| Firearms have been banned in National Parks for 94 | | | | allow any of these weapons to be discharged, it will |
| years; on Monday February 22nd, 2010 the ban will | | | | still be illegal to fire a gun within a Park or Refuge in |
| be lifted. Fierce lobbying by gun rights activists and an | | | | Hot Springs, Arkansas. The NPS has posted a notice |
| administration seeking to appease them has ended a | | | | regarding the new gun laws on their site. |
| ban that has been effective in protecting National | | | | The Coalition of NPS Retirees says guns and parks |
| Park Service (NPS) employees and park visitors. It | | | | just don't mix -- because the atmosphere of a |
| has been eighty-three years since the only National | | | | peaceful sanctuary in nature could be damaged, says |
| Park Ranger was killed by gunfire in the line of duty. | | | | Bill Wade, chairman of the group's executive council. |
| After pressure from gun rights groups, including the | | | | "Most American visitors somehow think of the parks |
| National Rifle Association, in its final months in office | | | | as being very safe, very secure, where you don't |
| the Bush administration lifted the ban on concealed | | | | have to worry about guns," Wade says. "Now you |
| weapons in our National Parks. A federal judge | | | | could see that guy with the rifle over his shoulder. |
| blocked the move last year, but the Obama | | | | The context is just wrong." (Salt Lake Tribune) |
| administration declined to appeal the ruling, and | | | | The NPS Mission is to "...to promote and regulate the |
| Congress passed the law. | | | | use of the...national parks...which purpose is to |
| February 19th 2010 President Obama signed the | | | | conserve the scenery and the natural and historic |
| measure without comment as part of the Credit | | | | objects and the wild life therein and to provide for |
| Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act | | | | the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by |
| (or Credit CARD Act) of 2009. The Law States | | | | such means as will leave them unimpaired for the |
| "Protecting the right of individuals to bear arms in the | | | | enjoyment of future generations." NPS Organic Act, |
| units of the National Park System and the National | | | | 16 U.S.C.1. |
| Wildlife Refuge System -- the secretary of the | | | | The first NPS Ranger killed in the line of duty died |
| Interior shall not promulgate or enforce any regulation | | | | from a gunshot wound. NPS Ranger James Alexander |
| that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm... | | | | Cary - 31, shot by bootleggers in Hot Springs National |
| in any unit of the National Park System or the | | | | Park on March 12, 1927. He was also the last Park |
| National Wildlife Refuge System." | | | | Ranger killed by gunfire in a National Park. The ban on |
| The NPS told me It will depend on individual state gun | | | | guns in our National Parks and National Wildlife |
| laws, visitors will be able to carry concealed and | | | | Refuges has insured a safe environment for NPS |
| loaded guns into parks. Loaded guns allowed in the | | | | employees, the wildlife they preserve and the millions |
| park include handguns and shotguns, including | | | | of visitors who enjoy the parks each year. |
| semiautomatic weapons. Locally the law does not | | | | |