Ask Your Representative to Cosponsor Yellowstone Protection Act

Support the Yellowstone Protection Act

This week, the National Park Service officially announced a plan to allow more snowmobile use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. This move was made following Presidents' Day weekend when Yellowstone Park was choked with off-road vehicles, creating a mess of air pollution and noise, and disturbing wildlife, park employees, and other visitors.

Although this decision is not final, Senators and Member of Congress are gearing up to reintroduce legislation that would phase out the use of snowmobiles in the parks, and provide a common-sense solution of public access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton by multi-passenger snowcoaches.

We need your help to gain widespread support for this legislation in the Congress. After you send this message to your Representative, our Action Center will automatically take you to a different message to send to your Senators.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Cosponsor Yellowstone Protection Act

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Please protect Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks by cosponsoring the Yellowstone Protection Act. It will enable the National Park Service to implement its original phase-out of snowmobiles and promote public access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton by multi-passenger snowcoaches.

America's first national park deserves no less protection.

Please uphold the high standards Congress intended for our national parks, while enabling park visitors to enjoy winter beauty free from the pollution, noise, and other threats posed by continued snowmobile use.

You can contact Eric Gordon in Representative Rush Holt's office or Kristy Crooks in Representative Chris Shays' office to sign onto the Yellowstone Protection Act.

And, if you've already agreed to cosponsor the legislation, thank you!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 21, 2003

Background Information

BACKGROUND

In January 2001, after years of study and the gathering of thousands of comments in support of such a move, the federal government published a final rule prohibiting snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park effective this winter. The rule followed a Park Service plan to gradually phase-out the use of snowmobiles and instead allow access to the park during the winter via snowcoaches.

The Park Service came to this conclusion in order to address the problems caused by off-road vehicles in the parks: Air pollution and its affects on employees and the park, and wildlife disruption, not to mention the disturbance to other park visitors.

This latest announcement has turned this plan on its head, and would increase snowmobile use throughout the park.

Members of Congress have determined that legislation is needed to provide permanent protection to the parks from off-road vehicle use. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) in the Senate, and Reps. Holt and Shays in the House are preparing to introduce The Yellowstone Protection Act, which will enact the Park Service's original plan. To be successful, it needs broad, bi-partisan support.