YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — Last winter, Yellowstone National Park loosened its strict limits on the daily number of individual snowmobiles.
Now park officials are looking for public comment on a proposal to check how the rules affecting the environment, and change them if necessary.
The new rules allow a limited number of unguided snowmobiles in the park each day in winter, and they set requirements for pollution-control equipment for snowmobiles and snow coaches.
Park officials say the rules set the foundation for an adaptive management program now under consideration. The plan is meant to gather data on how snowmobiles and snow coaches affect factors from wildlife to air quality.
The data would allow park officials to adjust the plan if needed.
The draft adaptive management plan is open for public comment until Aug. 21.