IMMEDIATELY REVOKE VOLUSIA COUNTY (V/C) INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT (ITP) 811813 FOR RECREATIONAL BEACH D

People and protected species (sea turtles, migratory birds) are being killed by beach driving:

In 1996, FWS “awarded” a deadly ITP to V/C, Florida, a known violator of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), to “help it get out of a federal lawsuit for its violations of the ESA.”  By federal action, FWS legalized the continuation of V/C’s violations, including, but not limited to, killing of endangered sea turtles in their natural habitat via “recreational” beach driving.  Ignoring evidence that V/C was a “highly controversial” ITP applicant/application, FWS politically expedited the permitting process and did not subject the application to the prerequisite National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) consultation.  In January 1996, during the permitting process a 57-year-old Florida woman was killed by a drunk driver on Ormond Beach, a fact ignored by FWS.  In 2005, again ignoring documented adverse environmental impacts of recreational beach driving, and record of human deaths/injuries, FWS renewed the ITP until 2030 and added the legalization of killing of piping plovers in their 2001 federally designated Critical Wintering Habitat.

Prior to 1996 beach driving. which commingles humans and vehicles, was known to be a “lethal” activity that directly caused numerous deaths and hundreds of catastrophic injuries to beach visitors.

On March 20, 2010, four-year-old Ellie Bland from England was run over on Daytona Beach while she held the hand of a relative. On July 18, 2010, another four-year-old, Aiden Patrick, was killed by a pickup truck on New Smyrna Beach at high tide when vehicle and pedestrians were commingled in the sensitive soft sand area of the beach.

From 2003 to 2011 six adults were run over by V/C beach patrol vehicles.  In July 2011, in front of her two small children,  the head of a 34-year-old mother was run over by a lifeguard truck as she sun-bathed. 

Most recently, on June 24, 2014, a drunk driver, traveling 60 mph killed a 45-year-old North Carolina mother of seven in front of some of her children.

V/C was the first ITP given in the State. It was given to facilitate a known environmentally contraindicated, “lethal” activity – recreational beach driving.  There is now a second ITP for that “lethal” activity in neighboring St. Johns County. Although both V/C and St. Johns provide “critical habitat” for Loggerhead turtles, a recent “discretionary” decision of FWS Southeast Regional Director, Cynthia Dohner, exempts both from designation “because of the preexisting ITPs.”  This is a travesty!

The Administrative Record (A/R) on this ITP, in custody of FWS), substantiates all assertions made within this Petition. To date, FWS has found it politically inexpedient to address foreseeable, deadly impacts of the ITP on protected species and humans alike.

This urgent life and death matter must be addressed by DOI/FWS to, as is alleged in FWS propaganda,  “conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

Photograph of V/C beach was taken by Hometown News on April 3, 2010 within the Critical Habitat for Piping Plovers and on the day on which a young Orlando woman was backed over by a pickup truck.  Because of the congestion, she had to be air-lifted from the beach.  

People and protected species (sea turtles, migratory birds) are being killed by beach driving:

In 1996, FWS “awarded” a deadly ITP to V/C, Florida, a known violator of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), to “help it get out of a federal lawsuit for its violations of the ESA.”  By federal action, FWS legalized the continuation of V/C’s violations, including, but not limited to, killing of endangered sea turtles in their natural habitat via “recreational” beach driving.  Ignoring evidence that V/C was a “highly controversial” ITP applicant/application, FWS politically expedited the permitting process and did not subject the application to the prerequisite National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) consultation.  In January 1996, during the permitting process a 57-year-old Florida woman was killed by a drunk driver on Ormond Beach, a fact ignored by FWS.  In 2005, again ignoring documented adverse environmental impacts of recreational beach driving, and record of human deaths/injuries, FWS renewed the ITP until 2030 and added the legalization of killing of piping plovers in their 2001 federally designated Critical Wintering Habitat.

Prior to 1996 beach driving. which commingles humans and vehicles, was known to be a “lethal” activity that directly caused numerous deaths and hundreds of catastrophic injuries to beach visitors.

On March 20, 2010, four-year-old Ellie Bland from England was run over on Daytona Beach while she held the hand of a relative. On July 18, 2010, another four-year-old, Aiden Patrick, was killed by a pickup truck on New Smyrna Beach at high tide when vehicle and pedestrians were commingled in the sensitive soft sand area of the beach.

