{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://jones.house.gov/press-release/jones-takes-action-preserve-taxpayers%E2%80%99-access-cape-lookout", "JONES TAKES ACTION TO PRESERVE TAXPAYERS ACCESS TO CAPE LOOKOUT", "2014-10-21", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Walter Jones", "J000255", "jones.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "GREENVILLE, NC \u2013 Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) is raising strong objections to the National Park Service\u2019s push for unprecedented new restrictions on public access to Cape Lookout National Seashore.\u00a0 The Park Service\u2019s preferred alternative for a new rule governing off-road vehicle (ORV) use at the seashore would, among other things, impose an $80 fee for a short term permit to take a vehicle to Cape Lookout, place restrictions on nighttime driving, and implement seasonal bans on motorized access to certain areas.\u00a0 The Park Service\u2019s proposal comes at a bad time for local business owners. The number of annual visitors to the seashore has already decreased by over 100,000 since 2010, leading to millions of dollars in lost revenue and hundreds of jobs lost in the area.\n\u201cThe National Park Service\u2019s plan is a \u2018solution\u2019 in search of a problem that does not exist\u201d said Congressman Jones. \u201cThere is absolutely no need for more restrictions.\u00a0 The Park Service\u2019s existing ORV management strategy is serving its purpose.\u00a0 As I understand it, there have been no recorded deaths or injuries of sea turtles, shorebirds or other protected species at the seashore as a result of ORVs, day or night.\u00a0 In fact, over the past several years the number of sea turtle nests at the seashore has steadily increased, and the number of piping plovers, red knots, American oystercatchers and least terns have all improved as well.\n\u201cThe economic impact of new restrictions would devastate the communities that serve the seashore,\u201d continued Congressman Jones.\u00a0 \u201cFewer people will visit, the local economy will suffer and more jobs will be lost.\u00a0 It just doesn\u2019t make sense.\u00a0 Taxpayers have a right to access the recreational areas they own and pay for, and I will continue to fight to preserve that right.\u201d\nCongressman Jones\u2019 letter to the Park Service outlining his objections can be found below.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://jones.house.gov/press-release/jones-takes-action-preserve-taxpayers%E2%80%99-access-cape-lookout"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1167386546730995, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}