Vol 3, #90

   Friday, October 22, 1999

YELLOWSTONE
WEATHER
Highs 60s, Lows 20s
Mostly Sunny
 

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Travel News:

ROAD REPORT
Some road
construction
delays.
 

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (NPS) -- Yellowstone National Park announces the availability of a report prepared by the National Park Service's Air Resources Division that details concerns over air quality as related to snowmobile usage in national parks across the United States. The report is a compilation of studies performed by a number of different entities, primarily in Yellowstone, including the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the Southwest Research Institute, the University of Denver, the U.S. Geological Services, and the National Park Service. The studies, conducted over a 4-year period, confirm the park's concerns over the health effects of snowmobile emissions on park visitors and employees, as well as the Yellowstone ecosystem.

Motor vehicles emit several pollutants that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as known or probable human carcinogens, such as benzene and hydrocarbons. The EPA estimates that mobile sources account for as much as half of all cancers attributed to outdoor sources of air toxics. For a number of reasons, snowmobiles--a two-stroke engine--are much more polluting than automobiles--a four-stroke engine. First, up to one-third of the fuel delivered to the engine goes straight through without being burned. Second, the lubricating oil is used once and is then expelled as part of the exhaust. Third, the combustion process results in high emissions of air pollutants, including hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide. When compared to automobile emissions, snowmobiles can emit 100 times more carbon monoxide and 300 times more hydrocarbons.

The report notes that although the number of snowmobiles that enter the park during a three-month time period is much lower than the number of automobiles that enter the park year-round (on average, one snowmobile for every 16 vehicles), snowmobile emissions dominate the total annual emissions for carbon monoxide (78 percent) and hydrocarbons (94 percent) when compared to other

mobile sources, such as cars and RVs. On a peak day--with 2,000 snowmobiles entering the park--32 tons of hydrocarbons and 88 tons of carbon monoxide can be emitted. During a single winter season, as much as 1,200 tons of hydrocarbons and 2,400 tons of carbon monoxide can be emitted. The study also found that snowmobiles contribute approximately 3 percent of the annual nitrogen oxide emissions and 37 percent of the particulate matter emissions.

One study conducted in 1996 showed that concentrations of ammonium and sulfate in snow positively correlated with snowmobile and oversnow vehicle use, as levels of these pollutants generally declined a short distance from snowpacked roads. It was noted that there is a potential for these pollutants to affect nearby surface waters during snowmelt and spring runoff.

In 1999, a study was done at the park's West Entrance to monitor personal exposure for particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. The maximum time-weighted concentration of particulate matter on the 13^th and 14^th of February showed concentrations of 116 and 122 particulate matter, respectively; the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for acceptable particulate matter concentrations is 60. To put this in perspective, the maximum 24-hour particulate matter concentration in the Los Angeles suburb of Azusa in 1997 was 68.

Under the Clean Air Act, the National Park Service, as a federal land manager, has an affirmative responsibility to protect air quality related values--including visibility--from the adverse effects of air pollution in areas that are designated as "Class I." As directed by Congress, Class I areas are to be afforded the greatest degree of air quality protection and are permitted to have only very small amounts of air quality deterioration from new or modified major stationary sources. Notwithstanding an area's designation under the Clean Air Act, NPS areas that have documented adverse effects due to air pollution must seek to mitigate or eliminate these impacts.

Some steps have already been taken in Yellowstone National Park to address these problems. The park uses biodegradable lubricants gasohol (an oxygenated fuel made by ethanol splash-blended with regular or premium gasoline; this fuel can reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 20-25 percent in automobiles) in its administrative fleet, and the State of Montana has directed that its administrative snowmobiles use low smoke or biodegradable lubricants. Longer-term goals for reducing snowmobile emissions are being addressed in the Winter Use Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway that is now out for public review until December 1, 1999.

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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

The United States Corps of Engineers has announced plans conduct a comprehensive study of the entire Yellowstone River.  Environmentalists view this as good news, as the Corps has traditionally not expressed interest in the preservation of the nation's last major undammed river.  In fact, within the past year the Greater Yellowstone Coalition filed a suit against the Corps charging that the agency was destroying the river by not studying the effects of the many bank stabilization projects it approves.  Environmental groups are concerned about the health of the River outside of Yellowstone National Park, as communities and individuals continue to construct flood barriers in the riverbed. 

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LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT, Mont. -- Little Bighorn Battlefield will be holding special moonlight tours this Saturday.  Beginning at 6 P.M., tours will leave the visitor center every 15 minutes for visits by lantern light to key points on the battlefield, with the last tour leaving at 7:15.  The tours will last about 30 minutes and will include a three-fourth mile walk.  The event is free and refreshments will be served.   Reservations are required and can be made by calling the park at (406) 638-2622, ext. 115 between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M.

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DENVER -- The Black Canyon of the Gunnison will be dedicated as America's newest national park on Saturday.  The dedication ceremony will be held on the rim of one of the spectacular gorges which will comprise the park site.  Black Canyon's gorges plunge as deep as 2900 feet to the Gunnison River, and the site will become the nation's 55th national park.

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