Park service misses deadline on Yellowstone snowmobiles
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The National Park Service missed its own deadline for issuing a decision on the future of snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks.
Al Nash, spokesman for Yellowstone, said the agency had hoped to issue its final decision on the contentious issue on Monday. Doing so would allow the public a 30-day comment period before the scheduled start of the park’s winter season on Dec. 19.
Nash said discussions were still ongoing between staff at the parks, the agency’s regional office in Denver and its headquarters in Washington over the final language of a new winter-use management plan for the parks.
Despite missing the deadline, Nash said the agency still believes the park’s winter season could still open as scheduled Dec. 19. Although there’s not enough snow in the park yet for snowmobiles, most of the park’s interior roads was closed to wheeled vehicles earlier this month.
“We still believe that we can get a record of decision signed, get a rule published, and open as scheduled, despite the fact that we did not meet today’s deadline,” Nash said, adding the 30-day comment period is a policy, not a regulation, and could be shortened.
“It would be uncommon for a rule to be published that didn’t have the 30-day period, but it’s not unheard of,” Nash said. “We intend to make every effort to open the parks for winter season, as scheduled on Dec. 19.”
The congressional delegations of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana all recently urged the National Park Service to continue allowing snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks.
Park administrators this fall proposed allowing up to 540 of the machines daily in Yellowstone and 65 in Grand Teton. Only guided trips would be allowed. Snowmobile opponents say the plan ignores increases in air and sound pollution caused by snowmobiles.
The plan also will spell out the Park Service’s decision on how to manage Sylvan Pass, west of Yellowstone’s East Entrance on the highway between Cody and Fishing Bridge.
The Park Service has proposed closing the pass to snowmobiles during winter primarily because of the risk of avalanches in the area. Many area residents, as well as Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, however, want to keep it open, saying it’s critical for recreation and the area’s winter tourist economy.