March 27, 2003:

In this Issue:

National Park Service Hoodwinks the Public
Doctors Criticize Park Service Analysis of Snowmobile Impacts
Idaho Fish and Game Commission Approves Controls on ATV Use for Hunting
Maine's Governor Announces Special ATV Task Force
Denver Post Criticizes State's Position on Off-road Vehicle Use in White River National Forest

National Park Service Hoodwinks the Public - On Tuesday, March 25, the National Park Service signed a decision to allow even more snowmobile use than originally proposed in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. A year ago, draft plan was released that would allow continued snowmobile use in America's premier national parks. The agency collected more public input than any issue in Park Service history: 360,000 comments of which over 80 percent favored eliminating snowmobile use for environmentally-friendly snowcoach access. Since that time, the Park Service has not given the public an opportunity to comment on its latest proposal that would allow an undetermined, higher level of snowmobile use.

The decision contains loopholes big enough to drive a snowmobile through. While the decision "caps" the number of snowmobiles that can enter the park daily at each entrance, snowmobiles that enter the parks on one day and reenter the next day do not count against the cap on the second day. In addition, snowmobiles that are rented inside Yellowstone will not count toward the daily caps. Both of these steps will greatly increase the amount of snowmobiles above the so-called daily "cap." The decision also retreats from the only document the public could comment upon by proposing to allow some snowmobile use without guides.

Several members of the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition have filed suit to challenge the National Park Service's decision. The complaint contains the following:

· This case challenges the National Park Service's decision to allow recreational snowmobiling in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway despite air pollution that impairs visibility at Old Faithful, despite noise pollution that carries the sound of snowmobile engines across more than 150,000 acres of parkland, despite ongoing wildlife harassment, and despite acknowledged health threats to visitors and park employees.

· The National Park Service Organic Act, requires the Park Service to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife" in Yellowstone for the enjoyment of this and future generations. Yet under the Park Service's new winter use plan, visitors cannot expect to enjoy pristine scenery, clean air, or natural quiet. This violates the Organic Act's fundamental mandate to preserve Yellowstone's premier natural resources without impairment.

"Families visiting Yellowstone in winter shouldn't have to worry about their health, they shouldn't have to wear ear plugs, and park rangers shouldn't have to wear respirators," said Abigail Dillen, an attorney with Earthjustice, who is representing Greater Yellowstone Coalition, National Parks Conservation Association, The Wilderness Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, Winter Wildlands Alliance, and Sierra Club.

For more information concerning the legal challenge, contact Abigail Dillen at (406) 586-9699.

View official Record of Decision.

Doctors Criticize Park Service's Analysis of Snowmobile Impacts - On March 20, 2003, doctors submitted a 30-plus page, peer-reviewed report to the National Park Service identifying serious flaws with its analysis of the health impacts associated with large-scale snowmobile use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. In general, the doctors conclude: "The assessment highlights significant omissions and discrepancies in the National Park Service's analysis. It appears that risks to human health under the Preferred Alternative would likely be greater than the National Park Service has acknowledged, particularly for children, pregnant women, seniors, asthmatics, and people with other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Some of these risks are not accurately described in the National Park Service's analysis. Others are overlooked entirely."

These experts identify a number of specific weaknesses in the Service's analysis, including:

· Failure to accurately estimate the actual level of snowmobile pollution to which many employees will be exposed.

· Failure to consider the negative health effects associated with exposure to the smallest particles in snowmobile exhaust in spite of significant medical evidence documenting negative impacts.

· The Service bases estimates of total pollution from snowmobiles using emission reduction figures that are greater than reductions that would actually be required of machines entering the parks in the future. As a result, this analysis underestimates the amount of pollution that could actually be produced.

· The Service appears to have mistakenly equated potential emission reductions from individual snowmobiles with total reductions in snowmobile pollution. The doctors point out that due to weather conditions around the parks, pollution can be trapped in the region for many hours thereby building in concentration. While a new snowmobile might produce 70 percent less carbon monoxide pollution compared to existing models, the doctors point out that the Service's analysis concludes that total pollution around Old Faithful, for example, might only be reduced by about 25 percent.

Visit The Science and Environmental Health Network to view a copy of the full report.
Read article about doctor's analysis.

Idaho Fish and Game Commission Approves Controls on ATV Use for Hunting - In response to growing concerns about the impacts of unlimited ATV use on big game animals and the hunting experience in general, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission unanimously approved rules on March 13 that will prohibit ATVs, dirt bikes or other vehicles from traveling off of roads when used for hunting. This rule will apply throughout southern Idaho and extends to private lands as well pursuant to the Commission's authority to regulate hunting. The rule states: "Motor vehicle use for hunting is restricted to established roadways open to motorized traffic capable of travel by full-sized automobiles. A full-size automobile shall be defined as any motorized vehicle with a gross weight in excess of 1500 pounds." The rule only applies to the use of off-road vehicles during hunting - it does not apply to recreational use for example.

Idaho is in the forefront nationwide in terms of responding to growing evidence that unlimited off-road vehicle use, especially ATV use, negatively impacts big game, especially elk, and their habitat as well as the hunting experience of millions of traditional hunters. Read Idaho Statesman article.

Maine's Governor Announces Special ATV Task Force - During the State's first-ever ATV conference, Governor John Baldacci announced the creation of a special task force to evaluate how to respond to the growing number of problems caused by ATV use statewide. According to the Portland Press Herald, the goals of the conference "included finding ways to minimize environmental problems caused by some of Maine's 55,660 registered ATV riders." The Herald also reported that the Governor explained that cooperation among many parties will be necessary to "stop the destruction caused by riders who trespass and dig up trails and river beds. A subcommittee of law enforcement officers will determine what training, equipment and resources are needed to attack Maine's growing ATV problem, he said." Read article.

The Maine legislature is also devoting additional attention to this issue. The Press Herald reports that 8 bills have been introduced this session that specifically concern ATV use. Among other things, the bills would increase the minimum age to operate an ATV from 10 to 16 years old, prohibit use between April 1 and May 15, require riders to obtain written permission to ride on private land, and authorize ATVs to be impounded by law enforcement following violation of certain laws and regulations.

Denver Post Criticizes State's Position on Off-road Vehicle Use in White River National Forest - In an editorial on March 23, the Denver Post criticized a decision by the State of Colorado not to provide the U.S. Forest Service with comments by 19 state wildlife biologists and other scientists concerning the impacts of unregulated dirt bike, ATV and other off-road vehicle use on the White River National Forest. The Forest Service is currently developing a plan to manage this use on one of the most heavily visited National Forests in the country. According to the Post, these scientists made detailed recommendations about roads and routes that should be closed to off-road vehicles in order to "protect wildlife habitat and to avoid having engine noise frighten the animals. But higher-ups in the Owens administration never sent the 20-page report to the Forest Service." Instead, the State informed the Service that it did not want any roads closed. The paper describes the State's everything open recommendation as "preposterous."

Read editorial.

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

The Natural Trails and Waters Coalition includes conservation, recreation 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.