Rep. Gosar Spearheads Bipartisan Letter Requesting 60-Day Extension of Comment Period for Lake Havasu Boating Closures

Press Release

Today, Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after spearheading a bipartisan letter signed by 21 members of the House of Representatives to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Regional Director and Havasu Refuge Manager requesting a 60-day extension of the public comment period for the draft recreational boating Compatibility Determination (CD) for Havasu National Wildlife Refuge announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) on April 12, 2016, which threatens to close significant portions of Lake Havasu to recreational boaters:

"Prohibiting tubing, water-skiing and wake boarding in an area utilized by recreational enthusiasts for decades, two days before Memorial Day Weekend, without public comment and without merit is appalling. Pursuing massive new unwarranted boating restrictions not based on science less than a year later is outrageous. Countless stakeholders and members of Congress from both parties have voiced opposition and are calling on the Service to heed their concerns. Given the significant flaws with the CD, I've called on the Service to drop this proposal. At minimum, the comment period should be extended 60 days as few people understand what is actually going on, including staff within the Service."

On April 20, 2016, Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen wrote the Service on behalf of the City and expressed significant concerns with the CD and requested an immediate 60-day extension of the public comment period. In his letter Mayor Nexsen stated, "To truly benefit from public input, it is important to provide a more robust opportunity for involvement than what you currently propose. We strongly request the Fish and Wildlife Service grant an immediate 60 day extension for public comments…We have seen virtually no documentation to date justifying additional restrictions on recreational boaters in the Refuge. Should these restrictions be approved, the citizens and visitors of our community will be adversely affected and our local economy will be damaged."

The Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce opposes the CD and also asked for a 60-day extension for public comments in a letter to the Service dated April 22, 2016, stating, "The federal government's proposed action in the Refuge will be like a nail in the coffin for Lake Havasu City and our neighboring river communities with any efforts we are currently working on or have planned to create a sharing, strong, local economy. We are not advocating that protection of native wildlife and fish should be ignored, but we are also not satisfied with the information provided that supports your desire to take this action. There are also many questions from community stakeholders that require answers."

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