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Chincoteague fears proposal to move beach would hurt tourism, economy
The Washington Post ^ | November 27, 2011 | Darryl Fears

Posted on 11/28/2011 7:46:14 PM PST by Haiku Guy

Chincoteague, Va. — Over the years, residents and tourists in this picturesque resort town have been guided by five gentle words: “Relax, you’re on island time.”

But these days, laid-back Chincoteague is on edge.

In a new plan to deal with beach erosion and prepare for sea-level rise, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed changes that the mayor, the chamber of commerce and homeowners say would eventually drive away summer tourism and drive down the economy that depends on it. Some of those changes would involve closing the beach and its parking lot, then opening a beach with parking farther away and shuttling tourists.

(snip)

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: beach; chincoteague; epa
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Note the article says, repeatedly, that the loss of the existing parking lots is due to rising sea levels. Of course, the sea levels have not risen. But everybody assumes that they have, and blames all sorts of coastal erosion problems on a non-existant change in sea level.

Fact of the matter is that coastal erosion happens. Always has and always will.

But the Federal Government just can't wait to destroy another community for no purpose whatsoever. It's almost as if they wanted to be destructive.

1 posted on 11/28/2011 7:46:20 PM PST by Haiku Guy
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To: Haiku Guy

This is another obvious failure for owebama.

He promised to stop the rise of the seas during his immaculation, did he not?

You want to know more about Chincoteague read some Margaret Henry stories.

owebama wouldn’t know because she’s an American.


2 posted on 11/28/2011 7:53:47 PM PST by 43north (BHO: 50% black, 50% white, 100% RED)
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To: Haiku Guy

Choosing to add this to ‘Breaking News’ must have been a mistake. Will be removed shortly. Thanks.


3 posted on 11/28/2011 7:54:09 PM PST by The KG9 Kid
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To: Haiku Guy

“Some of those changes would involve closing the beach and its parking lot, then opening a beach with parking farther away and shuttling tourists.”

Close the main attraction,,and force tourists to go to a crappy alternative on a shuttle bus? There was a time in this country when the answer to such treachery towards a communities livelihood was well known, fast, and violent.

People feeling like they are not in control of the government, and that the law and courts are impossible for them to prevail in, is exceedingly dangerous. And those barrier islands are very lonely places,,, just sayin’.


4 posted on 11/28/2011 7:55:04 PM PST by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: Haiku Guy

5 posted on 11/28/2011 7:56:50 PM PST by GalaxieFiveHundred
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To: Haiku Guy
“It's almost as if they wanted to be destructive”.

Kinda seems that way. Since all these roads lead to Agenda 21 policy that every federal agency has adopted and are implementing its no surprise when the results are the destruction of the American economy.

The UN high official (Maurice Strong) at the Rio Earth Summit in ‘92 is on record stating that it “...isn’t our responsibility to bring about the collapse of the industralised countries”. That's because WE consume too much and are the major contribitor to global warming errr climate change. Yes, its destructive because its designed to be.

6 posted on 11/28/2011 7:58:13 PM PST by Captain7seas (FIRE JANE LUBCHENCO FROM NOAA)
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To: Haiku Guy

Sea levels rose 400 feet in the last 12,000 years and guess what? The islands and beach are still there! They just move around a bit.


7 posted on 11/28/2011 8:01:35 PM PST by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (REPEAL WASHINGTON! -- Islam Delenda Est! -- I Want Constantinople Back. -- Rumble thee forth.)
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To: Haiku Guy
I say BS. Can't use snow fence to build up the dunes nor plant dune grass to anchor them as they have always done on the barrier islands of New Jersey. The main difference is ownership of the property - Assateague is government owned.

I think Fish and Wildlife would love to see the entire island taken over by their controlled number of each species of wildlife.

Thirty years ago, Assateague had dunes - and paved parking lots behind them. Now there is flat sand with the road and parking lots made out of oyster shell.

8 posted on 11/28/2011 8:04:18 PM PST by Abby4116
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To: 43north

I bought “Misty of Chincoteague” for my Daughter when she was 7. We have also seen the movie. Both the book and movie are excellent children’s stories and not bad for adults either.


9 posted on 11/28/2011 8:13:05 PM PST by yarddog
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To: yarddog

My wife and daughter are horse-crazy, so we went to Chincoteague Island when we were in the neighborhood a few years back. Clearly the ponies were the top draw to the island, but it was amusing to see how the NPS tried to de-emphasize them and point us toward the foliage and native animals.


