Mapgate?
October 21, 2005
The New York Times reports on a missing map that's important in determining the use of land for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Now there's a new map but some say it's a bit different from the earlier map. The new map makes more land accessible. (PVL)
"People have asked me several times, 'Do you think someone took this intentionally?' " said Doug Vandegraft, the cartographer for the Fish and Wildlife Service who was the last known person to see the old map. "I hope to God not. So few people knew about it. I'm able to sleep at night because I don't think it was maliciously taken. I do think it was thrown out." (PVM)
Mr. Vandegraft said he had folded the map in half, cushioned within its foam-board backing, and put it behind the filing cabinet in the locked room for safekeeping. (PVN)
He said he was distraught when he learned of the loss. In its place in the original nook, he said, he found a new, folded piece of foam board similar to the old one - but with no map attached. (PVO)
Who throws out a map and replaces it with some foam board without intention? (PVP)
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