The last ten years has seen significant battling over winter use in Yellowstone National Park. With no final resolution, the National Park Service (NPS) has been operating under an interim winter use plan since 2009. But that plan expired on March 15 of this year when the 2010-2011 winter season ended. With an expired plan, there is as of now, no legal authority to operate snowmobiles or other over-the-snow vehicles (OSV) in the park. But with winter leaving, and the Draft Economic Impact Statement (DEIS) just released for a new winter use plan, there is time.
In its DEIS released on May 5, the NPS reports on six alternatives evaluated for the potential new plan. The plans varied from no action, meaning the default position of an expired plan would not permit any OSV use in the park, to returning to the 2004 winter use plan and OSV limits – roughly double the permitted vehicles in the park as currently allowed. The NPS settled on a 7th alternative which was a hybrid of some elements from several of the studied alternatives. Unfortunately, most aspects of mobility weren’t considered in the analysis.
As stewards of the incredible natural resource that is Yellowstone, the NPS focused primarily on the balance between visitor use and enjoyment of the park, and resource protection. While issues like wildlife, air quality, noisescapes, gateway economies, and socioeconomic values were discussed in the report, mobility was not. Therefore, mobility in Yellowstone will remain a recreational activity only. It appears most likely that a mix of OSV traffic will continue to transport park visitors from gateway communities in to popular destinations like Old Faithful and back out on a metered basis. But mobility for nearby residents through the park will not likely become a reality.
‘Alternative 4’ was one that would have provided a mix of mobility as well as recreational opportunities. It provided for snow plowing the roads from Mammoth and West Yellowstone to Old Faithful, allowing wheeled vehicle travel to Yellowstone’s most popular destination, as well as a North-South link connecting Livingston-West Yellowstone-Idaho Falls. It would have also allowed for snow coaches and snowmobiles to depart for over-the-snow recreation from destinations within the park; renting snowmobiles at Old Faithful for example. The cost on this alternative would appear to be lower to both the park and operators. Snowmobile trails must be groomed every day, but roads are only plowed after it snows. Snow coaches get 3-4 miles per gallon. The same vehicles outfitted with standard wheels would get 14 miles per gallon. In addition, one operator I spoke with who operates from West Yellowstone to Canyon and back said he must replace his tracks every 10 trips on average – at a cost of $2,000 per set. As a Mobility Manager, Alternative 4 really seemed to offer the most to our region; increased options for intercity travel, maintaining recreation opportunities and the draw for seasonal tourists, lower operating costs, more people able to access the park, better air quality, and lower noise.
If you would like to read the full DEIS, you can view it at http://parkplanning.np.gov/yell
There will also be opportunities to comment in our region:
Wednesday, June 1: Jackson, WY at The Virginian 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 7: West Yellowstone, MT at the Holiday Inn 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
The final EIS is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2011 with a record of decision and plan implementation for winter 2011-2012
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