Vol 3, #43

   Friday, April 23, 1999

YELLOWSTONE
WEATHER
Highs 40s, Lows10s
Partly Cloudy
 

Yellowstone Net Home Page
Vacation Reservations

ROAD REPORT
The West Roads
Are Now Open!
(Mammoth to Old
Faithful & Canyon)

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (NPS)-- Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Jack Neckels and Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Michael V. Finley announced today that both parks have implemented a pilot project to replace existing cleaning and janitorial products with environmentally preferable (green) cleaning products. The two parks, longtime proponents in finding ways to reduce source pollution, are two of the first National Park Service units to initiate such a project.

In August 1998, the Region 8 office of the Environmental Protection Agency hired an independent consulting firm to assess Yellowstone's present line of cleaning products. A similar survey was done in Grand Teton in March 1999. The assessments concluded that park-used products ranged from some with slight toxicity to others with potential health hazards.

In September 1998, Yellowstone initiated a pilot project that replaced all existing cleaning products in the Mammoth and Old Faithful areas with green products. Park concessionaires (Amfac and Hamilton Stores) joined the park in the pilot by replacing their products in the Mammoth area. After successful testing of the products all winter, the National Park Service will move forward with parkwide implementation. Concessionaires, whose operations are much broader in scope, will continue the pilot program in various facilities. Amfac will utilize the green products in housekeeping and food and beverage operations at guest and employee accommodations and public areas at Mammoth. Hamilton Stores will use the products at the Old Faithful Upper Store, and Yellowstone Park Service Stations will use the products at their stations parkwide.

Grand Teton National Park joined Yellowstone in the spring of 1999, converting to the use of all green cleaning products in their custodial and maintenance operations. Superintendent Neckels stated, "We appreciate all the good work done to make the green product conversion. Lower energy use and lower impacts are important gains for our antiquated infrastructure. We all contribute to impacts in the Upper Snake River drainage basin, making the environmental gains considerable."

Superintendent Finley noted, "April 19 to April 25 is National Park Week, and on Thursday, April 22, Yellowstone National Park will celebrate Earth Day; this project is a fitting tribute to those ideals. The pilot project emphasizes our commitment to the environment, the park's cultural and natural resources, and especially, the safety and health of park and concessioner employees." There is also a cost savings-Yellowstone will go from more than 120 cleaning products to fewer than 20 green cleaning products.

BACK TO TOP

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS

Ralph Maughan
Kim Steinbacher
Kevin Sanders
Steve Brashear
Clint Wilkes
Tim Gourley
Hon. Bob Gammage
Ruth Colter-Frick
Lee Whittlesey
Tom Mazzarisi
Russ Finley
David Monteith
Denise Elmer
Dr. Bob Bara

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (NPS) -- .Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Michael V. Finley has announced that the park's annual budget is available for public review. The National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998, legislation sponsored by Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas (R), Wyoming, stipulated that all national parks make their budgets available to the public. The table found by clicking here provides an overview of the primary sources and uses of Yellowstone funding in broad categories.

As shown in the chart, the majority of the park's budget (42 percent) is spent on facility maintenance and operations. Maintenance activities include plowing park roads for spring opening, routine road maintenance, boardwalk and trail maintenance, building maintenance and janitorial services, campground and lawn care, and utility system operations. Visitor Services is 32 percent of the annual budget. Monies in this account are devoted to visitor services, including park rangers who perform emergency medical services, wildland and structural fire fighting, law enforcement patrols, and other visitor safety services; services in one of the nine Visitor Centers, Museums, and Information Stations; backcountry offices; and interpretive programs such as campfire programs, ranger-led activities, and outreach programs to students and communities.

The park has allocated 17 percent of its budget to resource protection through sample programs that include bear, wolf, bison and other wildlife research and management, fisheries management, archeological research and protection. Park management and administration represents 10 percent of the park budget, and this includes overall park management through the Superintendent's Office, hiring employees, ordering supplies and materials, and negotiating contracts; managing and accounting for park monies; planning and compliance with federal, state and local cooperators; and operating the park's telecommunications systems. The chart also clearly demonstrates that while the majority of the park's funding is appropriated directly by the Congress, a healthy 23 percent is generated from a variety of recreational and other fees. Information on Yellowstone's budget is also reflected in the park's Annual Performance Plan, which is available for public review.

Superintendent Finley stated, "While Yellowstone has always had an "open book" policy with respect to park budgets, we recognize that the complexities of the federal budget process preclude many people from understanding the financial ramifications of our stewardship responsibilities. This new requirement to provide public information fits hand in glove with an initiative that we have undertaken in Yellowstone - to present our relatively complicated financial statements in a format more closely aligned with those prepared by the private sector. We expect to unveil the first document of this "business plan" in the near future."

BACK TO TOP

The National Parks and Conservation Association has ranked Yellowstone as one of the country's ten most endangered national parks. Yellowstone is the only one of the top ten to be listed because of "deteriorating infrastructure."  Yellowstone's ongoing sewage problems stood out among the infrastructure problems.  The sewage problems are the result of Yellowstone not receiving enough funding from Congress during the past few decades to maintain the Park's basic infrastructure.  Some of these problems, including the sewage spills, have finally been addressed by Congress and work is scheduled to begin in the coming months.

Other national parks making the top ten most endangered list include Grand Canyon (overcrowding and pollution), Voyageurs (overuse of snowmobiles) and Gettysburg (deterioration of archaeological sites and historic artifacts).

BACK TO TOP

Weather and road conditions permitting, Tower Fall to Canyon over Dunraven Pass may open on Friday, May 28 with the Tower Fall Store scheduled to open on Saturday, May 29.

Visitors to the park should call park headquarters at 307-344-7381 for current weather and road conditions.