Through my service as a member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I have been a strong advocate of protecting our natural resources and improving our national parks. 

Permitting the use of recreational snowmobiles within Yellowstone National Park is a complex issue with varying interests that must be taken into account.  Two different Federal Courts have issued conflicting decisions on access to snowmobiles in Yellowstone.  But the courts agree that previous environmental studies that were completed were flawed and must be redone.  This will take two to three years.

In the meantime, the National Park Service (NPS) has issued a winter use plan that would allow for some snowmobile use while the study is being completed.  According to the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, a complete prohibition as proposed by Representative Holt’s amendment would cost 938 jobs and $11.8 million in lost labor income per year.  

Under the NPS plan, snowmobiles noise affects less than 1% of the park and new snowmobiles developed in recent years exceed stringent emission standards that the NPS has established.  This is a fair and sensible compromise until the new environmental study is completed.