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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]