For the upcoming 2012-2013 winter season at Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service is proposing to extend the existing "one-year rule" regarding the management of snowmobiles and snowcoach activity in the park.
This proposal would implement the same conditions during the 2012-2013 winter season that have been in place for the past three winters. This plan allows for up to 318 commercially guided Best Available Technology snowmobiles and up to 78 commercially guided snowcoaches daily. It will also continue to provide access for motorized oversnow travel over the East Entrance road and Sylvan Pass.
Concurrently, the National Park Service will reopen the public comment period for 30 days on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for long-term plan for winter use in Yellowstone National Park. The second public comment period will allow additional opportunity for the Park to address public and cooperating agency comments on the draft SEIS.
"As we look to the 2012-2013 winter season, we want to provide a safe and positive experience for our visitors," said Superintendent Dan Wenk. "Today's approach ensures that there will not be interruptions to access this winter, and also responds to public requests for additional review and comment on the long-term plan."
After considering a 30-day public comment period on extending the one-year rule for the 2012-2013 winter season, the National Park Service intends to amend the record of decision for the 2011 Environmental Impact Statement and to issue an rule authorizing oversnow vehicles use during the 2012-2013 winter season. This schedule has been adopted to ensure that the 2012-2013 winter season will not be interrupted during further scientific analysis and review of public comments on the long-term plan for oversnow vehicles in the park.
Jeff
Glacier National Park Trails
Showing posts with label snowcoach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snowcoach. Show all posts
Friday, August 31, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Yellowstone to Issue Updated Winter Use Plan Proposal; Will Host a Series of Open Houses
The National Park Service has released a proposed new plan to guide the future of winter use in Yellowstone National Park. The draft Winter Use Supplemental Impact Statement (SEIS), available for public review and comment, examines a range of alternatives regarding the management of snowmobiles and snowcoach activity in the park.
"Yellowstone National Park has some of our nation's most iconic landscapes, and we work to provide a safe and positive experience for the millions of visitors that come here every year," said Superintendent Dan Wenk. "We look forward to hearing from the public on this proposal as we develop a science-based approach that provides for public use and enjoyment while protecting the resources with which we are entrusted."
The National Park Service is also hosting a series of open house meetings during the 45-day public comment period. Following the comment period, the park will review and address the comments received before issuing a final plan.
Under the preferred alternative identified in the draft SEIS, the park would manage oversnow vehicles by their overall impacts to air quality, soundscapes, wildlife, and visitors, rather than focusing solely on the number of snowmobiles and snowcoaches allowed in the park each day. The park would allow up to 110 "transportation events" a day, initially defined as either one snowcoach or, on average, a group of seven snowmobiles (maximum group size would be capped at 10). No more than 50 transportation events a day would be allocated for groups of snowmobiles. Should Over Snow Vehicles (OSVs) meet additional environmental performance standards, each transportation event size would be able to increase, allowing the seasonal average group size for snowmobiles to go from 7 to 8, and allowing up to 2 snowcoaches per transportation event, while reducing impacts to park resources.
The preferred alternative would provide for one entry a day per entrance for a noncommercially guided group of up to five snowmobiles. It would continue to allow for motorized oversnow travel on the East Entrance road over Sylvan Pass.
The Draft SEIS contains three other alternatives:
* The "no action" alternative would end all public snowmobile and snowcoach travel in the park.
*Alternative 2 would allow for winter oversnow access by snowmobile and snowcoach at the same levels as permitted in recent years under a series of temporary rules.
* Alternative 3 would phase-out snowmobiles and provide for an increased number of BAT snowcoaches. This alternative would close Sylvan Pass in the winter.
Each of the three "action" alternatives calls for a two-year transition period, operating under the same rules and use levels as we have since 2008.
Park staff members will host a series of open houses during the public review and comment period:
- Monday, July 16 at The Virginian Lodge, 750 West Broadway in Jackson, WY
- Tuesday, July 17 at the Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Ave. in West Yellowstone, MT
- Wednesday, July 18 at the Wingate by Wyndham, 2305 Catron St. in Bozeman, MT
- Thursday, July 19 at the Holiday Inn, 1702 Sheridan Ave. in Cody, WY
All four open houses will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Additional details on these meetings, the winter use plan, electronic copies of the plan, and a form for submitting public comments on the document electronically via the Internet is available at the National Park Service's Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website under the 'Winter Use Plan' link. You can request a copy of the Draft SEIS in compact disc or printed paper form and submit written (hard copy) comments by mail to: National Park Service, Management Assistant's Office, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. Comments may be submitted in writing through the PEPC website, in person, or by mail. The park cannot accept comments by phone, fax, or email. The park is also unable to accept bulk comments.
