Judge allows more vehicle access on N.C. beaches

NAGS HEAD, N.C.  — A federal judge has given a bit of wiggle room to tight restrictions on beach driving designed to protected endangered birds and turtles on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle approved additional access to beaches where there are unhatched turtle nests after Sept. 15.

Beaches that had been totally closed will be closed between sunset and 6 a.m. and commercial fishermen will be able to get on the beach at 5 a.m. in some cases.

Boyle also allowed the National Park Service more leeway when closed areas are entered illegally.

Old rules said the buffer around a nest had to be expanded permanently if the buffer was violated. The new rule is that the buffer can be reduced to its original size if the violator is caught.

“This is an improvement on what we had,“ said Dare County Attorney and Assistant County Manager Bobby Outten.

Restrictions on beach driving were instituted last year after two environmental groups sued the National Park Service, contending it didn’t do enough to protect endangered species.

The lawsuit centered on off-road vehicle access to the breeding areas along the federal seashore’s beaches. Both sides agreed to the current restrictions and ended the lawsuit.