Natural Trails & Waters Coaliton Press Release
April 16, 2002

However, environmental groups are concerned that hidden in today's announcement is an attempt to override the determination of several superintendents to permanently close their parks to PWC. In particular, these groups believe that PWC bans at Gulf Islands and Cape Lookout National Seashores could be weakened or even overturned. According to affidavits filed by the NPS in response to the PWC industry case Roberts v. Mainella, the NPS discloses that the Superintendents at these seashores will be forced to conducted additional reviews despite the fact that they have already found that PWC are damaging park resources and wildlife. Today's Park Service release confirms this action.

Moreover, environmentalists are concerned about the ban at Padre Island National Seashore. As recent as five days ago, it appeared that the Department of Interior (DOI) would allow a permanent PWC ban at the seashore to go forward. However, today's press release notes that this park will also be forced to conduct more studies. Environmental groups have reason to be concerned about additional reviews, since this is similar to what the DOI is doing regarding snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park.

"We are pleased with the Park Service's decision to abide by our court order and close these 13 parks to jet skis. However, this may be a hollow victory if the Department of Interior undermines the professional judgement of its superintendents and forces jet skis back into parks where they have been found to damage park resources and wildlife," said Sean Smith, Public Lands Director for Bluewater Network and former park ranger.

The NPS' Final PWC Rule of March 2000, banned PWC throughout the park system to comply with laws and policies designed to protect parks from damage to air and water quality, public safety, wildlife, and visitor enjoyment of the parks. Yet, the Final Rule temporarily delayed the regulation of PWC in 21 park units through a two-year grace period. A December, 2000, settlement agreement in Bluewater v. Stanton stipulated that if any of these 21 park units were to allow PWC use to continue past the court-ordered deadlines, each unit would have to promulgate park-specific PWC regulations including environmental assessments of PWC impacts on park resources. The settlement further extended the deadline until September 2002, for eight park units. If special regulations are not completed by these deadlines, PWC must be banned until their work is complete. The first deadline, set for April 22, 2002, will go into effect according to a recent press release distributed by the Park Service.

"Jet ski damage and safety hazards have been well-documented in many National Parks," said Kristen Brengel of the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, "While the Park Service is making the right move by implementing the deadlines, we are concerned that several parks will be forced to overturn prior decisions and allow jet ski mayhem into these special places."

What's more, the April and September 2002, deadlines do not mandate permanent bans on PWC. Park Superintendents are free to continue to evaluate the issue, and may promulgate special PWC regulations at any time after the deadlines pass.

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