From 2003 to 2011 six adults were run over by V/C beach patrol vehicles.  In July 2011, in front of her two small children,  the head of a 34-year-old mother was run over by a lifeguard truck as she sun-bathed. 

Most recently, on June 24, 2014, a drunk driver, traveling 60 mph killed a 45-year-old North Carolina mother of seven in front of some of her children.

V/C was the first ITP given in the State. It was given to facilitate a known environmentally contraindicated, “lethal” activity – recreational beach driving.  There is now a second ITP for that “lethal” activity in neighboring St. Johns County. Although both V/C and St. Johns provide “critical habitat” for Loggerhead turtles, a recent “discretionary” decision of FWS Southeast Regional Director, Cynthia Dohner, exempts both from designation “because of the preexisting ITPs.”  This is a travesty!

The Administrative Record (A/R) on this ITP, in custody of FWS), substantiates all assertions made within this Petition. To date, FWS has found it politically inexpedient to address foreseeable, deadly impacts of the ITP on protected species and humans alike.

This urgent life and death matter must be addressed by DOI/FWS to, as is alleged in FWS propaganda,  “conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

Photograph of V/C beach was taken by Hometown News on April 3, 2010 within the Critical Habitat for Piping Plovers and on the day on which a young Orlando woman was backed over by a pickup truck.  Because of the congestion, she had to be air-lifted from the beach.  

People and protected species (sea turtles, migratory birds) are being killed by beach driving:

In 1996, FWS “awarded” a deadly ITP to V/C, Florida, a known violator of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), to “help it get out of a federal lawsuit for its violations of the ESA.”  By federal action, FWS legalized the continuation of V/C’s violations, including, but not limited to, killing of endangered sea turtles in their natural habitat via “recreational” beach driving.  Ignoring evidence that V/C was a “highly controversial” ITP applicant/application, FWS politically expedited the permitting process and did not subject the application to the prerequisite National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) consultation.  In January 1996, during the permitting process a 57-year-old Florida woman was killed by a drunk driver on Ormond Beach, a fact ignored by FWS.  In 2005, again ignoring documented adverse environmental impacts of recreational beach driving, and record of human deaths/injuries, FWS renewed the ITP until 2030 and added the legalization of killing of piping plovers in their 2001 federally designated Critical Wintering Habitat.

Prior to 1996 beach driving. which commingles humans and vehicles, was known to be a “lethal” activity that directly caused numerous deaths and hundreds of catastrophic injuries to beach visitors.

On March 20, 2010, four-year-old Ellie Bland from England was run over on Daytona Beach while she held the hand of a relative. On July 18, 2010, another four-year-old, Aiden Patrick, was killed by a pickup truck on New Smyrna Beach at high tide when vehicle and pedestrians were commingled in the sensitive soft sand area of the beach.

From 2003 to 2011 six adults were run over by V/C beach patrol vehicles.  In July 2011, in front of her two small children,  the head of a 34-year-old mother was run over by a lifeguard truck as she sun-bathed. 

Most recently, on June 24, 2014, a drunk driver, traveling 60 mph killed a 45-year-old North Carolina mother of seven in front of some of her children.

V/C was the first ITP given in the State. It was given to facilitate a known environmentally contraindicated, “lethal” activity – recreational beach driving.  There is now a second ITP for that “lethal” activity in neighboring St. Johns County. Although both V/C and St. Johns provide “critical habitat” for Loggerhead turtles, a recent “discretionary” decision of FWS Southeast Regional Director, Cynthia Dohner, exempts both from designation “because of the preexisting ITPs.”  This is a travesty!

The Administrative Record (A/R) on this ITP, in custody of FWS), substantiates all assertions made within this Petition. To date, FWS has found it politically inexpedient to address foreseeable, deadly impacts of the ITP on protected species and humans alike.

This urgent life and death matter must be addressed by DOI/FWS to, as is alleged in FWS propaganda,  “conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

Photograph of V/C beach was taken by Hometown News on April 3, 2010 within the Critical Habitat for Piping Plovers and on the day on which a young Orlando woman was backed over by a pickup truck.  Because of the congestion, she had to be air-lifted from the beach.