Yellowstone Fact Sheet

CNPSR Fact Sheet:
Yellowstone Winter Use
Updated 10-20-06

Summary:

In each of three separate studies since 1999, the National Park Service has determined that the environmentally preferred way to provide motorized winter access to Yellowstone is to phase out snowmobile use and increase snowcoach access.

In each of these studies, the Environmental Protection Agency independently reached the same conclusion: allowing snowmobile use to continue—even with restrictions on the numbers and types of snowmobiles—would create ongoing risks for human health and greater impacts to Yellowstone’s air, water, wildlife and natural quiet.

Despite this, the Bush administration has directed NPS to conduct a fourth study, which is underway.

Weakened standards:

When NPS established “adaptive management thresholds” for Yellowstone, it explained that their purpose was to assure “best available protection.” Even though studies had shown that best protection would come from ending snowmobile use, NPS opted to allow snowmobile use to continue. But it said if the resulting impacts exceeded Yellowstone’s thresholds, park managers would take steps to reduce impacts until they fell within the park’s thresholds.

However, in monitoring in the winter of 2003-2004, NPS quickly learned that new four-stroke snowmobiles (fewer than 250 machines per day, or one-third the number of snowmobiles currently authorized) routinely generated noise at Old Faithful that exceeded Yellowstone’s “major adverse effects” threshold for developed areas. Instead of reducing the snowmobile impacts, NPS weakened its standard. In fact, it weakened it by a full 50 percent and also loosened its standard for snowmobile noise carrying into backcountry areas. The noise at Old Faithful continues to exceed even the weakened standard adopted in 2004.

Public demand:

As the Bush administration has sought to continue snowmobile use, visitors to Yellowstone have increasingly opted for snowcoaches. During the past three winters, snowcoach visitation surged 63 percent, earning considerable attention both regionally and nationally:

“Clean snowcoaches are the fleet of the future…Both tourists and former snowmobile operators have discovered the benefits of new snowcoaches, which include lower costs, greater comfort, better visibility and less disturbance for the animals.” —The New York Times, August 26, 2005

“Businesses around the park are diversifying to capture more than just the snowmobile dollar. And that strategy is appealing to visitors…Snow-coach traffic is skyrocketing. Far more visitors are seeing the park on cross-country skis.” —Great Falls Tribune, December 29, 2005

Economic benefit of a protected park:

When Yellowstone’s winter season was dominated by snowmobiles to an even greater degree than it is currently, it was characterized by traffic, air and noise pollution, and frequent mistreatment of winter-stressed animals. The park’s image was perpetually clouded. Many visitors from inside and outside the region stayed away. With more visitors now choosing snowcoaches, environmental benefits predicted by three previous studies are accruing. In turn, snowcoach businesses are reporting increasing interest from new categories of customers including seniors, wildlife and photography enthusiasts, skiers, snowshoers, and families with very young children. By attracting new visitors to Yellowstone as snowmobiling continues on National Forest lands adjacent to the Park, these communities are diversify their winter economies and placing them on a more sustainable path by protecting both the health and important image of Yellowstone. The number of outfitters in gateway communities who offer snowcoach tours into the park has doubled over the last five years.

Public comment:

In the course of two Environmental Impact Studies, an Environmental Assessment, and now another EIS, the National Park Service has requested public comment on the issue of winter use in Yellowstone more than a dozen times across the past eight years. Over half a million citizens have expressed an opinion. Between 85 and 90 percent have urged NPS to give Yellowstone the best available protection and restore the opportunity of visitors to enjoy natural conditions in the park by replacing snowmobiles with snowcoach access.