From Sierra Club:

Snowmobiles in Yellowstone
Comments will be accepted through September 20th, 2004.

At Issue:
The National Park Service released a new three-year plan allowing up to 720
snowmobiles a day into Yellowstone and 140 a day into Grand Teton National
Parks. This plan fails to protect out national parks and your voice is
needed in support of continuing a transition to the use of multi-passenger
snowcoaches.

Action Needed:
Please write the National Park Service to support the transition from
snowmobile use to visitor access by multi-passenger snowcoaches. Comments
will be accepted through September 20th, 2004.

MAIL ADDRESS:
Superintendent Suzanne Lewis
Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott
Temporary Winter Use Plans EA
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

Message:

As a Sierra Club member I strongly urge the Park Service not to weaken
standards in Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Continuing snowmobile use in Yellowstone, in light of all we know about the
damage it causes, will undercut America's commitment to protect its national
parks. The Administration's proposal to allow 720 snowmobiles a day in
Yellowstone rejects the essence of the National Park Service's mission: to
protect our parks for the safe enjoyment of all Americans and to pass them
on, unimpaired, to future generations.

Background and Taking Points:
The new plan is disappointing for Americans who have shown overwhelming
support for phasing out snowmobiles to protect these parks for future
generations to enjoy. The National Park Service has determined in three
separate analyses-in November 2000, February 2003, and August 2004-that
continued snowmobile use is harmful to park resources, healthy enjoyment of
the parks by visitors, and safe working conditions for employees. Each of
these studies concluded that the parks would be significantly cleaner,
quieter, less hectic, and healthier if snowmobile use is ended and visitor
access on snowcoaches is expanded.

Since its creation in 1916, the National Park Service has never heard from
so many Americans about a single national park issue as it has in the past
six years about snowmobile use in Yellowstone. Across two administrations, a
consistent 80 to 90 percent of citizen comments have urged that public
access be provided with less intrusive snowcoaches and that snowmobile use
be ended within Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

The National Park Service predicts outright that thresholds established to
minimize visitor and worker exposure to carbon monoxide are likely to be
exceeded with 720 snowmobiles in Yellowstone each day. Last winter, with
fewer than 300 snowmobiles entering Yellowstone each day, standards
established to protect visitor enjoyment of winter quiet and natural sounds
were violated on all but two days. The Administration is now proposing to
weaken the standard in order to accommodate 720 snowmobiles per day in
Yellowstone alone.

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