Letter to Ken Salazar, Secretary of the US Department of the Interior - Lummis, Rehberg, Simpson Urge Interior Department to Modify Job-Killing Winter Use Plan for Snowmobiles

Letter

Dear Secretary Salazar:

We're writing on behalf of our constituents who have raised concerns regarding the Department of the Interior's Winter Use Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Yellowstone National Park.

The issue of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park has been a long-running concern for many years. Snowmobile guides and snow coach operators, including the hotels, restaurants and shops that attract business from their customers, need a flexible winter plan under which to operate. Unfortunately, the draft plan includes several provisions that should be modified prior to moving forward with the final rule.

* Snowmobile and snow coach operators must be able to select peak and non-peak use days according to supply and demand, not the National Park Service's heavy handed mandates. Under the proposed alternative, it's our understanding that daily preset limits would result in a loss of 5,728 visitor snowmobile days compared to last year's maximum daily limits.

* With each of the three different cap levels, operators have expressed concern that they will incur substantial losses from being unable to fill the maximum daily allowance. Giving operators the flexibility to vary group sizes within the margins of an annual limit would improve access without compromising the environmental impact. Otherwise, outfitters would be forced to turn away customers during peak days.

* We're also concerned that "quiet time' proposals will adversely impact visitor use due to the mandated 10:30 a.m. entry time. These time restrictions will cause bunching and the appearance of overcrowding. The Park's resources would be better conserved by dispersing the concentration of traffic. It's also clear that some visitors prefer a shorter day spent in the Park, but this plan refuses to allow their entry before or after this arbitrary time frame.

Over the past decade, much progress has been made to reduce snowmobile pollution in Yellowstone. New technological advances and stricter emissions requirements have aided this effort. While we appreciate these advancements, we cannot ignore the small business owners who depend on consistent regulations to guide their operations. After years of administrative rulemaking and judicial wrangling, we encourage you to put forth a plan that helps ensure the long-term viability of our gateway communities.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. If we can be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

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