From Mark_Johnson at shepherd.org Thu Jan 7 20:24:57 2010 From: Mark_Johnson at shepherd.org (Mark_Johnson at shepherd.org) Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 20:24:57 -0500 Subject: [LGT-National] ADA & National Park Service Message-ID: >From Pete Anziano, peter.anziano at gmail.com, 404-326-4316 I have been involved in an ongoing battle with the National Park Service regarding ADA compliance in our National Parks. The current battle and opportunity is Cumberland Island, http://www.nps.gov/cuis/index.htm . A "Reserved Lease Rights Retainee" living on the island, Doctor Ben Jenkins, has made his residence accessible to people with disabilities with the understanding that at the end of his lease term this year the dwelling would become park property. The Park Service is in the process of deciding what to do with the structure at the end of the lease, http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=371&projectId=28794 There is a STRONG push to have it demolished. Twenty years ago it was mandated (ADA) that the National Park Service make all the national parks' major attractions universally accessible to staff, volunteers and visitors. In the Jenkins case the Park Service will be acquiring, free of charge this accessible residence in the developed part of the park that could be utilized for employee, volunteer and visitor housing.?It should be noted the park does not have a single accessible residence for housing employees or the hundreds of visiting researchers, volunteers that come to the island every year to support the mission of the park or park visitors.? Some Park Service representatives state that Cumberland Island meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The park employees that work with the visitors every day have testified that this is blatantly false. I have lead multiple trips of discovery to the island and have found multiple barriers (Ferry, Docks, Trails, Beach Access, staff and volunteer housing, etc.). The Jenkins estate is an asset to the National Park Service, providing the only accessible residence in the park, it is also equipped with an emergency generator making it self sufficient during storms and power outages.? The Jenkins structure is not located in or near the Wilderness, and access does not require driving through any portion of the Wilderness. PLEASE take a moment to click the link below (or copy and paste it into your web browser) and complete the comment form and ask the National Park Service to maintain the Jenkins estate and/or allow a concessionaire to, so ALL may enjoy this natural resource. This is a specific opportunity for the public to provide feedback in the initial stages of the planning process. PLEASE COMMENT now as the comment period ends 01/31/2010 and we need a thousand comments to not be ignored. Spread the word!!! http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?parkID=371&projectID=28794&documentId=30789 THANKS for your help. ------------------------------------------ This message and accompanying documents are covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2521, and contain information intended for the specified individual(s) only. This information is Confidential, Protected by the Ga Peer Review Code and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, copying, or the taking of any action based on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by returning this email to the sender at shepherd.org and then delete the original message and attachments. This email has been scanned and found to be virus free. If this message contains a virus please contact postmaster at shepherd.org.