arctic cat ceo testifies in us house and senate

 
On May 25, Arctic Cat's president and CEO, Chris Twomey testified in U.S. House and Senate hearings regarding the snowmobiling ban in national parks.

Twomey called the ban "unjustified and misguided," and said department officials have ignored proactive and productive efforts by manufacturers to reduce noise and emissions levels.

Twomey, also chairman of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA), represented snowmobile manufacturers in hearings before the House Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Twomey asked for legislation preventing further Interior Department action to ban snowmobiles until the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues national snowmobile emissions standards expected later this year. He also suggested the Interior Department should work with the industry to develop and implement a two-year snowmobile management plan to achieve its stated environmental goals.

Twomey cited industry cooperation with the EPA on personal watercraft regulations and said that the snowmobile situation will be no different. "Let me say very clearly that manufacturers are confident we can satisfy any reasonable national emissions standards issued by the EPA within an agreed phase-in period, just as these same companies met the reasonable standards for personal watercraft. We did it then, and we will do it again," said Twomey.

Arctic Cat has developed a four-stroke snowmobile which will be in limited use in Yellowstone National Park this winter.