Turtle defenders sue to halt driving on Flagler County beaches
By Associated Press
Published August 31, 2004
JACKSONVILLE - A longtime turtle advocate who successfully fought for driving restrictions on Volusia County beaches is trying to accomplish the same thing in Flagler County with a federal lawsuit.
Turtle advocate Shirley Reynolds and Flagler County resident Stephen Belida filed suit Aug. 19, claiming beach driving harms sea turtles and violates the Endangered Species Act.
Flagler County allows night driving on 8 miles of beach and also on the dunes, putting hatchlings at risk, according to the lawsuit. It claims five nests marked by volunteers with posts and brightly colored tape were run over by vehicles, damaging the eggs or harming the hatchlings.
Beach driving also can disturb female turtles coming ashore to nest and leave tire ruts that make it difficult for hatchlings to crawl to the ocean, the suit claims.
Reynolds' attorney, Ross Burnaman, will ask a federal judge on Sept. 9 to temporarily halt beach driving in Flagler County to protect this season's hatchlings.
Jeffrey Keiner, an attorney for the same law firm that represented Volusia County in its turtle lawsuit, said he thought the lawsuit was premature. He said he was "puzzled" by it because few vehicles drive on the beach and he was unaware of any nest damage.
"We've received the complaint, and we think there is no merit to it," Keiner said. "Considering the uses of the beach, there are multiple interests at stake here."
As a result of the Volusia County lawsuit, officials halted driving on 9 miles of beach, ended nighttime driving and set aside $360,000 a year to help protect the turtles.
