[ from Monday, March 20, 2000 ]
Fort Fenced-In
Everything at Fort Funston -- in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA)-- in both photographs below (except the distant beach) has just been fenced off and is being closed to public access and recreation by the National Park Service. The areas to the left of the brand-new fence, itself a shameful violation of a pristine sand dune, are permanently closed. The areas to the right are seasonally closed five months a year.
Where is the science justifying these closures? Why was there an end-run around the legally required notice, publication and opportunity for comment at hearings? Why is the GGNRA closing off one area after another, for purposes that are not clearly needed, effective, nor consistent with the agency's mission of providing recreational opportunities?
