NYCkayaker Jet Skis in Jamaica Bay

[bonnie13 at earthlink.net]

I think the current proposal to weaken the ban just hits Jamaica Bay - but you can bet that that would be a precedent for another challenge somewhere else. 

-----Original Message-----
>From: bonnie13 at earthlink.net
>Sent: Sep 18, 2007 10:16 AM
>To: nyckayaker <NYCkayaker at rockandwater.net>
>Subject: Jet Skis in Jamaica Bay
>
>Although I have a certain level of discomfort with the idea of banning any one class or another of recreational vessel & never really had any problems with any of the Hudson River jetskiers except that one pack of idiots who though it was funny to do high-speed runs at kayakers - 
>
>I'm out in Jamaica Bay now & that's a bit of a different situation. The bay is very fragile, the islands & marshes are deteriorating - you can read a DEC study here - http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5489.html - 
>
>and there's a more recent study that got talked about in all the papers that says at the rate things are going, the marsh islands will be gone in 5 years. So this is a place where every little bit of protection matters. 
>
>Jamaica Bay is part of the Gateway Recreation Area & under the auspices of the National Park Service. There has been a jet ski ban in the national parks since I think 2002. 
>
>It's now been proposed that the ban - which the authorities don't bother enforcing anyways - be weakened - one of the Sebago members got a public notice with an address to which written comments can be sent.   She posted it on the club's blog - 
>
>http://www.sebagocanoeclub.blogspot.com 
>
>