Yellowstone Snowmobile Plan Melts Away

Judge Throws Out Plan To Allow 500 Snowmobiles A Day Into Park, Citing Pollution And Wildlife

(AP)  A federal judge on Monday threw out plans to allow more than 500 snowmobiles a day into Yellowstone National Park, saying that many snowmobiles would increase air pollution, disturb wildlife and cause too much noise in the nation's first national park.

The National Park Service's Winter Use Plan would have allowed 540 snowmobiles to go through in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway every day, starting this winter.

"According to NPS's own data, the (plan) will increase air pollution, exceed the use levels recommended by NPS biologists to protect wildlife, and cause major adverse impacts to the natural soundscape in Yellowstone," U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said in an order Monday.

Conservationists sued the National Parks Service to stop the plan, saying snowmobiling in the park causes noise and air pollution. They want snowmobiling eliminated in the park, or at least reduced.

Park officials said they averaged about 290 snowmobiles a day in 2006, the most recent number available. Conservationists argued that allowing 540 snowmobiles, a cap higher than that average, would not help solve the park's problems.

"This ruling will restore the quiet and the clean air in Yellowstone for everyone to enjoy," said Amy McNamara, director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition national parks program.

Added Kristen Brengel, director of the Wilderness Society: "The park deserves to be protected from noise, harm to wildlife and poor air quality."

The judge said letting in the proposed number of snowmobiles "elevates use over conservation of park resources and values." The National Park Service "fails to articulate why the plan's 'major adverse impacts' are 'necessary and appropriate to fulfill the purposes of the park,"' Sullivan said in his order.

The National Park Service must redo the plan, Sullivan said.

Parks spokesman Al Nash said the agency will review Sullivan's decision.

The next winter season begins on Dec. 15. "Our goal is to review this and to see how we move forward for this coming winter," Nash said.

In the late 1990s, as many as 1,400 snowmobiles a day visited Yellowstone, contributing noise and air pollution that critics in Congress and elsewhere said was inappropriate for the country's first national park.

[yelstne]

Thinkharder Yellowstone is not a quest and if again you have been here you would know that snowmobiling has been in the park since the 1950''s! This is a way for people like you to see and enjoy the park as it has been done for years and years. The "sleepy" wildlife I would assume you mean bears are up on the north face slopes around 8-10,000 ft range NOWHERE NEAR any snowmobiles at all. GEES...How many times do I have to say, if you never been here in winter to visit, live and to learn.......well then NO Comment would be best. Sorry you have problems in NH, we don''t here in Yellowstone and nor do we need any that are created by people who lie and have NO ground to stand on! PROOF IN THA PUDDIN....understand?

Come and learn and find out this winter when we actually have a winter season, when the decision gets knocked down in court this week! I would love to show you if you have an OPEN mind!

[thinkharder-]

Posted by biger-e at 02:30 PM : Sep 16, 2008

OH...and perhaps you do view it as something of a church...do you ride ATV''s and snowmobiles in your local sanctuary? Probably not, why...because its disrespectful...

[thinkharder-]

Thinkharder,
Who said anything about loud and obnoxious? perhaps you should "thinkharder". What makes it just your church and not mine? This is the BS I am talking about. you just provde my point for me. thanks


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Posted by biger-e at 02:30 PM : Sep 16, 2008

Are snowmobiles loud? Yes...Are snowmobilers obnoxious...not always...I apologize for the generalization, but from experience and a lot of time camping and hiking in the White Mts. of NH, I can say that the majority of the snowmobilers I raan into around there were in fact quite obnoxious. This is the thing...you have park set aside for you to do what you do. Yellowstone is historically a massive nature preserve and sanctuary for solitude for those of us who enjoy the nature as much for its serenity and grandeur as we do for it sheer size and avalability to lend itself to outdoor motor sports. You don''t need yellowstone...bottom line. You look at it as a vista to conquer...and untapped motorrized transport mecca...look again. There is sleepy wildlife and an already damaged air quality. why make it worse?

[biger-e]

Thank you displeased. I get as angry as anyone when those few make the rest of us look bad. I am sorry you have had bad experiences and wish you many good ones in the future.

