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America's First National Park Needs Your Help Again
Over the past decade, the National Park Service has engaged in an extraordinary series of studies directed at the development of a sustainable winter use plan for Yellowstone National Park. After 10 years and $10 million of analysis, the agency has only affirmed (and repeatedly reaffirmed) what has long been emphasized by the vast majority of those commenting on the National Park Service's various winter use proposals: Yellowstone's air, quiet, and wildlife would be best protected by a plan eliminating the noise and pollution of snowmobiles in favor of access by best-available-technology snowcoaches.
And, now the National Park Service is seeking public comments on yet another proposed rule for winter use.
This administration should undertake a prompt and complete transition to snowcoach access within Yellowstone National Park. Please take a few minutes right now to urge the National Park Service to heed its own science and protect Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Deadline for commenting is September 8, 2009.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Yellowstone Winter Use Planning
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As a concerned citizen who values the natural sights and sounds of Yellowstone in winter, I appreciate your first steps to curtail snowmobile use which has continued, even at reduced levels, to harm the park's resources and values. But I urge the National Park Service to do better than the recommendations in the temporary plan. It is time to begin phasing out snowmobile use and the temporary plan would allow an additional two years of snowmobile use at levels greater than those that have recently exceeded Yellowstone's protective thresholds.
All of the National Park Service's studies of winter use alternatives in Yellowstone since 1998 have clearly demonstrated that continued snowmobile use causes a greater level of harm to park resources and that these adverse impacts to air, quiet, and wildlife can be minimized with snowcoach access. Snowmobile use compromises visitor enjoyment of the parks' natural conditions. Each NPS study has concluded that Yellowstone would be significantly cleaner, quieter, less hectic, and healthier if snowmobile use is phased out and visitor access on snowcoaches is expanded. In its independent review of each study, the Environmental Protection Agency has verified this central conclusion.
It's time for the National Park Service to implement what its own studies have concluded: "that snowcoach access would provide public motorized access to Yellowstone while having the lowest impact on air quality, water quality, natural soundscapes and wildlife--while presenting the lowest risk of visitor and National Park Service staff health and safety."
Although the proposed plan is temporary, I urge you to change your recommendation and instead limit snowmobile numbers to the five-year average of 260 a day.
This is a wonderful opportunity to put Yellowstone on the right path to protection. I urge you to please implement the transition to snowcoaches--which studies have conclusively identified is the best way to balance public access with preserving these magnificent places for future visitors to enjoy.
Thank you for considering my comments on winter use in Yellowstone.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
August 19, 2009
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For more information, contact Patricia Dowd, Yellowstone Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association, at pdowd@npca.org.
By transitioning to snowcoach use in winter Yellowstone, the Obama Administration can demonstrate its commitment to upholding both science and the highest conservation standards in our national parks.
The National Park Service's own research has determined that levels of snowmobile use well below 318 per day have resulted in impacts exceeding Yellowstone's thresholds for protecting park resources and human health. Demand for snowmobiling in Yellowstone has fallen sharply during the last six years. Even as the level of snowmobile use has decreased to as few as 200 snowmobiles per day; however, the National Park Service has documented these continuing problems:
--Noise attributable primarily to snowmobiles remains audible several hours each day, exceeding the park's protective thresholds;
--Benzene and formaldehyde have been measured in the park's air at levels exceeding health thresholds; and
--National Park Service biologists have cautioned that if vehicle numbers are allowed to increase from their recent, reduced levels, adverse impacts to winter-stressed wildlife may increase and cause "fitness effects," reducing animals' health and the strength they require to survive Yellowstone's winters.
By carrying out the National Park Service's 2000 plan to phase out the use of snowmobiles within Yellowstone National Park, the Obama Administration would respect and respond to the unprecedented level of public concern expressed over this issue:
Since 1998, over 800,000 Americans have submitted comments to the National Park Service on the issue of winter use in Yellowstone. Over 80 percent have urged an end to snowmobile use. Much of the public comment has focused specifically on the critical importance of applying science and upholding the National Park Service's stewardship responsibility to emphasize conservation over use whenever the two are in conflict.
Studies have consistently affirmed that snowcoaches are the least impacting winter access alternative for Yellowstone:
In every major study it has undertaken since 1998, the National Park Service has determined that the most effective means of protecting Yellowstone’s air quality, quiet and wildlife while providing visitors motorized oversnow access to the park's major attractions is to increase snowcoach access and phase out snowmobiling within the park. The Environmental Protection Agency has independently verified the central conclusion in all of these studies: allowing continued snowmobile use, even with additional restrictions, would result in significantly greater impacts to the park's resources than would a system of snowcoach access. These studies have cost taxpayers over $10 million.
Many former Directors of the National Park Service have emphasized in numerous pleas to the Bush Administration that weakening protection of Yellowstone by authorizing continued snowmobile use within the Park "would be a radical departure from the Interior Department's stewardship mission." They cautioned:
"The choice over snowmobile use in Yellowstone is a choice between upholding the founding principle of our national parks—stewardship on behalf of all visitors and future generations—or catering to a special interest in a manner that would damage Yellowstone’s resources and threaten public health. The latter choice would set an entirely new course for America’s national parks." These National Park Service Directors from the last eight presidential administrations specifically pointed out: "...reducing snowmobile numbers still further—from 250 per day to zero—while expanding public access on modern snowcoaches, would further improve the park’s health."
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