american snowmobile manufacturers respond to the new ban

The National Park snowmobile ban, announced by the United States Department of the Interior last Thursday, has drawn criticism from the two major domestic snowmobile manufacturers.

"Polaris Industries Inc. was deeply disappointed and surprised by the announcement made today by the Department of Interior's issuance of a snowmobile ban in national parks," read a statement released by Polaris' communications department. "Industry leaders believe the ban was based on inaccurate data and question the validity of a federal ruling made without broader public and industry input and testing."

Arctic Cat's statement quoted its president and CEO, Chris Twomey as calling the ban "a premature, overreaching response that bows to politics, bypasses due process and ignores genuine industry progress on emissions and noise reduction."

Both companies' statements note disappointment in the Department of the Interior for announcing the ban in spite of the progress the industry has made in combating sound and exhaust emissions. "Political process and partisan anti-motorized recreation opinion are drowning out facts and preventing equal treatment," said Twomey in Cat's statement. "Rhetoric has even become more important than significant new technology -- personally experienced by the NPS in Yellowstone all winter -- that dramatically reduces emissions and noise." He is referring to Arctic Cat's newly-released Yellowstone Special four-stroke snowmobile, which runs cleaner and quieter than conventional two-stroke snowmobiles.

Twomey said special interest organizations and government agency appointees "have selectively ignored several realities" that prove snowmobiling is participating earnestly in product testing, environmental research and product development aimed at reducing emissions."

Polaris called attention to its Genesis FFI watercraft, which is "the only personal watercraft permanently allowed on Lake Tahoe, which reduces emissions by 80 percent and reduces noise by 60 percent."

Polaris strongly believes an issue that affects so many families and people of all ages deserves careful consideration and open dialogue with all parties affected. "We are vehemently opposed to any federal ban that would infringe on the freedom of millions of people in this country who have enjoyed wintertime getaways in national parks for more than 30 years," said company CEO Tom Tiller. "The National Park System was created for the enjoyment of all people, including the millions of snowmobilers in this country who enjoy the freedom of the outdoors."

Both companies again stated their willingness and interest in working with the government to come to an agreeable solution for all interested parties. "Snowmobile manufacturers have worked closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for several years to help develop emission-reduction standards, which will be proposed in September 2000," said Twomey. "It's inconceivable that the Department of the Interior would step in before the EPA, the government agency actually responsible for air quality management, has applied its expertise and scientific processes."

"The recreational products industry has always had a good track record of self-regulation," said Tiller. "We would like the opportunity to talk with the Department of Interior and make known the opinion of the broader public and the industry. We think their voices, along with those of environmental extremists, need to be heard, and they will."

The ban affects 27 National Parks across the country, not included in the ban are Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota and any park land in Alaska, all of which have special snowmobiling provisions passed by congress.

By Polaris' estimation, there are 9 million snowmobilers in North America who spend more than $9 billion on their sport. This ban not only affects those snowmobilers, but also the small towns and businesses who survive on those wintertime tourism dollars.

To voice your concerns, you should contact your United States House member, your United States Senator and/or Assistant Interior Secretary Donald Barry at Donald_Barry@ios.doi.gov or call him directly at 202/208-5347.