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Politicians seek input on park management Proposed snowmobile ban grabs attention of Montana delegation BOZEMAN (AP) - Yellowstone National Park's proposal to ban snowmobiles from the road between West Yellowstone and Old Faithful has drawn attention from Montana's entire congressional delegation. Staffers for Sens. Max Baucus and Conrad Burns and Rep. Rick Hill met here Thursday with officials from Gallatin and Park counties and the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce. Peggy Trenk of Hill's staff, who participated by telephone from Helena, said she would help draft a letter asking for a meeting with Park Service representatives. It also may ask for an extension of the May 24 deadline for state and county officials to return their economic impact analysis of each of the alternatives. State and local officials were stunned by last week's announcement that the "preferred alternative" for a winter access plan would include closing the road to snowmobiles and snowcoaches and opening it to cars and shuttle buses. Gallatin County Commissioner Bill Murdock said the proposal all but disregards six alternatives drafted by officials from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and the five counties surrounding the park during three days of talks last October in Idaho Falls. "I feel very strongly that as a cooperating agency, we were ignored," Murdock told the congressional staffers. "And, as a preferred alternative, (the Park Service proposal) is ridiculous." Development of a winter-access plan began as a part of an environmental impact statement the Park Service agreed to write after it was sued in 1997 by the Fund for Animals. The group alleges snowmobiles were allowed inside the park before ecological impacts were assessed. Many residents of West Yellowstone believe banning snowmobiles from the park's west entrance would devastate the town's economy. Jack Clarkson, president of the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce, attended Thursday's meeting and voiced concerns over how such a move might affect infrastructure within the park. Yellowstone National Park spokeswoman Marsha Karle said it was premature to comment on any request to extend the analysis period beyond the May 24 deadline. She did, however, say Park Service officials likely would be open to meeting with state and county officials to discuss just how the preferred alternative was crafted. Next Friday, state and county officials from Montana, Idaho and Wyoming will discuss the alternatives in Jackson. Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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