Yellowstone Winter Plan Delayed Again

Yellowstone National Park has announced that it has decided to reopen the public comment period on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the long-term winter use plan in response to public requests for additional review and comment.  That means the plan will not be resolved in time for the coming winter season.  As such, says Spokesman Al Nash, the park has submitted a proposal to again apply the so-called “one-year rule” that has guided winter management of snowmobiles and snowcoach activities over the past two years.  Nash points out that it had always been the intent to manage the coming winter season under the same kind of limits and structure as under the plan used over the previous three winters.  He says the public asked to have additional time to provide public comment, and it was decided to honor that public request.  A 30-day public comment period on extending the temporary rule for another year will preceed the final decision on that action.  Nash says concurrently, the National Park Service will reopen the public comment period on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement  for long-term plan for winter use in Yellowstone National Park for a 30-day period.  The second public comment period will allow additional opportunity for the Park to address public and cooperating agency comments.