Talks over Hatteras beach driving moved to new location

Sea turtles are just about done nesting in Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and shorebird young have long flown off. Beach driving is the most unrestricted it has been in months.

Negotiations on an off-road vehicle management plan are starting to wind down, but not before another bump got the hive buzzing again.

The October negotiated rule-making meetings were canceled. Now the November meetings and all that follow will be held at Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, partly because of security concerns. The announcement was made by Mike Murray, the National Park Service Outer Banks Group superintendent.

Since the 30-member "RegNeg" meetings began in January, locations have alternated between the central and southern beach communities. But meetings in September at the Avon Firehouse were preceded by a demonstration that made some participants uncomfortable.

" Some of the members of the committee have received threats and what they perceived as being intimidation," said Cyndy Holda, Park Service spokeswoman. "It has been displayed. I have seen it with my own eyes."

A video by a beach-driving advocate shows protesters lining the road by the firehouse with signs such as "SAVE THE HUMANS" and "SAVE A BIRD KILL AN ISLAND." One or more may have stepped in the path of committee members, Holda said. Others may have made insulting comments.

"We just feel that having it at Wright Brothers, it will present a calmer atmosphere," she said. "Negotiations are sensitive. It doesn't help if you have the distraction of protesters. "

The superintendent has not decided whether the meetings may be televised, Holda said.

Having meetings at Wright park will be a hardship for many Hatteras and Ocracoke islanders, who arguably have the most at stake.

"A lot of us see it as a slap in the face," said Jim Keene, president of the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association. " I didn't see anything out of line. Let's face it - you're big girls and boys. Stiffen up your shoulders and go to work." The trip can be roughly 2-1/2 hours.

When Murray became superintendent in 2006, he made the ORV management plan a priority. Even with strong feelings on all sides, Murray said he believes a better plan can be developed through negotiation.

B efore the first meeting, two environmental groups on the committee sued the Park Service. On April 30, the claim was settled with a consent decree. Extensive - and confusing - beach clos ings resulted.

Ill will between environmental groups and ORV access groups has been an undercurrent at the table. But most committee members said they are committed to finishing.

"It's the most excruciating thing I've ever done in my life," Keene said. "I've never given birth, but I've been involved in the purchase of multimillion properties with a whole lot less pain than this."

If approved, the last meetings will be Jan. 6 and 7 and Jan. 21 and 22. A back-up meeting is set for Feb. 3.

The light may be at the end of the tunnel. Or not. "We just don't know if it's actually daylight," Keene said, "or if we've got a train coming at us."

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com