[displeased]

My rights get put aside because some people break the rules?
Posted by biger-e

You''re right biger-e, I was making assumptions about you, only based on my past experiences. The local ski resort I frequent is rather small so they combine the X-country trail with the snowmobile trail. It gets old stepping aside to allow them to blow by revving their engines and jumping any humps they see. In regards to atv''s, I''ve gotten several complaints from the AT section I maintain about atv''ers raising helll and illegally running the trail at night so that the hikers can wake up the next morning to find their water source filled with dead tadpoles and brown water. Like you said, it only takes a few a-holes to ruin it for everybody else.

[biger-e]

Thinkharder,
Who said anything about loud and obnoxious? perhaps you should "thinkharder". What makes it just your church and not mine? This is the BS I am talking about. you just provde my point for me. thanks

[thinkharder-]

Perhaps YOU should S T F U and keep your toys where they belong.


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Posted by Displeased at 02:03 PM : Sep 16, 2008

I second that!! If you want to be loud and obnoxious, do it in your own church...stay out of mine!!

[biger-e]

displeased,
I just love the assumtions you make. I happen to live in the city. I own a few peices of land in the northwoods. I go on several canoe/camping trips a year, backpack in on hunting trips for days at a time, sometimes in the snowshoes. I do a majority of my fourwheeling on private land. I realize there are the a--holes out there but I don''t need someone like you tellng me how to appreciate the wilderness. I assure you that I appreciate it just fine and am offended by your mouths telling me how to live more than the sound of a snowmobile. My rights get put aside because some people break the rules? If they regulate these things and let enforcement deal with the offenders we can both enjoy it the way we like. By the way, I have one canoe trip I used to take every year that I don''t take anymore because of the loud, drunkin fools (in canoes) that have repeatedly spoiled that one. a canoe does not necessarily make a good outdoorsman. Maybe a Kayak though ;-)

[displeased]

I hunt, fish, 4-wheel, snowmobile and do it all respectfully. stay on your groomed trails and stop at KFC on the way home. and oh yeah... S T F U
Posted by biger-e

Spoken like a true country boy. Have you ever been in the wilderness without the use of machinery? Have you ever been backpacking or canoeing? Probably not because you need machinery to haul your fat a$$ around. I''ve been to parks designated for atv''s and off road vehicles. The parks are loud and littered with soda and beer bottles, signifying the laziness you folks promote. And just who are you being respectful to as you come careening down the trail in your motorized vehicle. Perhaps YOU should S T F U and keep your toys where they belong.

[tashunka1876]

Awesome!! Best news I''ve heard in a long time.

[tashunka1876]

Awesome!! Best news I''ve heard in a long time.

[standlee5]

Bravo!

[yelstne]

bob5ford again you are talking about your area. the area in question is Yellowstone. You are making a generalization! There is no rv''s here in the winter and the park has hours of which we can be on the roads....not off trail and to the others we don''t use diesel, they are 4cycles. Again I invite everyone to know what they are talking about before they are so crtitical. I will be happy to help.

[displeased]

Guess we should close all the parks because of all the pollution and noise! LOL
Posted by Yelstne

I think travel in national parks should be natural. Hike, paddle, ski, backpack...save the gas powered toys for designated parks. That way they can keep all their noise and diesel to themselves.

[cfin5]

I agree. Keep the high powered toys out because they''re irritating to someone wanting to have a good time relaxing. They don''t sell sound tracks of "Snowmobiles Going Berserk" do they? They have their place,.....but not there.

[airboatboy1]

I guess the bumper to bumper traffic in the summer has no effect on the wildlife or environment.

[sumose]

I live in moab Utah, It is the same thing here. The few rune it for the many.

[yelstne]

rwsmith been here??? why so negative?? 2.2 million acres...740, seems like nothing in the park. Again why don''t we just shut down your trails? This is a great way, not the only to enjoy the park that is environmentally friendly. NPS has bent so much, 4 cycles machines, guided, with rules and regulations we all follow and respect. The park is a privlage for all of us not just you.

[aerhed]

Dude, It''s a big park. Anyway, I don''t mind winter park access. Like they say, it''s amazing. I just don''t like NOISE! Stupid sleds are noisy. I wish they were electric but could you imagine how doggy they''d be?

[rwsmith29456]

290 snowmobiles are 290 too many. If you enjoy the park so much in winter, you should hike or ski.