Federal Judge Rules Against Park Service In Doubling Snowmobiles In Yellowstone

Yellowstone, MT (AHN) - A federal judge on Monday nixed the idea of doubling the number of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park this winter, saying that park officials had lost sight of their role as conservationists.

Starting this winter, National Park Service officials had planned to have 540 snowmobiles going through the Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway each day.

But U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled for the conservationists that had sued to stop the plan, saying that it would cause too much noise, disturb wildlife and increase air pollution in the park.

Sullivan cited the National Park Service's own data in issuing his order, saying that having that many snowmobiles in the park would "exceed the use levels recommended by NPS biologists to protect wildlife, and cause major adverse impacts to the natural soundscape in Yellowstone."