By Ben Neary Of The Associated Press
Plan restricts machines to less than half of last year
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The National Park Service has approved a plan to
restrict snowmobile numbers in Yellowstone National Park to less than
half of last winter's limit.
The park on Thursday announced daily limits that will allow as many as
318 snowmobiles and up to 78 snowcoaches per day in the park for the
next two winter seasons.
The park has allowed as many as 720 snowmobiles a day into the park
over the past five winters, but actual use has been far less.
Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said the park saw an average of 205
snowmobiles and 29 snowcoaches last winter. The park's highest recorded
day was 557 snowmobiles in late December 2007.
Nash said the Park Service will keep the 318-snowmobile limit in place
for Yellowstone over the next two winter seasons as it crafts a
permanent winter-use management plan for the park.
Disagreement over how many snowmobiles to allow into the park for years
has pitted the state of Wyoming and some tourist communities near the
park against the National Park Service and environmental groups
determined to reduce traffic they say can disturb wildlife and the
area's tranquility.
Wyoming's congressional delegation issued a joint news release blasting the federal agency's decision.
"The snowmobile and snowcoach numbers weren't sufficient when the
proposed rule came out in July and they aren't sufficient now," said
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., the state's senior U.S. senator. "More people
should be allowed in the park, not less."
But Patricia Dowd, Yellowstone program manager for the National Parks
Conservation Association, called the Park Service decision a step in
the right direction.
Dowd said scientific studies have found that snow coaches - vans fitted
with special treads to move over the snow - are more environmentally
friendly than individual snowmobiles.
"For the past 10 years, both the Park Service and the EPA have looked
at noise and air quality and impacts to wildlife and impacts to other
park visitors," Dowd said. "So we want the best experience for both
park visitors and natural resources of the park."
Past winter use plans have prompted federal lawsuits in both Wyoming and Washington.
Wyoming is pressing one federal lawsuit in a Denver appeals court. The
state is trying to get the court's permission to allow a federal judge
in Wyoming to consider whether to block the new Park Service plan.
Wyoming House Speaker Colin Simpson, R-Cody, has worked to keep
snowmobile traffic flowing into the park's east entrance. The Park
Service had proposed closing Sylvan Pass, which leads to that entrance,
but relented recently under intense state and federal political
pressure.
Simpson said Wednesday he believes limiting snowmobile traffic to 318
machines a day will be a hardship for businesses on the east side of
the park.
"It's been a hardship every time it's been decreased," Simpson said.
"And it seems as though we never get it back up unless it's a court
ruling."