In a welcome turn of events, a US district judge blocked the last minute Bush-era rule allowing concealed weapons in US National Parks. The regulation that took effect January 9 of this year allowed visitors to national parks and wildlife refuges to carry concealed, loaded weapons. In the past, weapons could only be brought into parks if they were unloaded, stored, or dismantled. The rule posed impacts on wildlife in the parks from poaching, as well as increasing the risks to visitors of the parks.
A preliminary injunction was issued in a suit brought by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the National Parks Conservation Association and the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees. The groups argued that the rule violated several laws.
In the ruling, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly noted that officials failed to fulfill their obligation to evaluate the environmental impacts of the rule. Since the court decision was made, the Interior Department is conducting an internal review of the environmental impact of the rule.
While we doubt this is the end of the fight, it’s a step in the right direction.
