Emerson Registers Opinion on ONSR with Park Service – July 31, 2009
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) sent a public comment to the National Park Service on proposed new regulations for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, which she cites as a principal tourism and recreational attraction in the Eighth Congressional District.“The ONSR is a stunning natural resource in our state, and it is extremely important that we preserve public access so it can be responsibly enjoyed,” Emerson said. “Many of our communities rely on the ONSR and the people drawn to it for their local economies, and reducing the ability of boaters to visit the area and use the riverways would be a great hardship for them. The guiding principles of the ONSR have always centered around maintaining the public’s right to make good use of the riverways – we ought to continue to keep the ONSR open to the public in that spirit.”
The Eighth District Representative also cited concerns for private landowners along the river in her comments to the federal agency.
“Private property owners have a right to easily access their lands, and we have to be careful of any federal effort that would restrict them. This is about keeping the balance between a healthy, scenic, natural resource and a public commodity that is being kept open and available for taxpayers to enjoy,” Emerson said.
Excerpts of Emerson’s submission to the National Park Service for the public comment period follow:
As with many of our National Parks, a natural tension has risen between those who would prefer to the NPS to focus on “managing wildlife” (often in the most extreme manner) and those, like myself, who prefer the NPS to focus on ensuring access and enjoyment of these public parks by the taxpayers of Missouri and the nation. After reviewing the proposed alternative General Management Plans, I would urge the National Park Service to adopt the No-Action Alternative.
The ONSR should be allowed to expand recreation activities, in a safe and responsible manner, to provide individuals a broad selection of activities. Overly aggressive limits on horsepower may also pose safety and access concerns, especially when areas of the river subject to higher regulation isolate areas in which general use is allowed by these proposed plans.
...none of the proposed alternatives address the impact on the local communities and counties along the ONSR. Vibrant and even thriving local partners are essential to fulfilling the goals of the National Scenic Riverways system, however, it is not clear to me that the National Park System is even allowed to consider the surrounding, local economic community in their decision-making process. Managing wildlife, preserving the environment and providing recreational activities do not stop at the Park Service’s gates. The taxpayers who travel to and from the region will base their enjoyment and impression of the environment on more than just the river itself; a functioning local economy is important to achieving the shared goals of this interconnected community. I would hope the concerns of local government are heard and addressed during this process, so they do not have to be carried to Washington in another process.
