Judge nixes Yellowstone snowmobile plan
Court puts clean air, wildlife, and quiet first
On Sep. 15 a federal court tossed out the Bush administration's decision authorizing snowmobile use in Yellowstone. The Judge Emmett Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia invalidated the Bush plan and told the National Park Service to protect Yellowstone's air quality, wildlife, and natural sounds while ensuring that all visitors can safely experience the park.
The court found that the administration authorized snowmobile use despite scientific conclusions by the National Park Service that its decision would result in significant increases in noise, unhealthy exhaust, and traffic, disrupting visitor experiences and harming Yellowstone's wildlife, including bison.
The National Park Service has already studied options for broad winter access to Yellowstone. It can promptly develop a plan for this winter that enables visitors to continue enjoying the park in compliance with the court's order. The number of snowmobiles accessing the park should not exceed the average from the past five seasons - about 260 per day. The Park Service should work with local gateway communities and businesses to begin phasing down the number of snowmobiles in following years, while promoting expanded visitor access on modern snowcoaches.
Snowcoaches give public access to all the places within the park where snowmobiles are allowed - with far less noise, pollution, and stress on wildlife. The snowcoaches can meet the transportation needs of everyone, including the elderly and disabled, at a lower cost than snowmobiles, and at the same time can provide a guide for interpretation of the geology and wildlife.
To explore beyond the reach of the snowcoaches, people can ski, snowshoe, or hike. Snowcoaches can drop off and pick up muscle-powered recreationists near the park's sights, thereby improving total accessibility. The end result is better protection of the delicate winter ecosystems of the park and improved accessibility. Not surprisingly, snowcoach use has grown 89% since 2002 due to increasing visitor demand for comfortable and educational park tours.
The plaintiffs were the Sierra Club, Winter Wildlands Alliance, The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Wilderness Society. They were represented by Earthjustice and Arnold & Porter.