April 1999
Bluewater Network Petitions to Ban Snowmobiles From National Parks
On January 21st, 1999 the Bluewater Network, a coalition working to reduce the environmental impacts of recreational vehicles, petitioned the Department of the Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt to ban snowmobiles from National Parks. Sixty environmental groups also signed the petition, citing the increasing snowmobile use in over 30 National Parks and the damage that the vehicles are causing to the environment, public health and safety, and endangered species. The Bluewater Network contends that the operation of snowmobiles in National Parks is in conflict with the mission of the Park Service, which is to "conserve the scenery and wildlife ... and leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."
The Bluewater Network asserts that operating a snowmobile for one hour produces more pollution than a modern car emits in one year since snowmobiles are not required to have pollution control equipment. The group is also concerned that snowmobiles release nitrogen, sulfate, and hydrocarbon compounds into the air and that fuel, anti-freeze, oil and other chemicals infiltrate snow, dispersing into the soil and waterways.
In 1966, the highest carbon monoxide levels in the nation were recorded at Yellowstone National Park's west entrance as a result of emissions from idling snowmobiles. The level was so high that officials enclosed ranger booths and piped in fresh air to curb dizziness, headaches, throat irritation and nausea among employees.
In 1990, Congress mandated that the Environmental Protection Agency investigate the pollution caused by off-road vehicle (ORV) emissions and decide whether the standards need tightening. That investigation was never completed and in 1998 the Sierra Club sued the EPA demanding that the study be concluded. The EPA has announced that it will issue new emission standards next year.
Wildlife are also impacted by snowmobiles. Groomed trails in Yellowstone National Park invite bison to leave protected boundaries to areas where they are often shot. Bison and wolves have also been struck by snowmobiles. For more information on the Bluewater Network, check out their website at http://www.bluewaternetwork.org/ or call (415) 788-3666.