Yellowstone Releases Draft Winter Use Alternatives
Work is progressing on a new winter use plan for Yellowstone National Park.
>
> Comments received during public scoping in January, February and March have
> been reviewed and considered. They were used to help create a draft range
> of alternatives, which are being released today.
>
> The six alternatives will be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact
> Statement (DEIS), which will be released for public review and comment in
> early 2011.
>
> The alternatives cover a wide range of possible approaches to the future of
> winter use in the park. Two alternatives look at different daily limits on
> snowmobiles and snowcoaches. Another alternative focuses on daily and
> seasonal caps on machines, while allowing for some unguided snowmobile
> access to the park. A proposal to phase out snowmobiles in favor of
> snowcoaches also is being considered; as is a plan to plow the roads from
> West Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs so commercial wheeled vehicles
> could enter the park in the winter. A “no-action” alternative would
> eliminate all snowmobile and snowcoach travel in the park after the
> 2010/2011 winter season.
>
> A summary of the comments received during public scoping, and a newsletter
> that describes the range of alternatives are available on the National Park
> Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) web site at
> http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell , and click on Winter Use Plan; or by
> calling (307) 344-2019.
>
> Yellowstone plans to host two online, one-hour “webinars” on August 3 and
> August 5 to provide the public with more information on the range of
> alternatives and to explain the ongoing winter planning process. In
> addition, the park plans to hold a one-hour conference call the same week,
> on August 4, for those who do not have computer access or who cannot
> participate in either of the webinars.
>
> The webinars are scheduled for Tuesday, August 3, 7-8 p.m. MDT; and
> Thursday, August 5, 10-11 a.m. MDT. To participate in the webinars for
> Yellowstone’s winter use plan, first read the newsletter (link above) about
> the draft range of alternatives. Then, go to
> https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/936260544 to register for the August
> 3 session; or https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/302796888 to register
> for the August 5 session. You can visit these links at any time to register
> up until each webinar starts.
>
> At each of the gotomeeting.com links above, you will be asked to give your
> name and email address, so that the system can confirm your participation
> and email you a computer link you will use to connect to the webinar on the
> scheduled day and time. You can ask questions during the webinar by typing
> and submitting them from your computer keyboard. However, you also can send
> questions in advance IF you do so when you first register for the webinars.
> You can type your advance questions about the range of alternatives into
> the box provided on the registration page. Again, please note: The only
> way to submit a question in advance is to do so when you register for the
> webinar. You can submit any other questions live after the webinars begin.
>
> In addition, you will have the option to listen to the webinar in two ways:
> over your computer speakers while viewing the presentation, or by telephone
> while viewing the webinar on your computer. Please be aware that the
> phone-in option that gotomeeting.com will provide at the time of the
> webinar will NOT be a toll-free call and may incur long-distance charges.
>
> The conference call is slated for Wednesday, August 4, 7-8 p.m. MDT. The
> toll free number for the call is 877-918-1346 (this number is for calls
> from U.S. telephones only). Please enter the passcode, 8654495 followed by
> the pound (#) sign.
>
> The NPS will provide a 60-day public review and comment period on the
> alternatives and their analyses when the DEIS is released in early 2011.
>
> – www.nps.gov/yell
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>
>
> Public Affairs Office
> Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
> (307) 344-2013
> Yell_Public_Affairs@nps.gov
> www.nps.gov/yell