The National Park Service issued a rule Friday that will require
anyone driving on the beaches at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Outer Banks to obtain a permit first. The new rule, which also requires off-road drivers to complete an educational program, goes into effect Feb. 15. The plan is the latest attempt to balance environmental concerns and recreational access along the federally protected coastline, including the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Bodie and Ocracoke islands. The beaches provide nesting areas for several species of sea turtles and birds.
