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SNOWMOBILE
ENTHUSIASTS
RESPOND TO NEW
YELLOWSTONE
WINTER USE ROD
Regional Office
of the National
Park Service in
Denver issued
its Record of
Decision (ROD)
on winter use in
Yellowstone
and Grand Teton
National Parks
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Earlier
today the Regional
Office of the National
Park Service in Denver
issued its Record of
Decision (ROD) on winter
use in Yellowstone and
Grand Teton National
Parks. This is the
latest action in the
process of developing a
long term winter use
plan for the Parks. The
ROD is the final step
from which the
implementing rule will
be developed. This must
happen in the next 30
days for the Park to
open to snowmobile
access December 19,
2007. The ROD
formalizes changes and
restrictions in
snowmobile access to the
Parks.
Jack Welch, President of
the BlueRibbon
Coalition, stated, "We
are not completely
satisfied by the reduced
levels of snowmobile
access available only
through commercial tour
operators, but we
appreciate the
difficulty of the Park
Service’s management
balance and are thankful
that the agency has
decided to allow for
some level of continued
snowmobile access to the
Parks."
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The final
decision
includes the
following key
components: |
* Reduced
daily snowmobile entries
to YNP from 720 to 540
* Requirements for 100%
BAT and 100%
commercially guided
snowmobile Access
* Snowmobile and
snowcoach travel over
Sylvan Pass will be
allowed when full
avalanche forecasting
indicates travel
through the pass is
safe. The pass will be
closed to all travel
when full avalanche
forecasting shows travel
is unsafe, and will
reopen to travel only
when weather conditions
improve and full
avalanche forecasting
indicates the danger has
subsided. In addition
the Park Service will
work with the State of
Wyoming, Park County,
Wyoming and the Town of
Cody to seek a consensus
approach to avalanche
mitigation by June 1,
2008, to provide
alternative ways for
safe motorized oversnow
access over Sylvan Pass.
* Ceasing of
maintenance of the
Continental Divide
Scenic Trail, but allow
trailering of
snowmobiles between
Flagg Ranch and Moran
Junction, and travel by
non-BAT snowmobiles
between Flagg Ranch and
West Yellowstone via
National Forest System
trails.
* Requirements for BAT
snowmobiles for fishing
access on Jackson Lake.
"We have some concerns,
but note the news is not
all bad," added Welch.
"The Park Service has
announced that a
'transition period' will
occur in the upcoming
2007-2008 season. During
the transition, none of
the new restrictions
will be implemented. We
are also pleased that
the Grassy Lakes Road
remains accessible with
non-BAT sleds from Idaho
to Flagg Ranch, which is
popular with some riders
and essential to the
continued operations of
the Ranch." Other key
aspects of management
during the “transition
period” are that all
entrances, including
Sylvan Pass, will be
open, all snowmobiles
will be BAT and
commercially guided and
total snowmobile entries
will be capped at 720
per day.
Welch continued, "We
continue to closely
monitor this issue and
will continue our
efforts to defend
reasonable snowmobile
access to the Parks." |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Ed
Klim
Yellowstone Winter Use Plan
Study Supports Snowmobiling
The recently conducted study on
Winter Use for Yellowstone National Park again
supports responsible, managed snowmobiling to
continue in the park. The recommendations from
the Park Service are consistent with the
statutory objectives of visitor use and
enjoyment, codified in the National Park Organic
Act of 1916. As demonstrated conclusively in
the Environmental Impact Study and comprehensive
underlying studies, continued snowmobile use in
portions of Yellowstone and Grand Teton road
systems have no adverse impacts on Park
Resources, including: Air Quality, Wildlife, or
Soundscapes, while providing visitors an
unparalleled opportunity to enjoy the winter
splendor of the park.
The proposal put forward by the
Park Service is supported by the International
Snowmobile Manufacturers Association and is also
supported by studies conducted by other related
agencies.
When reviewing the Yellowstone
Park issue, one must remember that Yellowstone
Park's famous road system was constructed in the
late 1800's and was first open to automobile
traffic in 1916 - as Congress enacted the
National Park Organic Act. Many thousands of
automobiles, busses, trucks, RVs, Motor Homes
and Motorcycles enter the park on a typical
summer day. Approximately 1.8 million vehicles
enter Yellowstone National Park each summer
season.
