• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

National Park Carry

t33j

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
1,384
Location
King George, VA
imported post

I hiked through there at about this time last year... way too cold. That was the quietest place I have ever been. Dead calm, no wind... just silence.
 

altajava

Newbie
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
228
Location
Occupied Virginia, USA
imported post

It took me a while but I figured out where I'm going to carry on Feb. 22. It is time for me to go back to the Marine Corps Memorial to pay my respects!
Does any one know if the Air Force Memorial is part of the park service or part of the annex?
 

Neplusultra

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,224
Location
Christiansburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

t33j wrote:
I hiked through there at about this time last year... way too cold. That was the quietest place I have ever been. Dead calm, no wind... just silence.
Oh you really need to hike while there is a big snowstorm going on. The silence in the forest is stunning! It's almost spiritual walking through that and sitting around a campfire all nice and warm while the snow falls..... :^).
 

t33j

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
1,384
Location
King George, VA
imported post

Neplusultra wrote:
t33j wrote:
I hiked through there at about this time last year... way too cold. That was the quietest place I have ever been. Dead calm, no wind... just silence.
Oh you really need to hike while there is a big snowstorm going on.  The silence in the forest is stunning!  It's almost spiritual walking through that and sitting around a campfire all nice and warm while the snow falls..... :^).
I'd love to, and can only imagine how beautiful that'd be.
 

Wolf_shadow

Activist Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
1,215
Location
Accomac, Virginia, USA
imported post

Found on NPS web site:

http://www.nps.gov/hocu/parknews/upload/DOI%20Firearms%2005222009.pdf


[align=left]


[align=right]Date: May 22, 2009 [/align]

[align=right]Contact: Kendra Barkoff [/align]

[align=right](202) 713-0827 [/align]


[align=center]Interior Spokeswoman’s Statement on [/align]

[align=center]New Firearms Law for Parks and Refuges [/align]


[align=center]Provision will take effect in nine months [/align]


[align=left]WASHINGTON, D.C. –
Today, U.S. Department of the Interior spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff issued the following statement regarding the enactment of a new firearms law for national parks and wildlife refuges that will take effect in nine months: [/align]

[align=left]"The Department of the Interior will follow Congress’s directive and implement the new firearms law, which states that its provisions will take effect nine months from today. For the time being, the current Reagan Administration regulations governing possession of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges remain in place. Under the current regulation, firearms are generally prohibited, but citizens may transport unloaded and dismantled or cased firearms and carry firearms while participating in approved hunting programs and under certain other circumstances. [/align]

[align=left]"As Interior prepares to implement the new law, the Department will work to understand and interpret its implications for our national parks and wildlife refuges, with public safety and the safety of our employees as our foremost consideration. Because possession of loaded weapons on national parks and wildlife refuges will be governed by varying state firearms laws once the new law is implemented, the Department will provide guidance to the more than 24,000 professionals who manage our parks and refuges and the more than 310 million people who visit our parks and refuges each year." [/align]
[font="Times New Roman,Times New Roman"][font="Times New Roman,Times New Roman"]
###
Would take effect February 22 per thisNews Release.[/align]
[/font][/font]
 

milton.sheaf

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2010
Messages
9
Location
Arlington, VA, ,
imported post

So once this takes effect, does this mean we'll now be able to carry while driving on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington and Alexandria?
 

t33j

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
1,384
Location
King George, VA
imported post

milton.sheaf wrote:
So once this takes effect, does this mean we'll now be able to carry while driving on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington and Alexandria?
Yeah... look at the first page. Be careful, that road goes through DC in some places.
 

Glock27Bill

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
821
Location
Louisa County, Virginia, USA
imported post

gis wrote:
swinokur wrote:
National Park Carry FAQ ....


Could you you please post a link to the Q&A. If this is from the NPS web site, I am just not seeng it. What is the source?

On the NPS web site there is a "Weapons Regulations" link on the http://www.nps.gov/contacts.htm, but as soon as you click on it, it takes you to

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=e45e52b4b47a0b6484702bcf6bbb6d38;rgn=div5;view=text;node=36%3A1.0.1.1.2;idno=36;cc=ecfr

When I started this tread, it wasn't working at all.
That's the Codification of Federal Regulations.

Weapons are addressed at 2.4 in Section 3.

I won't paste the text here, as it reflects current law.

The CFR will be updated when the legislation takes effect.

It would be the same as VA law when we get changes passed. The referenced law reflects what's in effect, not what's going to change.
 

rkbaguy

Regular Member
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
60
Location
Virginia
imported post

NationalParkcarry2.jpg
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Well, I'll be darned. I can leave my assault rock at home and take my Ruger:D
 

gis

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
264
Location
Prince William County, Virginia, USA
imported post

Sounds pretty simple now. Carry open or conceled, just don't go into posted buildings.

