Mounting public opposition, an outcry from small business owners and growing pressure from congressional Democrats has forced the National Park Service to re-think the announced ban on snowmobiles from most national parks.


The final Winter Use Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)) for the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway is now available to the public for comment. The document contains the last range of winter use management alternatives for the parks

The winter use planning process is the result of a May 1997 lawsuit filed by several conservation and animal rights organizations and individuals. If the plaintiffs had prevailed, all winter use of the parks could have been halted until an EIS was completed. The National Park Service opted instead to pursue a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs, which allowed activities to continue under the existing winter use plan while the EIS was prepared according to a prescribed schedule. During the public comment period on the draft EIS (August 15 to December 15, 1999) 46,500 public comments were received, including 6,300 unique letters. This final EIS addresses those comments and concerns.



E-mail comments can be submitted at yell_winter_use@nps.gov



Written comments can be snail-mailed to: Clifford Hawkes, National Park Service, 12795 West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80228; Written comments must be “snailed” on or before October 31, 2000

Comments transmitted by facsimile machine will not be considered. Note-Does anybody still use these things??



The(over worded)document is available at the National Park Service. Copies will also be available at local libraries in the form of a scroll. Written requests for full copies of the document (paper copy=20lb, or CD ROM) should be directed to Clifford Hawkes.

Thanks

 

I have already sent a letter. This is a hot topic on the snowmobile forum that I visit.

This will impact all of us not just the snowmobilers.