Alaska Hovercraft Issue before Supreme Court Today

[jchovernut]

I'm a hovercrafter, & it burns me up when I'm arbitrarily banned from an area open to powerboat use. I operate quiet 4-cycle low-hp hovercraft that are barely perceptible noise-wise. I can't run on Lk Powell or Lk Mead while jet boats, PWCs, & enormous houseboats have free-reign...all because it's a "National Recreation Area" where airboats & hovercraft are specifically banned.

The case before the Supremes involves a navigable waterway issue where any manner of powerboat is allowed, but hovercraft are not. This is in the middle of nowhere! Most moronic of all is the Feds had to access the hover with a tracked vehicle...no environmental damage there...ya right! AND, they made the hover owner haul his craft out on another boat...completely asinine if their main concern is ecological. I'm no 'greenie-weenie,' but it just so happens the SEVTEC style hovercraft I operate are about the 'geenest' mode of powered watercraft!!

Here's one story on the Alaska Supreme Court case:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/19/alaska-moose-hunter-hovercraft-supreme-court-public-lands-national-park-service

The commentary on this piece, & a companion piece in the Washington Post really illustrate the idiocy of he general public...

I'd really like to take my 20-footer up the ICW, but evidently SC bans "Airboats" on the saltwater side of the salt/fresh interface. Water Cops up there consider hovercraft as airboats because the statute is so poorly written that it defines ANYTHING with an air drive as an airboat. A friend of mine in Charleston ended up selling his hover because of the fines the water cops said they'd continue imposing on him.

 

[jchovernut]

Here's a transcript of the Oral Arguments:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-1209_n75o.pdf

Audio of the Oral Arguments will be archived here:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio.aspx

 

[HuntingBigun]

Thanks good info hope they snip the feds wings maybe we can then get airboats back in the glades

 

[Hardtail]

Here's a transcript of the Oral Arguments:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-1209_n75o.pdf

Audio of the Oral Arguments will be archived here:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio.aspx

After Reading all the oral argument and the article about the federal overreach, this is exactly what is coming to us in the everglades, enforcement will be coming soon, will be interesting how the supreme court rules on this, at the end of the oral argument is seems as the Judges were not in favor NPS having domaine over navigable waters, only land units, and how this ruling could affect the everglades that is almost all water that flows in and flows out of the everglades.

 

[mojoe]

Take lots of pics and videos now... That way we can show our grandchildren what airboats were!

 

[jchovernut]

The audio of the proceedings has now been posted. It pains me to listen to Kagen, Sotomeyer, Breyer, & Kennedey try to wrap their heads around 103(c), the provision Congress put in to restrict the Feds from regulating "inholdings" i.e. the navigable waterways.
Scalia makes sense, as usual. The Soliciter General would like the Feds to have free reign to wreak havoc on transportation & commerce on ANILCA holdings!!

http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2015/14-1209

Let's hope for a favorable decision for us!!

 

[Eric Kimmel]

Here's a transcript of the Oral Arguments:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-1209_n75o.pdf

Audio of the Oral Arguments will be archived here:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio.aspx

After Reading all the oral argument and the article about the federal overreach, this is exactly what is coming to us in the everglades, enforcement will be coming soon, will be interesting how the supreme court rules on this, at the end of the oral argument is seems as the Judges were not in favor NPS having domaine over navigable waters, only land units, and how this ruling could affect the everglades that is almost all water that flows in and flows out of the everglades.

About 10-12 years ago Ronnie Balman was riding south of the Airboat Association and blew his prop which put a hole through the deck. NPS ranger out of Chekika stopped by him would not radio anyone to help him nor give him a ride back to a road or the club. Reasoning stated from the ranger was that they do not consider the everglades a navigable waterway and rules to help a stranded boater do not apply there.

 

[Hardtail]

Here's a transcript of the Oral Arguments:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-1209_n75o.pdf

Audio of the Oral Arguments will be archived here:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio.aspx

After Reading all the oral argument and the article about the federal overreach, this is exactly what is coming to us in the everglades, enforcement will be coming soon, will be interesting how the supreme court rules on this, at the end of the oral argument is seems as the Judges were not in favor NPS having domaine over navigable waters, only land units, and how this ruling could affect the everglades that is almost all water that flows in and flows out of the everglades.

About 10-12 years ago Ronnie Balman was riding south of the Airboat Association and blew his prop which put a hole through the deck. NPS ranger out of Chekika stopped by him would not radio anyone to help him nor give him a ride back to a road or the club. Reasoning stated from the ranger was that they do not consider the everglades a navigable waterway and rules to help a stranded boater do not apply there.

So the judge said" I don't think NPS can show you hold title to public water" is a big statement, because we in south Florida have canals within park boundaries created by the Corp of Engineers that are totally not natural, " man made" to solely drain water at a rapid rate and control the nature of flooding, not drought, which both extremes are just as important to the wild life as to residences of south Florida, My point is, are they now Navigable waters, and does NPS have any authority over them, or any water flowing through the river of grass. Seems to me that the park service is not for the PEOPLE or OF THE PEOPLE, so what are they OF?????????????

 

[Hardtail]

news about the outcome of the Hovercraft in Alaska

http://www.adn.com/politics/article/alaska-moose-hunter-scores-supreme-court-win/2016/03/22/

http://www.trustees.org/supreme-court-decides-not-to-decide-hovercraft-case/

 

[Rick McC.]

Here's a transcript of the Oral Arguments:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-1209_n75o.pdf

Audio of the Oral Arguments will be archived here:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio.aspx

After Reading all the oral argument and the article about the federal overreach, this is exactly what is coming to us in the everglades, enforcement will be coming soon, will be interesting how the supreme court rules on this, at the end of the oral argument is seems as the Judges were not in favor NPS having domaine over navigable waters, only land units, and how this ruling could affect the everglades that is almost all water that flows in and flows out of the everglades.

About 10-12 years ago Ronnie Balman was riding south of the Airboat Association and blew his prop which put a hole through the deck. NPS ranger out of Chekika stopped by him would not radio anyone to help him nor give him a ride back to a road or the club. Reasoning stated from the ranger was that they do not consider the everglades a navigable waterway and rules to help a stranded boater do not apply there.

That damn "ranger" should have been horse whipped! F'in POS! :violent1:

 

[Sniper]

that ranger should have been fired and criminally charged for refusing to give aid :angry5: