Wyoming House Representative Cynthia Lummis is facing backlash from conservationists regarding a bill she introduced last week that could expand paddling options in national parks.
House Resolution 974, or the Yellowstone and Grand Teton Paddling Act, would overturn previous legislation limiting boating in national parks to discourage overfishing.
“This bill would remove an outdated federal ban on paddling that was instituted because of overfishing, but today imposes a barrier to the responsible enjoyment of these waterways by the public,” Lummis said in a press release.
The bill allows park managers some leeway when it comes to waterway maintenance.
“I took great care to preserve the discretion of park managers to actually manage paddling as they do any other recreational activity in the parks,” Lummis said, “and to ensure park managers have the time and resources necessary to go through the proper studies and analysis.”
But the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, which seeks to protect the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, said that canoeing, kayaking and other paddling water vessels are already permitted on the majority of Yellowstone waterways and could be in Grand Teton National Park.
“In Yellowstone only five of the park’s 168 lakes are closed to boating and there are limitless opportunities on a wide variety of waters immediately surrounding the park,” Caroline Byrd, executive director of the coalition, said in a strongly worded letter to Representative Lummis.
“The draft Snake River Comprehensive River Management Plan already proposes to provide paddling access to more than 300 miles – 86 percent – of rivers in and around Grand Teton,” the letter read.
The National Park Service and National Elk Refuge determined that keeping the remaining 14 percent closed to paddling will, according to the coalition’s letter, “provide for appropriate protections for sensitive park and refuge wildlife while ensuring a range of non-boating recreational experiences.”
The conversation surrounding this bill will likely mimic discussion over a similar bill which failed last year between conservationists and paddlers—between those who wish to preserve the park and those who want access to explore more of it, two groups which are not mutually exclusive.
Jake Nichols, writing for Planet Jackson Hole, an alternative weekly, commented on the issue this week.
“The last thing [trout] need is a train of whitewater yahoos party-barging their way down the Lewis River all day,” he wrote. “But national parks are always one more regulation away from ‘museum’ status… If a kayaker or packboater wants to float the Lamar, why not let him or her? It’s doubtful abuse or overuse will be an issue.”
Joe Spiering, Lummis’ press secretary, responded to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s letter.
“Congressman Lummis is taking all stakeholders’ input into account on the Yellowstone and Grand Teton Paddling Act,” Spiering said. “[She] looks forward to continue ensuring that the balance is struck to preserve park managers’ discretion while seeing that paddling is not precluded from consideration based on a ban from the 1950s designed to curb overfishing.”
Paddlers enjoy the summer weather. A US Congress Bill sponsored by Cynthia Lummus could allow kayakers and canoers access to National Parks.
