The Planning Office, Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190

I am writing to oppose the Park Service's new draft rule on winter use that allows snowmobile use to continue in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. This misguided rule will destroy the experiences I expect to find in two of America's premier parks.

Allowing snowmobiles does not provide the best available protection for the parks' air, wildlife, soundscapes, visitors, and staff. The Park Service's own environmental impact statements have shown, more than once, that the best way to protect Yellowstone and Grand Teton is to ban snowmobile use and promote visitor access via multi-passenger snowcoach. Your agency has also stated that park resources, visitor experience and public health are in jeopardy if snowmobile use continues in Yellowstone.

One of the reasons the Bush administration re-opened the Yellowstone and Grand Teton Winter Use issue was to solicit more input from the public. I am sending this comment because I care about Yellowstone and think the Park Service's proposed rule will harm the future of the National Park System.

The Organic Act directs your agency to:

"conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

The snowmobile rule clearly impairs park resources and visitor experience. Therefore, the snowmobile rule is illegal and should be withdrawn. Please consider the public's desire to see these parks protected for all of us, not just a few.