February 25, 2003:

In this issue:
Snowmbiles in Yellowstone National Park

Americans Tell Forest Service Expanding Off-road Vehicle Use Not a Priority

Washington State Considers Bill to Reallocate Gas Taxes for Trails Development

Is Protecting Yellowstone Possible? -- In a one page press release issued on February 20, 2003, the Department of Interior preliminarily endorsed a plan to continue, even expand, snowmobile use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The announcement concerned the public release of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS), which identifies a range of alternatives for managing the parks and selects a "preferred alternative" from among them.

The Department's "preferred alternative" endorsing large-scale snowmobile use - when compared to the previous Park Service decision to phase-out the machines and guarantee winter access with snowcoaches - will allow:
· Twice as much carbon monoxide and nearly six times more nitrogen oxide pollution;
· Continuing health risk for employees and visitors with sensitive respiratory systems;
· Haze around Old Faithful geyser;
· More harassment and displacement of bison, elk and other wildlife; and
· More areas dominated by engine noise.

A cadre of retired Park Service professionals was among the first to react to the decision. Former Director Roger Kennedy expressed outrage that the American taxpayers will have to foot the bill to escort polluting snowmobiles throughout the parks. Former Deputy Director Denis Galvin said that decision to abandon the previous Park Service decision was "simply irrational." Mike Finley, who served as Superintendent of Yellowstone for 6 years, described the decision as "lowering of standards of protection in our first national park."

Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle also challenged the decision. In a joint statement, Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) said: "It seems to us the Park Service is ignoring its own internal study that recommends a phaseout of snowmobiles in Yellowstone. It is now up to Congress to make sure this great American treasure is not destroyed, and we will reintroduce our bipartisan bill in the coming weeks to keep snowmobiles out of Yellowstone." Holt and Shays are the authors of the Yellowstone Protection Act, which would codify the original Park Service decision to phase-out snowmobiles and maintain winter access via snowcoaches.

Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) said "The Administration's own science, hundreds of thousands of Americans, and their own employees told them that snowmobiles should be phased out of Yellowstone. But today the Administration ignored it all - science, the public interest, its own advisors - and put forward a plan to pollute Yellowstone." Reid is the lead sponsor of the Yellowstone Protection Act in the Senate.

The National Park Service also identified an "environmentally preferred alternative," which supports the original rule to protect the parks by phasing out snowmobiles. The agency is scheduled to formally approve a snowmobile policy around March 24, 2003.

Americans Tell Forest Service Expanding Off-road Vehicle Use is Not a Priority - The U.S. Forest Service recently released the results of a survey of approximately 7,000 randomly selected Americans, which was designed to improve understanding about their priorities for management and use of National Forests. Respondents were provided with a range of activities that could occur on National Forests and asked to rate them on a continuum from not at all important to very important. When asked about "expanding access for motorized, off-highway vehicles on forests and grasslands," 61 percent described this activity as "not important" while 19 percent said is was "important." In general, the survey concludes that the average American is "most in favor of trails for non-motorized recreation."

View the full survey.

Washington State Considers Reallocating Gas Taxes for Trails - The Washington State Legislature is considering a bill that would reallocate state gas tax funding that supports trail development and maintenance to better reflect the actual amount of fuel used - and gas taxes paid -- by various type of visitors to state lands. Under existing policy, 80 percent of such funds are allocated to motorized trails projects based on a fuel use study conducted in 1972-73. However, a comprehensive survey of fuel consumption published by the State earlier this month finds that 80 percent of residents who drive their cars in order to engage in one form of recreation or another do not ride dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles or otherwise drive off-road. The survey, based on responses from more than 7,000 vehicle owners, found that only 20 percent of fuel is consumed for off-road use.

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the bill would allocate 50 percent of funds for signs, campgrounds and other facilities to serve motorized and non-motorized recreationists. The other half would be available for activities related to both through a grant process, but the bill would cap the amount that could be allocated for either at 60 percent.

Many other states have similar programs that rely on outdated formulas. For example, a recent review by the Minnesota Office of Legislative Auditor concluded that allocations for dirt bike and four-wheel drive truck accounts are based on estimates of vehicle numbers that greatly exceed the actual number in use statewide.

Read story.

Scott Kovarovics
Director, Natural Trails and Waters Coalition
(202) 429-2696
scott_kovarovics@tws.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.