Seaplanes in the west

I just recieved this e-mail. Anyone else know anything about this?



I just spoke with the enforcement individual for Utah, Bureau of
Reclamation
(Rudy Mauldin, 801-524-3894) who tells me that as of April of this year
seaplane landings on Bureau of Rec lakes are prohibited. This comes
from 43
CFR Part 423, specifically 423.41. There is a provision for "special
use
areas" but of course there are none for seaplanes.

This is devastating to us in the west as it applies to every lake behind
a
dam built by the Bureau of Reclamation. For example Lake Tahoe, Lake
Mead
in Las Vegas, Lake Berryessa near Napa, CA and Folsom Lake east of
Sacramento. Perhaps even Lake Union in Seattle. This applies even if
the
"dam" is nothing more than a weir!!! (Lake Tahoe).

Not only is this ridiculous, but there needs to be a recognition that
seaplanes have a historical right, such as on Lake Tahoe, and in many
cases
numerous public hearings have been held finally granting permission for
seaplane landings which are now all null and void (Folsom Lake).

If this is allowed to stand as is, it will terminate seaplane operations
in
the western US.

In short, all lakes should be designated as "special use areas" which
have
had a history of seaplane operations, period!!!

I know you will follow up on this, it is a defining event.

Mike Brown is rolling over in his grave.

Have you contacted the Seaplane Ass'n about this to see what they have to say?

Get stevens office on it, though it is not Alaska, he is and advocate for pilots, and has clout....

Isn't there some kind of due process that government agencies must follow to close access like this? A bureaucrat just can't do this by decree!

I'm so sick and tire of this "shadow" government of "administrative agencies" that are neither elected nor accountable. The founders of this country must be rolling over in their graves!

Hopefully Sen Conrad Burns will be reelected this year and I can get him on this. He rents from me here in Bozeman and is one of the head ducks in the Aviation Sub committee. As soon as their office opens up today I'll find out what the hell is going on.