isma says natl parks turning into preserves

Snowmobilers say the National Park Service has overreacted to junk science and political forces with its recent proposal to ban them entirely from Yellowstone National Park. They are asking the National Park Service to accept some other alternative that would allow snowmobile use in Yellowstone along with increased use of multi-passenger snow coaches as called for under the proposed ban. Unless the NPS modifies its stand, an entire category of winter recreation enjoyed by the public would disappear from Yellowstone in less than two years, stated a recent International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association release.

The total ban on snowmobiles cannot be justified and is a far more extreme move than alternatives that snowmobilers had discussed with the NPS, according to Ed Klim, president of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association. Even an air quality report released by the NPS itself offered reasonable alternatives such as staggering the entrance of recreational snowmobiles into parks to prevent overcrowding, eliminating night riding and limiting entrance strictly to snowmobiles powered by newer, low emissions engines.

"There were some really viable alternatives on the table," said Klim. "We're more than willing to address the issues that have been raised by the NPS. The manufacturers continue to develop snowmobiles with reduced emissions. We can accept limits on the number of snowmobiles into the park and we're willing to propose an extra user fee on snowmobilers.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the U.S. Department of the Interior and the NPS have little regard for compromise, or for the interests of recreational enthusiasts." Klim continued. "It seems they are more interested in turning our national parks into preserves."

Check back tomorrow for more on the Yellowstone Snowmobile Ban.