The Associated Press just moved this story that the Obama administration won't fight to overturn a judge's ruling keeping guns out of national parks.

Here is the story:

The Obama administration said Friday it will not appeal a federal court ruling that prohibits carrying loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.

Instead, the Interior Department said it will conduct a full environmental review of an earlier policy that allowed concealed, loaded guns in parks and refuges.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly struck down the gun policy last month. She called the rule, issued in the waning days of the Bush administration, severely flawed and said officials failed to evaluate its possible environmental impacts, as required by law. The judge set an April 20 deadline for the Interior Department to indicate its likely response.

The Bush rule, which took effect in January, allowed visitors to carry a loaded gun into a park or wildlife refuge as long as the person had a permit for a concealed weapon and the state where the park or refuge was located allowed concealed firearms. Previously, guns in parks had been severely restricted.

Kendra Barkoff, a spokeswoman for Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, said Friday that the department is not completely discarding the Bush rule. Instead, she said that officials intend to complete a comprehensive environmental impact statement that analyzes the possible effects of the Bush rule, as well as a range of alternatives.

The review is expected to take several months at least. In the meantime, 26-year-old restrictions that had been in place before the rule change remain in effect.

In her 44-page ruling last month, Kollar-Kotelly called the rule-making process used by the Bush Interior Department "astoundingly flawed." She noted that officials failed to perform an environmental assessment, which calls for the government to take into account such factors as public safety and the "human environment."

Even without an appeal by the Obama administration, the court case is likely to continue. The National Rifle Association has filed a separate appeal of the ruling. A spokesman has said the group will pursue all legal and legislative avenues "to defend the American people's right to self-defense."

Meanwhile, lawmakers who support gun-owners' rights have introduced legislation to reinstate the Bush rule. Bills introduced by Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., would allow citizens to carry concealed firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. Crapo's bill is co-sponsored by Montana Democrats Max Baucus and Jon Tester, as well Republican Sen. Robert Bennett of Utah. Two dozen House members — all but one Republican — have co-sponsored the House bill. Rep. Glenn Nye of Virginia is the sole Democrat to back the bill.

i just learned about that the Neah Bay Chamber of Commerce will hold its first Eagle Festival on Saturday. It' a long way from the South Sound but it might be worth stopping by if you happen to be in that corner of the state this weekend.

Here is the rest of the news release:

The Makah Marina Conference Center will open 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Information and fun facts about bald eagles will be posted about the center. Local artists will have eagle-inspired and other artwork available for sale. Food items for sale include “Eagle Egg Cookies” and Indian tacos. Activities for children include making “eagle nests”. The marina also is a great vantage point for observing bald eagles in flight, foraging for food or perched on fishing boats.

There will be a lecture starting at 1 p.m. at the Makah Cultural and Research Center classroom when Robert McCoy, wildlife biologist with the Makah Tribe, will present a lecture on the bald eagles that reside around the Makah Reservation and surrounding area. At 2 p.m. there will be Makah storytelling that will feature eagles and other wildlife of the area.

The Neah Bay Chamber of Commerce will launch its 2009 Eagle Photo Contest at the festival. Take your favorite photographs of eagles and prepare them for submission by July 1. Photographs will be displayed at the chamber’s Fourth of July event for the “People’s Choice” judging. Contest rules will be available at both the center and marina, or contact Meri Parker at 360-640-4852 for additional information.