U.S. Park Service to curtail snowmobile use

Snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park

April 27, 2000
Web posted at: 4:30 PM EDT (2030 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The National Park Service on Thursday announced a crackdown on the use of snowmobiles. This will mean new limits -- and some bans -- on the recreational use of the machines throughout the system.

"There is no future for snowmobiles in the national parks," said Assistant Interior Secretary Donald Barry as he made the announcement.

Contrary to an earlier Associated Press report, the Park Service told CNN that Yellowstone National Park wouldn't be affected by Thursday's announcement. Yellowstone will continue with its own process of re-evaluating snowmobile use, officials said.

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National Park Service officials told CNN the agency is being ordered to enforce laws, regulations and executive orders covering the use of snowmobiles in its parks and reserves.

One such regulation states that "snowmobiles are prohibited except where designated and only when their use is consistent with the park's natural, cultural, scenic and aesthetic values, safety considerations, park management objectives, and will not disturb wildlife or damage park resources."

Officials expect several parks will end up banning the recreational vehicles, while others may restrict their hours or areas of operation and take other measures to limit their adverse effects.

Migrating animals often use the same trails as snowmobiles

In a memo, Barry states: "Snowmobile use in most areas of the National Park System is not an essential or appropriate means of providing winter access."

Snowmobiles run on two-stroke engines and put out substantially more air pollution than other vehicles. For example, in Yellowstone National Park, other vehicles outnumber snowmobiles 16-to-one over the course of a year. But snowmobiles are blamed for 78 percent of the park's carbon monoxide emissions and 94 percent of its hydrocarbons.

In addition, snowmobiles are very loud. Environmentalists and others complain that they ruin the peace one expects to find in the park. There is some evidence they may bother wildlife, as well.

In parks, snowmobiles often run on groomed trails. Disruption of those trails may change animals' migratory patterns -- bison, elk and other animals find it easier to make their way along groomed trails, rather than to slog through deep snow.

Snowmobile enthusiasts say they have as much right as anyone else to use public land. Many towns neighboring national parks have come to depend on snowmobilers for much of their winter economies. And the snowmobile industry says it is working on cleaner, quieter machines -- including a four-stroke prototype tested in Yellowstone last winter.

Currently, snowmobiles are allowed in 42 units of the National Park system -- including national recreation areas, preserves and national parks.

In addition, parks in Alaska and Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota were established under legislation specifically allowing snowmobiling. It would take an act of Congress to change that. And in all parks, non-recreational snowmobile use such as search-and-rescue is expected to continue.

Snowmobiles appear to be on the way out at Yellowstone
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March 6, 2000
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National Park Service
National Parks and Conservation Association
Snow Tracks - Snowmobiling, Snowmobiling, Snowmobiling - Reports & Info for the Snowmobile Rider
Snowmobiling.com - the name says it all

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