National Park Service Ignores American Public's Desire to Keep Parks Open to Snowmobiles; ACSA and Snowmobilers Focus on November Elections to Preserve Access to the Parks
11 October 2000
National Park Service Ignores American Public's Desire to Keep Parks Open to Snowmobiles; ACSA and Snowmobilers Focus on November Elections to Preserve Access to the Parks
WASHINGTON--Oct. 11, 2000--Ignoring two national surveys that show nearly 80 percent of Americans believe snowmobiles should be allowed in national parks, the National Park Service announced a plan yesterday to begin restricting public access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in wintertime.The announcement came in spite of a poll by SWR Worldwide that found nearly eight of ten (78 percent) of Americans believe snowmobiles should be allowed in the parks. A USA Weekend poll of 76,971 readers confirmed those findings, showing that 78 percent believe off-road vehicles (including snowmobiles) should not be banned from national parks.
"Eighty-six percent of wintertime visitors to Yellowstone, a number of whom are disabled, use snowmobiles to access the parks," said Christine Jourdain, executive director of the American Council of Snowmobile Associations. "It's absolutely outrageous that Federal bureaucrats in Washington are ignoring the wishes of the American people. If the Park Service won't listen, then it's time the millions of snowmobilers in the U.S. make this an election issue."
In July, business owners testified before Congress that a snowmobile ban in national parks would economically devastate communities surrounding the parks. The Park Service responded only by saying it would investigate the viability of busing visitors through the parks during the winter months.
Clyde Seely owns a hotel, restaurant and tour operation in West Yellowstone, Mont., and is among those who testified to Congress that a snowmobile ban would bankrupt his business. Mr. Seely also operates a snow bus tour and advertises throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries, placing equal emphasis on snowmobiling and snow buses.
"Only about five percent of the people choose to use the snow coach, whereas 95 percent prefer the snowmobile," testified Seely. We can offer Yellowstone trips and hype it up as much as possible, but when it comes right down to it, the snow coach only satisfies a niche market and will fail dismally in satisfying the public's rights and wishes to access Yellowstone. When that fails, so will our economy."
A poll released in July by SWR Worldwide confirms Seely's fears, finding that most Americans would be less likely to visit a national park if their only winter riding option was a snow bus. Nearly 53 percent said they would be less likely to visit a national park in the winter if a bus was their only riding option, with 32.7 percent emphasizing they would be much less likely to visit. Only 16 percent said they would be more likely to visit. Seventeen percent were undecided.
Ed Dougherty, a disabled snowmobiler from Pennsylvania testified to Congress in May about how a snowmobile ban would affect him. "If I were carried into a snow coach, I would feel like a prisoner looking out of a window, forced to go only where the snow coach went," said Dougherty. "I would not go to Yellowstone if I was restricted to sitting in a snow coach as a passive observer; this is not freedom; this is not being outdoors; this is not being active."
With the election less than a month away, Jourdain said snowmobilers across the country have been sending letters to their Congressmen non-stop since the Park Service first announced plans of a ban in April. She also vowed that snowmobilers will continue to mobilize to stop any form of restricted access to national parks through the full rulemaking process.
"All snowmobilers want is to enjoy the parks the same way millions of people enjoy them in the summer when visit in their cars, trucks and RVs," said Jourdain. "There are millions of snowmobilers out there who can't wait to vote anybody out of office who won't help us protect our rights."
The American Council of Snowmobile Associations represents snowmobilers across the United States and promotes snowmobile education, safety and public land access.