| Initial Background |
Fund for Animals sues NPS,
alleging Yellowstone winter
use plan violates NEPA and
ESA |
1997 settlement agreement -
NPS to prepare EIS on
snowmobile use and trail
grooming in Yellowstone |
| 2001 Snowmobile Ban |
1999 Draft EIS |
In response to lawsuit, NPS
studies winter use in
Yellowstone, Grand Teton,
and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
Memorial Parkway - 9/29/99 |
| 2000 EIS Revision |
Revises one of the seven
alternatives from the Draft
EIS (suggesting a ban on
recreational snowmobiles) -
3/12/00 |
| 2000 Final EIS |
Concludes best alternative is
outright ban on all
recreational snowmobiles -
Winter Use Plans, Final EIS,
65 Fed. Reg. 64,986 (Oct. 31,
2000) |
| 2000 ROD |
NPS announces decision to
adopt ban - Record of
Decision, Winter Use Plans,
65 Fed. Reg. 80,908 (Nov.
22, 2000) |
| 2000 Proposed Rule |
Proposed rule for
implementing ban - Proposed
Rule, 65 Fed. Reg. 79,024
(Dec. 18, 2000) |
| 2001 Final Rule |
Implements ban - Snowcoach
Rule, 66 Fed. Reg. 7,260
(Jan. 22, 2001) |
| 2002 Delay |
Response to Wyoming
Litigation: ISMA challenges
2001 Snowmobile Ban, and
NPS agrees in partial
settlement to prepare
supplemental EIS |
Final rule postpones 2001
Snowmobile Ban until
completion of supplemental
EIS; unlimited snowmobiles
in 2002-2003, but phased out
after 2003-2004 - Final Rule,
67 Fed. Reg. 69,473 (Nov.
18, 2002) |
| 2003 Snowmobile Rollback |
2003 Final EIS |
Considers snowmobile
technology not included in
prior EIS; concludes in favor
of new alternative allowing
snowmobile access with limits
on daily entries and emissions
reductions |
| 2003 ROD |
Record of Decision
announces adoption of
snowmobile alternative from
2003 Final EIS - 3/03 |
| 2003 Final Rule |
Allows 1,140 snowmobiles
per day in the parks - Winter
Use Plan Final Rule, 68 Fed.
Reg. 69,268 (Dec. 11, 2003) |
| 2003 D.C. Reversal |
Outcome of D.C. Litigation:
environmental groups
challenge 2003 Snowmobile
Rollback |
Court vacates 2003
Snowmobile Rollback and
returns status quo to 2001
Snowmobile Ban as modified
during the 2002 Delay - Fund
for Animals v. Norton, 294 F.
Supp. 2d 92 (D.D.C. 2003) |
| 2004 Wyoming Injunction |
Outcome of revived
Wyoming Litigation |
Court enjoins implementation
of 2001 Snowmobile Ban -
Int'l Snowmobile Manufs.
Assoc'n v. Norton, 304 F.
Supp. 2d 1278 (D. Wyo. 2004) (preliminary injunction); ISMA II, No. 00-CV-229-B (D. Wyo. Oct. 14, 2004) (final decision rejecting snowmobile ban) |