OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2001

Stephanie Hanna (O) 202/501-4633

Interior Department Reaches Settlement Agreement on Snowmobile Ban Lawsuit
Agreement to resolve local concerns about rushed rulemaking affecting Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks and Rockefeller Memorial Parkway

(WASHINGTON) - The Department of the Interior announced today that a settlement agreement has been reached in a lawsuit between the Department and the State of Wyoming, snowmobile manufacturers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The settlement addresses concerns about the process used to develop the rule banning snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway. The agreement will result in a stay in the lawsuit.

"This settlement guarantees that local communities, business owners and others who have told us their voices weren't sufficiently heard during the rushed snowmobile ban rulemaking process will have an opportunity for comment" said Mark Pfeifle, Interior Department's Press Secretary. "This Administration feels strongly that greater local input, new information, scientific data and economic analysis and wider public involvement can only lead to better, more-informed decisions."

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the National Park Service will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The States of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho as well as affected counties, the U.S. Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency will be invited to participate as cooperating agencies in the SEIS process. The National Park Service will initiate the SEIS as soon as the settlement has been approved by the Court.

The timetable agreed to in the settlement is as follows: the National Park Service will complete and publish a draft SEIS by January 21, 2002, and provide printed copies of the draft SEIS and publish in the Federal Register any proposed modifications or changes to existing regulations by March 15, 2002. A final SEIS will be issued by October 15, 2002. If necessary, a Record of Decision and final regulations would be promulgated by November 15, 2002.

The existing rule will remain in effect. After the SEIS process is completed, the Department may modify the existing rule with additional limits or exceptions.

At the present time, snowmobiling is only permitted on groomed trails on the surface of existing roads, and only on a limited number of the roads used by motorized vehicles, in other seasons, in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the Rockefeller Memorial Parkway.

"The Interior Department will continue to work with all interested people - including environmentalists, local communities and snowmobile enthusiasts during the months ahead," Pfeifle explained. "Ultimately, recreational use of snowmobiles in National Parks will only continue if the cherished environment and natural resource values are protected for the enjoyment of our children and future generations of Americans."

-DOI-