Off-leash Advocacy Alert

This off leash action alert requesting IMMEDIATE action just in from Sally Stephens, Chair of SF Dog:

Last week I sent out an email about a bill introduced by Nancy Pelosi, HR 6305, that includes a section that would change the name of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to the Golden Gate National Parks. While this seems like an innocuous cosmetic change, the implications for recreation in the GGNRA -- including off-leash recreation -- are disturbing:

1. The legislation that created the GGNRA states that the GGNRA was created to: "provide for the maintenance of needed recreational open space necessary for urban environment and planning." Recreation, including off-leash dog walking, was the primary reason the GGNRA was created.
2. For years, GGNRA staff have been citing the fact that the GGNRA is a national park as the reason they have to restrict off-leash recreation. They say that the primary reason national parks exist is to preserve and restore habitat, and that recreation interferes with that mandate.
3. The US Code says that national parks have to be governed uniformly (with an emphasis on scenery and habitat). But it also says (16, U.S.C. Section 1a-1) that: "the protection, management, and administration of these areas ... shall not be exercised in derogation of the values and purposes for which these various areas have been established, except as may have been or shall be directly and specifically provided by Congress."
4. Even if Congress doesn't intend it, this bill will be cited by those opposed to off-leash and all other forms of recreation as evidence that Congress wants to overturn the recreation mandate contained in the legislation that created the GGNRA. This name change will be cited as proof Congress wants the GGNRA managed to restore habitat, not to maintain needed recreational open space.
5. This is not just about dogs. All current, non-hiking recreational users of the GGNRA are at risk with this bill. Equestrians, surfers, windsurfers, mountain bikers -- all could be banned from GGNRA trails if this name change goes through. Look at Yosemite's park rules -- no bikes or trails, no dogs on trails.
6. This name change will be used to push all recreational users -- including people with dogs -- out of the GGNRA.

Several representatives of dog groups met with Pelosi's staff last Friday morning. We were assured this bill would not be heard in the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands tomorrow (Tues 7/15) as had originally been planned. I have just learned that information was not correct. This bill will in fact be heard by the Subcommittee tomorrow (Tues, 7/15) and will be passed on to the full House Committee on Natural Resources for action the next day (Wed 7/16). The claim is that nothing will really be happening with the bill until September, and that Pelosi's office knows that they have to make some changes to the language of the bill (not just the name change section, but other sections too) and so we all shouldn't be too worried at this point. Don't believe it.

If this bill, H.R. 6305 is passed by the Subcommittee tomorrow, there's no guarantee it won't continue to sail through.

Please email, fax or call Pelosi's office, as well as the Subcommittee members BEFORE 10 am EDT tomorrow (July 15) and demand they remove Section 2 from H.R. 6305.

Ask them to delay any action on the bill until the problems with it can be addressed.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
sf.nancy@mail.house.gov
San Francisco office: (415) 556-4862 phone, (415) 861-1670
Washington DC office: (202) 225-4965 phone, (202) 225-4188

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands:
(202) 226-7736 phone, (202) 226-2301 fax
Raul Grijalva (D, Ariz), Chairman
Rob Bishop, (R, Utah), ranking Republican

Committee on Natural Resources:
(202) 225-6065 phone. (202) 225-1931 fax
Nick Rahall II (D, West Virginia), Chairman
Don Young (R, Alaska), ranking Republican

Also contact your San Francisco Supervisor:
http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=7271
and Mayor Newsom:
gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
(415) 554-6141 phone, (415) 554-6160 fax
and let them know this bill is unacceptable and will have a negative impact on San Franciscans quality of life and recreational opportunities.

Comments

[Maayan Gordon]

I have loved dogs my entire life. I now own a black labrador/aussie mix and i am training a guide dog puppy who is a lab. I have worked in two vet clinics and i loved beeing able to help animals in need. I have also previously raised and trained a guide dog named Garth who I now miss very much. When I was younger my family owned a wonderful and energetic peach colored standar poodle named Sparky and two cats. One white siamese named angel and one brown grey tabby named lucifer (after the cat in cinderella). Because of my love of cats and dogs I decided to start a store for pets so I can continue to help and provide for them.

[Daneen Akers]

I just saw this post--can you update us on this? Is it too late to get involved? I'd love to know more.

Thanks!