I plan on carrying the printout from the NPS web site. I ran into a park ranger that lives in the area on Monday and casually asked him what the new laws are going to be. (I decided to play dumb). He said that he has no idea, as their briefing was cancelled due to snow. I expect initially there to be some "misunderstandings", so a printout should help.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Thank you VCDL for initiating this and supporting it all the way.

It all started here in the Old Dominion with active grass roots. :celebrate

Yata hey
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Grapeshot wrote:
Thank you VCDL for initiating this and supporting it all the way.

It all started here in the Old Dominion with active grass roots. :celebrate

Yata hey
+1

VCDL has pushed this through for ALL gunowners and done a wonderful job. On the same note, it was and is VCDL that has gotten the State Forest issue as far as it's gotten. They did not ask for the current rule proposal as it's written, rather, they wanted carry for both CHP holders and OCers.

I'm certain they have a plan to intercede with the rule making process when the time is right.

Yes Grapeshot, VCDL does deserve a big vote of thanks for all their work.
 

user

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
2,516
Location
Northern Piedmont
imported post

Applicable excerpts:

=====
"Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009" or the "Credit CARD Act of 2009".
HR627 Section 512(b) - PROTECTING THE RIGHT OF INDIVIDUALS TO BEAR ARMS IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM.

The Secretary of the Interior shall not promulgate or enforce any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm including an assembled or functional firearm in any unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System if—
(1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm; and
(2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the State in which the unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System is located.

(Effective as of Feb. 22, 2010)

=====

TITLE 18 U.S.C., PART I - CRIMES, CHAPTER 44 - FIREARMS Sec. 930.
"Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities"
(relating to the " not otherwise prohibited by law" language in the foregoing)


(a) Except as provided in subsection (d), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm ... in a Federal facility ... or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. [Note the definition of "federal facility" - in order to be guilty, one has to have knowledge that he is in possession of a gun in a place that qualifies under the definition.]
...
(d) Subsection (a) shall not apply to -
...
(3) the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes. (Note: in my opinion, preparation for self-defense and defense of innocent third parties in consideration of the possibility of violent crime is a "lawful purpose".]
...
(g) As used in this section:
(1) The term "Federal facility" means a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties. [This provision excludes contractors and people who work at concessions, as well as federal employees who happen to be in the place incidentally, or who are not engaged in the performance of official duties. Only "buildings" are covered, parking lots and outdoor recreational facilities are not.]
...
(h) Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal facility, ... and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a)... with respect to a Federal facility if such notice is not so posted at such facility, unless such person had actual notice of subsection (a) ....

("Conspicuous" means something obvious, such that if one had bothered to look, he would have seen the notice. The alternative to posting is the "actual notice" provision, which requires actual notice that people who are federal employees are engaged in the performance of official duties, as part of the definition of "federal facility".)
 

Carpetbagger

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
93
Location
Hanover County, Virginia, ,
imported post

Did anyone else catch this strange quote from a Natl Park Service spokesman in the latest VA Alert? What in the world is this guy talking about?

"So at a campfire talk, you would be able to carry your firearm," he
said, only to pause before adding, "and again, all these things have
so many caveats. In Virginia the state law says if it's a gathering of
children, it's prohibited.
So if you were at an amphitheater
conducting a children's program in the summer, in the state of
Virginia, they will say that during that program you can't have a
firearm." -- quote from David Barna, Park Service chief of communications.

Edit: Added info and changed formatting to keep this thread from veering too far off into a discussion of my original formatting.
 

vt800c

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
221
Location
Springfield,VA
imported post

Well THATS gonna cause an issue with me when our Boy Scouts go on their 'shooting sports' campout. And as I'm one of the leaders.....
 

Neplusultra

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,224
Location
Christiansburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

Ok, let's get really silly here. The park itself is ok to OC or CC with permit. What about the ranger station or restaurants or other "facilities" located within and run by the government? Do these buildings qualify as a "federal facility"?

According to this code it sounds like you can go anywhere in the park except facilities, which I would think would include the actual 'facilities', if you know what I mean :^).

http://law.onecle.com/uscode/18/930.html

930.(g)(1) states:

(g) As used in this section:

(1) The term "Federal facility" means a building or part
thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal
employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing
their official duties.
 

user

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
2,516
Location
Northern Piedmont
imported post

A facility is a bulding in which federal employees are regularly employed as such. If it's not a building, it's not a facility. If the people working there are concessionaires or contractors, it's not a facility. If there's no sign posted to tell you it's a facility, it's not a facility.

The ranger station is obviously a building and the people working in it are fed-emps. It's a facility. Still has to have a sign up if they want the statute to apply.

The Big Meadows Lodge and Dining Room is not a facility, even though it's a building, because the people working there are not fed-emps.
 
Top