J.R. HARDING [VIA SPEAKERPHONE]: THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I THANK THE STAFF FOR MAKING THE TELEPHONIC CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR RULEMAKING PROCESS POSSIBLE. IT IS ALL ABOUT ACCOMMODATING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND I THANK ALL OF MY FRIENDS ON THE STAFF WHO ARE OUT THERE. I READ WITH PLEASURE OF ACCESS BOARD DENVER MEETING, AND CLEARLY WE ARE ON THE RIGHT ROAD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST FOR THE RECORD, THANK THE BOARD, AND THE STAFF, AND THE GROUPS IN THE FOREST AREA WHO GOT US STARTED, AND THAT OUTDOOR RULEMAKING AND ACCESSIBILITY IS VERY MUCH NEEDED, AND IT IS WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO FACILITATE ANY BACKTRACKING OF ACCESSIBILITY IN THE OUTDOORS. I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN TO HELP YOU AND GOD SPEED IN DOING THAT. I HAVE NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS WITH REGARDS TO CAMPING GROUNDS, FIREPLACES, NATURE TRAILS, CAMPING SITES, FIRE PITS, BBQ’S, I THINK THERE WAS A [……] AND THAT THE ARTICULATION WITHIN THE STANDARDS AND REACH RANGES AND MOBILITY IS A JOB WELL DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO CAUTION YOU THAT WE WILL NEED AGGRESSIVE EDUCATION TRAINING AND OUTREACH BECAUSE AT LEAST HERE IN THE SOUTH, THERE IS A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE WHO AIN'T DONE THIS AND AREN'T UNDERSTANDING WHY IT IS IMPORTANT. (LAUGHTER.)
AND I SAY THIS FIRSTHAND BECAUSE THERE'S SOME CONFUSION, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH BOARDWALK ACCESSIBILITY ALONG THE BEACH. AND THAT WHEN 2.1 MILLS OF BOARDWALK AND THEN SOMEONE MENTIONS WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS FISHING PIER, DR. HARDING, AND I'M LIKE THAT IS PART OF THE BOARDWALK AND THE ARCHITECT CORRECTED ME AND SAID NO, THE BOARDWALK, THE FISHING PIER COMES UNDER A TECHNICAL DIFFERENT SITUATION AND FOR ME I STRUGGLED WITH THAT TECHNICAL DIFFERENTIATION, AND THAT A BOARDWALK IS A BOARDWALK AND CERTAIN PARTS OF IT HAVE PAVILIONS AND OVERHANGS, AND SHADED AREAS, THIS KIND OF THING SHOULD NOT CREATE A HARDSHIP IN TERMS OF CONTRACTORS AND CONSTRUCTION AND ULTIMATELY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ACCEPTABLE PATH OF TRAVEL WITHIN THE OUTDOORS, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE, PHILLIP?
PHILIP PEARCE [BOARD MEMBER]: YEAH, I THINK SO, YES.
J.R. HARDING: SO I REALLY JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, AND TO SUPPORT YOU, AND TO ASK YOU ALL GOD SPEED TO MOVE THIS AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WE CAN SO THAT FOLKS FROM THE SOUTH WHO ARE NOT PART OF WASHINGTON, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, AND OTHER AREAS WHO HAVE LED BY EXAMPLE AND JUMPED WAY OUT AHEAD OF THE COUNTRY. AND SO THAT REALLY WILL CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS FOR THE RULEMAKING. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS IF YOU ASK SPECIFIC ONES BECAUSE I DO GET 10 MINUTES.
PHILIP PEARCE: OKAY ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS THAT HAVE A QUESTION FOR DR. HARDING?
J.R. HARDING: WELL HEARING NONE, PHILLIP, I WOULD SAY THANK YOU FOR ACCOMMODATING ME, AND I APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S HARD WORK ON THIS, AND AGAIN, THE TECHNICAL TRAINING MATERIALS THAT SHOULD ACCOMPANY THIS WORK AS WE GO INTO THE DRAFT GUIDELINES AS WELL AS IN FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION AND STANDARDS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL WILL BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
PHILIP PEARCE: WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE SEEING YOU DOWN THE ROAD SOMEPLACE.
J.R. HARDING: COUNT ON IT PHILLIP, THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.