary directed Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Lyle Laverty “to develop and propose for public comment by April 30 Federal regulations that will update firearms policies on these lands to reflect existing Federal laws (such as those prohibiting weapons in Federal buildings) and the laws by which the host states govern transporting and carrying of firearms on their analogous public lands.”

Changes in the final regulations from those originally proposed in April were developed as the result of public comments. In particular, comments expressed concern about the feasibility of implementing regulations which directly linked the carrying of concealed firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges to the ability of an individual to carry a concealed firearm on analogous state lands. The final regulations remove that potential logistical hurdle.

The existing regulations, as currently in effect, were adopted in 1981 for national wildlife refuges and in 1983 for national parks. Since that time many states have enacted new firearms policies. Currently, 48 states have passed legislation allowing for the lawful possession of concealed weapons.

“The Department believes that in managing parks and refuges we should, as appropriate, make every effort to give the greatest respect to the democratic judgments of State legislatures with respect to concealed firearms,” said Laverty. “Federal agencies have a responsibility to recognize the expertise of the States in this area, and federal regulations should be developed and implemented in a manner that respects state prerogatives and authority.”

[Bill of Rights]

FYI: I read on another BB that this goes into effect something like 30 days after it's listed in the Federal Register, which will be around 12 Jan 2009. Don't get busted on a technicality, folks!

Blessings,
B

[SOCIAL LIBERTARIAN]

Nice win for CCW holders!

[Bear Poop]

Wonder if this will spill over to other Federal Property?

Hope so!!!! I had a contract guard about to have a stroke this morning because he caught sight of PART of my EMPTY holster while wanding me. New guy and all hot to be Super Cop. The rest of the crew have never ONCE commented about it and I know the regular guy had figured out why the wand goes off in a place where there should not be any metal. I did ask Super Cop how does he know I am parked in the Federal Lot proper? Or even better how does he or anyone know I left ANY weapon in my vehicle even if I did park on federal property?

I did spend this morning going through the website looking for the reg/rule or policy on the subject and there is none. And prior to 9/11 I know several people that carried IN the building as the metal detectors were ignored even when they screamed.

I don't like the idea of driving the distances I do to get to work and home unarmed. And given the crap with the economy etc things could get ugly too fast to respond and bug out to home.

So do I park on NON fed property and take the chance of no lot security and get robbed? Or do I just get even sneaker than I already am and hope I don't get found out?

And YEP I DID screw up! I should have taken off my IWB holster with that damned metal clip and left it in the vehicle!!! Bet the farm I WON'T make that mistake again!!!

[CA CCWInstructor]

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayRe...4947767&EDATE=

Brady Campaign Sues Interior Department Over Rule Allowing Concealed Guns in Parks, Will Seek Court Injunction


WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence today filed suit in federal court asking that the court strike down a last-minute Bush Administration rule change allowing concealed, loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and seeks an injunction to block the rule, which is scheduled to go into effect on January 9, 2009.

"The Bush Administration's last-minute gift to the gun lobby, allowing concealed semiautomatic weapons in national parks, jeopardizes the safety of park visitors in violation of federal law," said Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke. "We should not be making it easier for dangerous people to carry concealed firearms in our parks."

Attorneys with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence's Legal Action Project and the law firm Ropes & Gray in Washington, D.C. are representing the Brady Campaign in this case. To read the complaint, go to http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/pd...-complaint.pdf.

The rule will allow guns in rural and urban national park areas around the country, from Wyoming's Yellowstone and California's Yosemite to Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, home of the Liberty Bell. The suit was filed on behalf of the Brady Campaign and its members, including school teachers in the New York and Washington, D.C. areas who are canceling or curtailing school trips to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and the National Mall in Washington, D.C. now that the Bush Administration will be allowing guns in these national park areas.

The suit charges that the Interior Department violated several federal laws in its rush to implement the rule before President Bush leaves office, including failing to conduct any environmental review of the harm that the rule will cause, as is required by the National Environmental Policy Act. The Department also violated a White House directive that no rules should be issued after November 1, 2008, except in "extraordinary circumstances," issuing the last-minute rule change on December 10, 2008. The rule also violates the National Park Service Organic Act and the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, which created the parks and wildlife refuges as protected lands for safe enjoyment of all visitors.

Rules in place since the Reagan Administration have allowed visitors to transport guns in national parks and wildlife refuges if they are unloaded and stored or dismantled. These restrictions have helped make these areas some of the safest places to visit in the country. Yet at the behest of the gun lobby, the Interior Department announced earlier this year that it planned to allow concealed firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. Concealed carrying will be allowed in every state that allows concealed carrying, even if the state specifically bans the practice in state parks. Only Illinois and Wisconsin prohibit concealed carrying.

Numerous studies have confirmed that concealed carrying of firearms does not reduce crime and, if anything, leads to increased violent crime. Experience in states that have allowed concealed carrying of firearms has shown that thousands of dangerous people are able to get licenses. In Florida, for example, more than 4,200 licenses were revoked because many of these licensees committed a crime. Since becoming the first state to allow the concealed carrying of firearms in 1987, Florida consistently has had one of the highest rates of violent crime in the nation. Florida has been ranked as the state with the highest annual violent crime rate more often than any other state in the last two decades.

As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies. The Brady Campaign is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

For continuing insight and comment on the gun issue, read Paul Helmke's blog at www.bradycampaign.org/blog/. Visit the Brady Campaign website at www.bradycampaign.org.

Contact: Peter Hamm, 202-898-0792, phamm@bradymail.org


SOURCE Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

[Bear Poop]

If I could only shovel that, ah...........hmmmm..................ah...........s tuff on my corn patch! 10 foot ears weighing in at 100 lbs each!!!!!!!!!