Snowmobile - EPA Says No

EPA calls for no snowmobiles in Yellowstone
Preferred alternative would break clean air, water laws, agency says.
By Rachel Odell, Jackson Hole News 3-01-00

A plan to manage winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parksfalls short of protecting clean air and water, according to officials in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Proposals to manage snowmobiles in the preferred alternative of the draft environmental impact statement would probably result in violation of air quality standards, which could directly harm human health, said Cynthia Cody of the EPA in a letter to park officials.

Limit winter park visitors, emissions

In the letter, the EPA encouraged park officials to determine a carryingcapacity and emission limits allowed in the park. This suggestion variesfrom supporters of popular "revised alternative E," which calls for implementing emission standards set by the EPA that are expected to be released later this year. Those standards will not take effect until at least 2008.

Snowmobile damage

In short, the EPA believes snowmobiles harm the park and should not be allowed.
"Current snowmobile use is indeed adversely affecting the natural (wildlife, air quality), aesthetic (noise), and scenic (visibility) values in these parks," the letter states. "Further, Alternatives A through F presented in this document would result in continued adverse impacts to these resources from off-road vehicles."

Mass transit

The EPA endorses alternative G, which calls for allowing only oversnow mass transit vehicles. That suggestion is similar to a proposal submitted by environmentalists called the "citizen's alternative" that calls for banning snowmobiles from the parks.

Local reaction

It is more restrictive than a proposal from the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, which calls for developing a carrying capacity and emission limits on oversnow vehicles by winter 2002-2003. For now the Alliance sticks to its position, but the organization would likely support the EPA's suggestion if it were adopted by the National Park Service, said Franz Camenzind, executive director.

"Would we oppose something as stringent as the EPA [suggestion]?" Camenzind said. "I doubt it. This is the kind of approach that has to be taken. We have to protect our national parks."

One of many comments

The EPA letter is "one of more than 23,000 comments we received," said park spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews.

"Ultimately, our decisions on winter use will have to be based on law and the letter has some very valid concerns that we have to consider," Matthews said. "It pointed out where we could be in violation and we need to address those concerns."

Park's preferred alternative

Highlights of the preferred alternative include plowing the road to Old Faithful, reducing snowmobile noise and emissions, implementing mass transit into Old Faithful, building a year-round path between Moran and Flagg Ranch for snowmobiles, adding a new snowmobile route along the east side of Grand Teton, and phasing out the use of snowmobiles on Jackson Lake over a five-year period. The road to Old Faithful is not currently plowed in the winter. Plowing would improve "affordable access," according to the document.

Something not quite right? .