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Pilgrim's Access Battle Gains National Support
Today, the American Land Rights Association and the Pacific Legal Foundation joined together in support of the Pilgrim family of McCarthy, Alaska in their effort to gain overland access to their property. The Pilgrim's have gained support from all over America due to the National Park Service harassing and restricting access to property owners and recreational use all over America - a win for the Pilgrims is a win for all America.
First is a statement from ALRA outlining National Park Service abuses, then a
statement from PLF which gives a background on their case.
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Monday, November 3, 2003 Contact: Mike Hardiman 202-210-2357
From American Land Rights Association:
PARK SERVICE ACTIONS:
Shut Out The Public,
Waste Tax Funds,
Destroy the Environment
(Photos and much more background are available at www.landrights.org/ak )
Recent actions at the Wrangell-St. Elias Park (WRST) include:
SHUT OUT THE PUBLIC: WRST shut down it's McCarthy Visitor Center in 2003, claiming it did not have $27,000 to operate the facility for the 13 week summer season (it is closed the rest of the year due to severe weather conditions).
SEE PHOTO - tourists were greeted with locked doors, boarded up windows and a "CLOSED" sign slapped across the entrance.
WASTE TAX FUNDS: Despite it's alleged budget woes, WRST did manage to locate $270,000 - TEN TIMES what it would have cost to keep the Visitor Center open - to bring in a para-military SWAT Team as part of its dispute with the Pilgrim family over use of a hundred year old mining road which crosses park property.
SEE PHOTO - funds were used for leasing helicopters (apprx. $800 an hour) and other equipment, relocating personnel from across the United States and other costs over a three week period this summer, with additional aerial and ground harassment since.
DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT: Under NPS guidance, WRST personnel have clear-cut a swath of virgin timber nearly two miles long and eleven feet wide as part of a boundary survey of the Pilgrim property. Stakes with orange ribbons are usually used in order to minimize disturbance to the environment, but NPS wanted to "show who the boss is around here," according to an eyewitness.
SEE PHOTO - This near-permanent scar on the landscape damages the park viewshed for many miles in all directions, and is far, far worse than any damage the Pilgrim family may have done by using an existing mining road to haul supplies to their property.
Statement from Pacific Legal Foundation which gives a background on their case.
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