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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Capps condemned today’s decision by the Armed Services Conference Committee to include a proposal by Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) in the 2007 Defense Authorization bill that would allow a lucrative private hunting operation on Santa Rosa Island to continue indefinitely. Currently, the hunting operation effectively closes off up to 95% of the island to visitors for nearly 5 months every year. The controversial proposal overturns a court order requiring this trophy hunting operation to end in 2011 and allow the public full, unrestricted access to the National Park. Taxpayers purchased Santa Rosa Island for $30 million in 1986 from the owners of the deer and elk herd.
“This is a sad day for those of us who love and treasure Santa Rosa Island and all of our National Parks,” said Capps. “It is simply outrageous that this deeply misguided proposal has been inappropriately included in the 2007 Defense Authorization bill in an act of pure Congressional hubris. Kicking the public off a National Park it paid more than $30 million for in order to continue indefinitely a lucrative private hunting operation is not a good use of public land and sets a terrible precedent for the use of our National treasures.”
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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.
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