The National Park Service intends to have a final Winter Use Plan SEIS, a Record of Decision, and a final rule guiding winter use in place before the start of the 2012-2013 winter season.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
"Yellowstone National Park has some of our nation's most iconic landscapes, and we work to provide a safe and positive experience for the millions of visitors that come here every year," said Superintendent Dan Wenk. "We look forward to hearing from the public on this proposal as we develop a science-based approach that provides for public use and enjoyment while protecting the resources with which we are entrusted."
The National Park Service is also hosting a series of open house meetings during the 45-day public comment period. Following the comment period, the park will review and address the comments received before issuing a final plan.
Under the preferred alternative identified in the draft SEIS, the park would manage oversnow vehicles by their overall impacts to air quality, soundscapes, wildlife, and visitors, rather than focusing solely on the number of snowmobiles and snowcoaches allowed in the park each day. The park would allow up to 110 "transportation events" a day, initially defined as either one snowcoach or, on average, a group of seven snowmobiles (maximum group size would be capped at 10). No more than 50 transportation events a day would be allocated for groups of snowmobiles. Should Over Snow Vehicles (OSVs) meet additional environmental performance standards, each transportation event size would be able to increase, allowing the seasonal average group size for snowmobiles to go from 7 to 8, and allowing up to 2 snowcoaches per transportation event, while reducing impacts to park resources.
The preferred alternative would provide for one entry a day per entrance for a noncommercially guided group of up to five snowmobiles. It would continue to allow for motorized oversnow travel on the East Entrance road over Sylvan Pass.
The Draft SEIS contains three other alternatives:
* The "no action" alternative would end all public snowmobile and snowcoach travel in the park.
*Alternative 2 would allow for winter oversnow access by snowmobile and snowcoach at the same levels as permitted in recent years under a series of temporary rules.
* Alternative 3 would phase-out snowmobiles and provide for an increased number of BAT snowcoaches. This alternative would close Sylvan Pass in the winter.
Each of the three "action" alternatives calls for a two-year transition period, operating under the same rules and use levels as we have since 2008.
Park staff members will host a series of open houses during the public review and comment period:
- Monday, July 16 at The Virginian Lodge, 750 West Broadway in Jackson, WY
- Tuesday, July 17 at the Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Ave. in West Yellowstone, MT
- Wednesday, July 18 at the Wingate by Wyndham, 2305 Catron St. in Bozeman, MT
- Thursday, July 19 at the Holiday Inn, 1702 Sheridan Ave. in Cody, WY
All four open houses will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Additional details on these meetings, the winter use plan, electronic copies of the plan, and a form for submitting public comments on the document electronically via the Internet is available at the National Park Service's Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website under the 'Winter Use Plan' link. You can request a copy of the Draft SEIS in compact disc or printed paper form and submit written (hard copy) comments by mail to: National Park Service, Management Assistant's Office, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. Comments may be submitted in writing through the PEPC website, in person, or by mail. The park cannot accept comments by phone, fax, or email. The park is also unable to accept bulk comments.
The National Park Service intends to have a final Winter Use Plan SEIS, a Record of Decision, and a final rule guiding winter use in place before the start of the 2012-2013 winter season.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Public Open Houses Scheduled in February for Long-Term Winter Use Plan in Yellowstone
The National Park Service (NPS) continues working on a long-term plan to guide winter use in Yellowstone National Park. The NPS and the park will host a series of open houses in February during a scoping period for that plan.
In May 2011, the NPS released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for public review on the potential effects of the plan for motorized oversnow travel in the park. After months of public comment and review, the NPS decided additional study was needed before putting a long-term plan in place. While the final plan is being developed, the NPS chose to manage snowmobile and snowcoach access in the park this winter under the same transition plan used the previous two winters.
The NPS is preparing a Supplemental EIS to create a final winter management plan to take effect with the 2012-2013 winter season. Among the subjects identified for further analysis in the Supplemental EIS are requirements for entry into the park by 10:30 a.m. daily, sound and air quality computer modeling assumptions, "best available technology" standards for snowcoaches, the impacts of Sylvan Pass avalanche hazard mitigation, and opportunities for park access by non-commercially guided snowmobile groups.
The first step in developing the Supplemental EIS is to ask for further public comment and suggestions on potential approaches to winter use, including any additional issues not yet discussed. This process, known as public scoping, will officially open for a 30 day period upon the publication of a Notice of Intent, which is expected to appear in the Federal Register in the next few days.
The NPS has released a draft range of alternatives for public review and comment during scoping. The alternatives cover a wide range of possible approaches to winter uses in the park.
The "no-action" alternative would eliminate all snowmobile and snowcoach travel in the park after the end of the current winter season. A second alternative looks at continuing winter operations at the present temporary limits, plus analysis of limited access for non-commercially guided snowmobiles. Under a third alternative, park roads from West Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful would be plowed to allow commercially operated, wheeled vehicles into the park. Also under consideration is a proposal to phase out snowmobiles and allow motorized entry by snowcoaches alone. This alternative includes analysis of closing the park's east entrance over Sylvan Pass to motorized oversnow use.
