May 14, 2002

NATIONAL NEWS

Denali National Park and Preserve
A Bill Pending in Congress Would Open a Pristine, Untouched Wilderness to Snowmobiles

Legislation introduced by Representative Don Young (R-AK) would give the Secretary of Interior proxy to permit recreational snowmobiling in the sensitive Wilderness core of Denali National Park for the first time ever. Snowmobiling in the Wilderness core has been prohibited since the area was originally set aside as Mt. McKinley National Park in 1917. There has never been any pre-existing snowmobile use in the area of the Park designated as Wilderness. Therefore, under the current law, recreational snowmobile use is not permitted there. If this bill passes, another national treasure could be opened to off-road vehicle abuse.

The bill, HR 4677, would revoke a Park Service regulation that reaffirmed decades of law and practice by prohibiting recreational snowmobile use in the Wilderness Core. The rule underwent an exhaustive three-year process and garnered strong public support whereby 98 percent of the public and 96 percent of all Alaskans who commented on the Park Service's rule supported it. This bill not only undermines The Wilderness Act which completely prohibits recreational use, but with the stroke of a pen, will allow the Department of the Interior more power to control off-road vehicle access on public lands.

The Wilderness Act, written in 1964, prohibits the introduction of motorized vehicles in designated Wilderness. The Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act (ANICLA) ANILCA was established in 1980 to work in accordance with The Wilderness Act. One of its provisions, Section 1110(a), provides that snowmobile use is to be permitted for "traditional activities" on Alaska federal lands, including those designated as Wilderness, but only if snowmobiles had been used in that area in the past.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources studied land use over 34 million acres in south-central Alaska and found that over 95% of this land is currently managed for snowmobile use. Therefore, there are millions upon millions of acres open for snowmobile use throughout Alaska.

For 85 years, the core of Denali has been free of snowmobiles. The Park Service's long-standing and law-abiding decision to keep snowmobiles out of the Wilderness core of Denali should not be overturned.

NATIONAL NEWS

Jet Ski Industry Withdraws Lawsuit
Last week, the jet ski industry dropped its lawsuit seeking to overturn a National Park Service rule designed to protect parks from the damage caused by jet skis. This action followed a decision by a federal judge last month that rejected the industry's request to halt implementation of the rule.

Assateague National Seashore Publishes Jet Ski Rule
On May 6, Assateague issued a proposed rule that would allow jet ski use to continue in certain areas of the northern and southern portions of the Seashore. This is the first proposed rule issues by the Park Service under its national jet ski rule. The comment period closes on July 5, 2002.

To view the proposed rule, visit:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-11046-filed

Senator Harry Reid Speaks Out for Yellowstone.
Last week, Senator Reid (D-NV) gave a speech on the Senate floor and defended both the EPA's comments on Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the Park Service's plan to phase snowmobiles out of both parks.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK -
"Rangers at the West Yellowstone entrance wore Park Service-issued respirators this winter because air quality has been so degraded by emissions from the snowmobiles' engines. What have we come to as a nation when we have to wear respirators to enter our national parks? It's a tragedy - an embarrassment to this nation."

Senator Harry Reid in his speech to the Senate May 8, 2002 entitled "Snowmobiles in Our National Parks"

For More Information Contact:
Alix Rauschman, Communications Specialist
(202) 429-2672 phone
(202) 549-2860 cell
alix_rauschman@tws.org
www.naturaltrails.org

The Natural Trails and Waters Coalition includes conservation, recreation, hunting and other groups working to protect and restore all public lands and waters from the severe damage caused by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, jet skis and all other off-road vehicles.