By JENNIFER TALHELM
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON In a blow to snowmobilers
and all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts,
the Interior Department issued
new guidelines Monday that emphasize
preserving natural resources over developing
more recreation opportunities at national parks.
The guidelines reverse a controversial
proposal last year that put more priority
on attracting vacationers and
recreation users beyond nature enthusiasts.
Conservation “is the heart of these
policies and the lifeblood of our nation’s
commitment to care for these special
places and provide for their enjoyment,”
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
said in announcing the new draft guidelines.
The new parks policy will become
final in about three weeks, officials said.
It is one of Kempthorne’s first moves
after resigning as Idaho’s governor to
take over the Interior Department less than a
month ago. Critics, including some members of
Congress, had chided former Interior
Secretary Gale Norton and the National
Park Service for proposing wide-ranging
changes they said would benefit recreation
and commercial interests at a costto conservation.
The 2005 plan by Deputy Assistant
Interior Secretary Paul Hoffman would
have placed more emphasis on recreation
and expanded the use of snowmobiles
and ATVs on federal land.
It proposed that in order for activities
to be prohibited in parks, they must
be something that “irreversibly” harms
the parks instead of only harming them.
Park advocates and wildlife and
environmental groups said the new
guidelines unveiled Monday revert to
policies in place since 2001 that explicitly
say the Park Service’s top mandates
are conservation and preventing harmto natural resources.
“They have turned back a blatant
attempt to undermine the national park
values,” said Rob Arnberger of the
Coalition of National Park ServiceRetirees.
The new draft emphasizes that when
deciding whether to allow cell towers,
ATVs, jet skis or other motorized vehicles,
a park supervisor must consider
whether any new use would damage not
only the air, water, land and wildlife but
also “the atmosphere of peace and tranquility
and natural soundscapes” inparks.
It specifies that lands eligible for
wilderness designation should be free
from snowmobiles, ATVs and othermotorized vehicles.
Greg Mumm, executive director of
the BlueRibbon Coalition, a recreation
group that has pushed for snowmobile
access in Yellowstone National Park,
said the new policy is a setback when
compared with last year’s proposal.
“All forms of recreation (should) be
able to enjoy our national parks,”Mumm said.
The new guidelines don’t settle some
outstanding questions, such as whether
snowmobiles should be allowed in
Yellowstone at all. That question will be
decided in an environmental study later
this year, Kempthorne said.
Environmentalists said they are
hopeful that the new policy will help tip
the scales in favor of phasing out snowmobilesin Yellowstone.
Kristen Brengel, a lobbyist for the
Wilderness Society, described the new
policy draft as good but noted that lobbyists
for commercial and recreation
interests still have three weeks to
change Kempthorne’s mind.
“It’s not over yet,” Brengel said.
“Now Kempthorne will have his first
opportunity to show whether he can be a
true steward of the national parks.”