Two other draft alternatives would take a new and different approach to winter use: Regulating park entry according to the number of "sound events" created by snowcoaches or guided snowmobile groups, rather than by specific numbers of snowcoaches or snowmobiles. One of these alternatives also assesses the effects of two-week 'shoulder seasons', where entrance to the park during the first two and last two weeks of the season would be via wheeled vehicles or rubber-tracked snowcoaches.
Park staff members will host a series of open houses during the scoping period to answer questions about winter use issues, the draft alternatives, and the process of preparing the supplemental EIS:
- Monday, Feb. 13 in Cody WY: Holiday Inn, 1702 Sheridan Ave.
- Tuesday, Feb. 14 in Jackson, WY: The Virginian Lodge, 750 W. Broadway
- Wednesday, Feb. 15 in West Yellowstone, MT: Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Ave.
- Thursday Feb. 16 in Bozeman, MT: Holiday Inn, 5 Baxter Lane
All four open houses will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Additional details on the Supplemental EIS, the draft range of alternatives, and an electronic form to submit comments can be found on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website, or by writing to Winter Use Supplemental EIS, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190.
Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in person at either the open houses or at park headquarters, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted over the phone, by fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight MST 30 days from the beginning of the comment period.
Park staff members will analyze the scoping comments and other additional information as they refine the draft alternatives and prepare the Supplemental EIS. That new document is expected to be released for public review and comment in spring 2012. The NPS intends to have a final Supplemental EIS, a Record of Decision, and a long-term regulation for winter use in Yellowstone in place before the mid-December start of the 2012-2013 winter season.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
In May 2011, the NPS released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for public review on the potential effects of the plan for motorized oversnow travel in the park. After months of public comment and review, the NPS decided additional study was needed before putting a long-term plan in place. While the final plan is being developed, the NPS chose to manage snowmobile and snowcoach access in the park this winter under the same transition plan used the previous two winters.
The NPS is preparing a Supplemental EIS to create a final winter management plan to take effect with the 2012-2013 winter season. Among the subjects identified for further analysis in the Supplemental EIS are requirements for entry into the park by 10:30 a.m. daily, sound and air quality computer modeling assumptions, "best available technology" standards for snowcoaches, the impacts of Sylvan Pass avalanche hazard mitigation, and opportunities for park access by non-commercially guided snowmobile groups.
The first step in developing the Supplemental EIS is to ask for further public comment and suggestions on potential approaches to winter use, including any additional issues not yet discussed. This process, known as public scoping, will officially open for a 30 day period upon the publication of a Notice of Intent, which is expected to appear in the Federal Register in the next few days.
The NPS has released a draft range of alternatives for public review and comment during scoping. The alternatives cover a wide range of possible approaches to winter uses in the park.
The "no-action" alternative would eliminate all snowmobile and snowcoach travel in the park after the end of the current winter season. A second alternative looks at continuing winter operations at the present temporary limits, plus analysis of limited access for non-commercially guided snowmobiles. Under a third alternative, park roads from West Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful would be plowed to allow commercially operated, wheeled vehicles into the park. Also under consideration is a proposal to phase out snowmobiles and allow motorized entry by snowcoaches alone. This alternative includes analysis of closing the park's east entrance over Sylvan Pass to motorized oversnow use.
Two other draft alternatives would take a new and different approach to winter use: Regulating park entry according to the number of "sound events" created by snowcoaches or guided snowmobile groups, rather than by specific numbers of snowcoaches or snowmobiles. One of these alternatives also assesses the effects of two-week 'shoulder seasons', where entrance to the park during the first two and last two weeks of the season would be via wheeled vehicles or rubber-tracked snowcoaches.
Park staff members will host a series of open houses during the scoping period to answer questions about winter use issues, the draft alternatives, and the process of preparing the supplemental EIS:
- Monday, Feb. 13 in Cody WY: Holiday Inn, 1702 Sheridan Ave.
- Tuesday, Feb. 14 in Jackson, WY: The Virginian Lodge, 750 W. Broadway
- Wednesday, Feb. 15 in West Yellowstone, MT: Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Ave.
- Thursday Feb. 16 in Bozeman, MT: Holiday Inn, 5 Baxter Lane
All four open houses will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Additional details on the Supplemental EIS, the draft range of alternatives, and an electronic form to submit comments can be found on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website, or by writing to Winter Use Supplemental EIS, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190.
Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in person at either the open houses or at park headquarters, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted over the phone, by fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight MST 30 days from the beginning of the comment period.
Park staff members will analyze the scoping comments and other additional information as they refine the draft alternatives and prepare the Supplemental EIS. That new document is expected to be released for public review and comment in spring 2012. The NPS intends to have a final Supplemental EIS, a Record of Decision, and a long-term regulation for winter use in Yellowstone in place before the mid-December start of the 2012-2013 winter season.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)