98-11286. Request for Public Comment on Appropriate Studies on Winter Use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23472-23473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11286]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

National Park Service


Request for Public Comment on Appropriate Studies on Winter Use 
in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. 
Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Solicitation of public comment on appropriate research topics 
on winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the 
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway.

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SUMMARY: On September 24, 1998 the National Park Service and the Fund 
for Animals and other individuals and organizations signed a settlement 
agreement to resolve litigation concerning the National Park Service 
Winter Use Plan for Yellowstone National and Grand Teton National Parks 
and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway. Under the terms of 
the agreement the National Park Service agreed to solicit comments on 
appropriate studies they should conduct on winter use in the parks for 
use in the ongoing winter use planning process. However, due to the 
time constraints

[[Page 23473]]

imposed by the settlement agreement, some of the proposed and ongoing 
winter use research may not be completed in time for incorporation into 
the draft winter use plans and environmental impact statement.
    The National Park Service requests that all individuals, 
organizations, agencies or entities that are interested in or affected 
by winter visitor use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and 
the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway share comments or 
concerns on appropriate topics of research for use in the winter use 
planning process.

Background

    Winter use research projects currently underway in the affected 
national parks include: the social carrying capacity of Yellowstone 
National Park for winter use, Hayden Valley bison monitoring, bison use 
of groomed roads in Yellowstone National Park, characterization of 
snowmobile particulate emissions, measurement of airborne toxics and 
regulated pollutants emitted from snowmobiles in Yellowstone National 
Park, and snowpack and snowmelt runoff chemical analysis at Yellowstone 
National Park. In addition, research projects are currently being 
conducted on bison ecology and brucellosis. These studies include 
forage availability, habitat use, and bison population dynamics.
    Proposed research topics include, but are not limited to, 
snowmobile emissions and the effects of ethanol based fuels, snowmobile 
mogul generation, a field evaluation of gasohol's ability to reduce 
snowmobiler exposure to carbon monoxide, noise monitoring, an 
assessment of winter recreation on wildlife in Yellowstone National 
Park, and a study of the economics of winter use in the Greater 
Yellowstone Area.

Comments

    Written comments concerning appropriate research topics on winter 
use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. 
Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway should be postmarked no later than 
sixty (60) days from the publication of this notice. Comments should be 
addressed to Winter Use Research, Planning Office, Box 168, Yellowstone 
National Park WY, 82190.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Creachbaum, Planning Office, Box 
168, Yellowstone National Park WY, 82190, [phone]; or Nancy 
Arkin, Planning Office, Grand Teton National Park, Box 170, Moose WY, 
83102 [phone].

    Dated: April 15, 1998.
John E. Cook,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region.
[FR Doc. 98-11286 Filed 4-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P