Interior Department proposes to allow loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges

After talk about easing the ban on loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges, the Bush administration formally proposed Wednesday to scrap the long-standing ban. Rob Hotakainen of McClatchy Newspapers reports, "Under the plan, an individual could carry a concealed weapon in national parks and wildlife refuges if he or she is authorized to do so on similar state lands in the state where the national park or refuge is located." Since existing regulations took effect in 1981, 48 states have passed laws to allow legal possession of concealed weapons, the Interior Department noted.

The announcement begins a 60-day public comment period, after which the department will issue a final rule. Already, some proponents have the current ban have spoken out. "This is purely and simply a politically driven effort to solve a problem that doesn't exist. There are no existing data that suggest any public interest to be gained by allowing visitors to parks to possess concealed handguns," Bill Wade, chairman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, told Hotakainen. "This proposed regulation increases the risk to visitors, employees and wildlife rather than reducing it." (Read more)

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said, "The safety and protection of park and refuge visitors remains a top priority for the Department of the Interior. The proposed regulations will incorporate current state laws authorizing the possession of concealed firearms, while continuing to maintain important provisions to ensure visitor safety and resource protection."

The announcement wasn't unexpected. Under pressure from Congress, the department said in February that it would review the ban and make a recommendation by the end of April. As a result, many proponents of the ban feared that the administration was getting ready to lift it. Several National Park Service employee advocacy groups and the National Parks Conservation Association said the proposed change would lead to confusion for visitors, rangers and other law enforcement agencies.