Links to information about decisions, reports or other actions
by the National Park Service (NPS) concerning off-road vehicle use.
National Park Service Assesses Impacts of Off-road Vehicles
in Alaska Units:
The National Park Service Alaska Region issued a report
in February 2003 assessing the extent of off-road vehicle
use and associated impacts in 13 units across the State. The findings
are very general and are based on assessments by park personnel
collected through a survey. The Service describes this report
as the first step in developing a more comprehensive and long-term
plan to improve off-road vehicle management. The findings include:
off-road vehicle use is increasing on at least half of routes
identified by individual units; impacts of off-road vehicle use
on park resources are not well understood nor have they been thoroughly
documented; and where route conditions are known, "almost
a quarter are considered severely degraded."
Lake Mead National Recreation Area (Nevada and Arizona):
The National Park Service issued a final rule on April 9, 2003
authorizing jet ski use to resume on Lake Mead effective immediately.
The rule and supporting environmental impact statement (EIS) are
seriously flawed. The EIS fails to include site-specific assessments
of jet ski impacts and draws unsupportable conclusions. The final
rule leaves 95 percent of Lake Mead open to jet skis in spite
of the well-documented threats they pose to air and water quality,
wildlife and other visitors. Moreover, it will continue to allow
unlimited use of jet skis with highly-polluting two-stroke engines
through the end of 2012. Read final rule:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-8546.htm
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida:
http://www.nps.gov/bicy/adlands.pdf
-- link to information about the planning process that will ultimately
determine how the "Addition Lands" will be managed.
The Addition Lands were added to Preserve in 1988 and cover about
147,000 acres. Under current Park Service policy, this area is
closed to off-road vehicles and has been protected from the damage
found throughout the rest of Big Cypress. Whether or not to continue
the existing limits on off-road vehicle use will be a major issue
in the planning process.
http://www.nps.gov/bicy/ORVPLAN.html
-- link to the Recreational Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan and
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement concerning swamp buggy
and other off-road vehicle use in Big Cypress.
http://www.nps.gov/bicy/pppressreleases/rod%2Ehtm
-- link to the Record of Decision approving the Final Recreational
Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan.
Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina:
http://www.nps.gov/calo/pwc_det.htm
-- detailed explanation of the decision to eliminate jet ski use
within the Seashore after March 31, 2001.
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska:
http://www.nps.gov/dena/regulation/index.html
-- this page provides detailed information, including documents,
concerning the decision to permanently protect the 2 million acre
wilderness core of Denali from damage caused by snowmobiles.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona and Utah:
On January 17, 2003, the National Park Service issued a
proposed rule that would authorize jet ski use in certain
portions of Glen Canyon. Glen Canyon covers more than 1.2 million
acres of land and water in northern Arizona and southeastern Utah.
Yellowstone National Park:
On November 10, 2004, the National Park Service issued new rules
that will allow more than 700 snowmobiles to traverse Yellowstone
National Park and another 140 machines in nearby Grand Teton National
Park each day. The Park Service claims that the noise, pollution
and disturbance caused by hundreds of machines will not have a
significant impact on the Parks' wildlife, air and water quality
or the health of employees and visitors.
On November 4, 2004, the National Park Service issued a "Finding
of No Significant Impact" (FONSI) concerning snowmobile
use in Yellowstone National Park. The Service concludes that allowing
more than 700 snowmobiles into the Park and another 140 into Grand
Teton each day will not significantly impact natural resources,
wildlife or other visitors.
On August 27, 2003, the National Park Service published a proposed
rule that would authorize large-scale snowmobile use to continue
in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The proposal could
allow more snowmobiles to enter Yellowstone each day when compared
to historic averages. The Service is accepting public comment
through October 14, 2003.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-7707-filed
- link to a proposed rule to postpone implementation of the Park
Service rule phasing out snowmobiles by one year.
http://www.nps.gov/grte/winteruse/intro.htm
-- link to the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
(SEIS), issued in February 2002, that contains alternatives that
would allow large-scale snowmobile use to continue in Yellowstone.
http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/planning/winteruse/plan/index.htm
-- this link provides a connection to all major documents, including
the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision,
relating to the decision to phase-out snowmobiles from the Park.
It also includes information about the new process to overturn
this decision pursuant to a legal settlement between the Department
of the Interior and the International Snowmobile Manufacturers
Association (ISMA).
http://www.nps.gov/yell/publications/pdfs/wildlifewinter/index.htm
-- report on effects of winter recreation on wildlife and habitat
within the Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area.
http://www2.nature.nps.gov/ard/pubs/snowmobile_report.htm
-- report on effects of snowmobile usage on air quality within
the Park.
National Park Service Rule Concerning Jet Ski Use:
http://www.nps.gov/fiis/pwcreg1.htm
-- link to the Park ServiceÖs final rule concerning phase-out
of jet skis from Park units, including information about the specific
units subject to formal rulemaking to determine whether or not
jet ski use is appropriate.