The National Park Service
recognizes the new technologies the snowmobile
manufacturers have brought to the market. The
new vehicles are environmentally sound vehicles
and exceed all standards put forth by the US EPA
and by the National Park Service Proposed Winter
Use Plan.
Many studies have been conducted
on the impact of snowmobiles in Yellowstone and
Grand Teton on the Bison and Elk Population.
Additional scientific studies were conducted on
sound and emission standards required by the
Federal Government and the Park Service.
Attached to this article are a
number of graphs containing information from the
Park Service, which depict the studies findings.
It is easy to view the graphs and
determine that snowmobiling does no
environmental harm to the Park. The government
studies support the use of snowmobiles in
Yellowstone as the preferred method to enjoy the
Park and view all the winter wonders that nature
has provided us in Yellowstone. Please review
the graphs which support the continued
responsible use of managed snowmobiling on the
road system in Yellowstone National Park.
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Previous Environmental
Release 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ISMA
Burning Trees Pollute a Lot!
Ed Klim
I attend meetings discussing land
access and environmental issues across the United States, Canada
and into Europe. I am always amazed at the positions presented
by some of the "Green Elitists," so I will share a couple of
them with you here in this article.
I was recently in California and a number of
Environmental Extremists at the meeting were ecstatic the
Clinton Roadless Rule has resurfaced and it is their hope that
any road construction and/or maintenance on approximately 60
million acres of US Forest Land will be stopped. At the
meeting, I heard countless fire suppression experts talk about
the need to maintain roadways for firebreaks and for entrance
and exit to allow firefighters to fight fires. Also during the
meeting the Environmental Elitists spoke incessantly on how
fires in our forests are needed and in fact are good. I was
somewhat shocked at their comments since I have walked through a
burned forest and discovered literally thousands of dead, burned
animals. I also know that forest fires cause a huge amount of
air pollution, which I thought bothered the "greenies."
The California Air Resource Board (CARB) is
concerned with pollution caused by forest fires, and they have
developed a model that estimates the amount of pollution caused
by a forest fire. The data is quite stunning. A one acre fire
in a conifer forest emits one ton of particulate matter, 9 tons
of CO, 0.6 tons of HC, and 0.25 tons of NOx. So, a quick review
of EPA data shows that 1040 new cars operating normally for one
month (which is approximately 1250 miles of driving) will match
the emissions from a 1 acre fire.
The "Day Fire" which started in California on
Labor Day and was finally under control on October 2, 2006
burned over 160,000 acres of forest. Quick math would show the
recent fire in California generated 160,000 tons of particulate
matter and 1.4 million tons of Carbon Monoxide. The numbers are
pretty staggering. Pollution caused by the Day Fire alone
equals the emissions of 166,400,000 automobiles driving on the
road for one month. Wow! That is an interesting number to
remember, especially when you hear somebody say that forest
fires are good for the forest. Maybe we should harvest a few
trees and lower wood prices for our children.
Another issue that is often discussed at hearings
across the United States is the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
We know that the US House of Representatives passed legislation
that would have corrected the weaknesses of the ESA but the US
Senate failed to even vote on the legislation. It appears the
Big Breen Groups are staunchly against changes to the Endangered
Species Act no matter what!
I recently attended a meeting on this issue and
discovered that homeowners in Boiling Spring Lakes, NC were
fearful that the ESA might designate entire city neighborhoods
as "protected habitat" subject to restrictions to save a
threatened woodpecker. The individuals in North Carolina were
told that if their neighborhood was designated, their children
could be held liable for inadvertent violations of the
Endangered Species Act. That means that anyone convicted of
harming or harassing a woodpecker could face up to a year in
prison and $100,000 in fines. Reacting to the fear of losing
the ability to maintain their home site, landowners swarmed City
Hall for lot clearing permits and since then, the city has
issued 368 logging permits. The city fathers have watched with
dismay as lots across the area on Big Lake have been gradually
stripped to sandy soil. The homeowners determined that they
didn't want to have their neighborhoods designated, so they
removed the nesting pine trees that were around their homes.
Yes, it’s a pretty sad state when a poorly
written law can't be changed by the Senate and it causes
individuals to change their neighborhood to protect their homes
and their children from harassment and fines by the federal
government.
Sometimes, we just need to use a little bit of
common sense and honesty when discussing important issues that
impact us all.
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The Michigan
Snowmobile Association is a volunteer organization dedicated to the
improvement of the sport of snowmobiling in Michigan. |