10 posted on 11/28/2011 8:22:42 PM PST by Rio
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To: yarddog

I “grew up” with my daughter with those stories.

Then we got horses and it all turned to manure (LOL!).


11 posted on 11/28/2011 8:25:22 PM PST by 43north (BHO: 50% black, 50% white, 100% RED)
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To: Haiku Guy
Same kind of draconian measures being inflicted by the “gummint” down the coast on Hatteras and Ocracoke Island (Outer Banks of NC) ...the usual culprits: USF&W, NPS, Audoubon Society, Sierra Club ...all infiltrated by rabid protectionists whose true intent is to remove all human influence (other than their own) from these barrier islands.

More often than not when we go down to Ocracoke each July the best fishing areas (at the inlets) are closed off due to nesting birds and/or sea turtles ...and the protected zone shifts from day to day at the whim of the birds and the NPS.

12 posted on 11/28/2011 8:27:45 PM PST by Ozymandias Ghost
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To: Haiku Guy

I didn’t grow up on Chincoteague, but my husband’s family ALL did. The beach washes away frequently due to storms. This year WAS disastrous, as we visualized both in June and our later visit in October. It was the worst wash-through in decades, I think. Something has to be done, and dunes have been added before, but they are blown away, as well as washed away by storms. We’d hate to see the beach closed, as it WOULD change the economy on the island tremendously, but there are no easy solutions this time, and lots of money (hundreds of thousands) is spent yearly on protecting the beach, even in seasons in which the storms are not so bad. It will be hard decisions to be made, I know.

One thing I have hated to see, though, is that all trees that die are left to go into disrepair, making the floor of the nature park a disgusting to see mess of downed trees, branches, etc. If a fire broke out, and it is dangerously dry there most of the time, I fear that deer, ponies, and any animal that cannot fly would be trapped in the debris of the fallen trees and die. It would be an obstacle course to them when they are the most frantic to escape! This makes me so angry! Not only is it UGLY, but dangerous to the natural inhabitants of the park! What kind of nonsense allows this?


13 posted on 11/28/2011 8:27:45 PM PST by Shery (in APO Land)
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To: Rio

. Clearly the ponies were the top draw to the island, but it was amusing to see how the NPS tried to de-emphasize them and point us toward the foliage and native animals.>

The last time I was there (a long time ago) the only animals I saw were nude bathers.My daughter got an eye full, she still laughs about it.There were NO signs.


14 posted on 11/28/2011 8:31:25 PM PST by gunner03
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To: gunner03

Hmmm... We saw plenty of ponies. It was late May, 2009. Maybe they are harder to find other times. I have great pictures of ponies grazing on swamp grass.


15 posted on 11/28/2011 8:55:48 PM PST by Rio
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To: DesertRhino; All

It used to be that people had yard sales and made a little money while people came to town for Pony Penning the 4th week of July. Then they said you could have a yard sale if you requested permission, and sent proof that you did not get half your income from the sale. Last year they forbade all selling unless you had a regular license. Small red state government can be just as bad as blue state government.

Several years ago they instituted parking far from the pony swim area, and started shuttle buses. That pretty well killed yard sale business for the few who tried to have one after jumping through their hoops. This is just one more piece of bureaucratic poop. I wonder whose relative has the bus franchise??


16 posted on 11/28/2011 10:06:05 PM PST by gleeaikin
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To: Haiku Guy
When first my son was four he and I packed a lunch and spent the day tracking the ponies on this island. Finally, we spotted a bunch of them from an overlook in a meadow below us. It was a blast.
17 posted on 11/28/2011 10:34:41 PM PST by SaraJohnson
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To: Haiku Guy

I guess the Regime doesn’t want anyone to enjoy an island for vacation except for the elitist at the Vineyard. I love Chincoteague. It is one of our favorite places to go. I hope the locals have enough balls to stand up to these a$$holes.


18 posted on 11/28/2011 10:40:40 PM PST by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Haiku Guy

Well, you learn something every day. There’s a place called Chincoteague, and they have an erosion problem...wild ponies too.


19 posted on 11/28/2011 11:05:31 PM PST by americanophile ("this absurd theology of an immoral Bedouin, is a rotting corpse which poisons our lives" - Ataturk)
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To: The KG9 Kid

Must not have been a mistake as you opined since I’m reading it in breaking news at 250am this morning. 4.5 hours later.

Thanks so much and have a nice day.


20 posted on 11/28/2011 11:58:55 PM PST by AlmaKing
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