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The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly.

Good morning.  My name is Gawain Kripke, I am the Director of Economic Campaigns at Friends of the Earth. 

Americans love our National Parks.  They are national treasures.  Americans want to protect our National Parks.  Enjoying our National Parks is a birthright of every American.  Protecting and enhancing our National Parks for the future is the duty of each generation.  This requires pro-active steps and vigilance against every kind of threat. 

Today, Friends of the Earth is pleased to join the Bluewater Network and dozens of other organizations in calling for a ban on snowmobiles in National Park units.  The National Park Service should take this prudent step to protect the wildlife, the habitat, the park employees, and park visitors from the dangers associated with snowmobile use. 

Years from now, banning snowmobiles from National Parks will seem a forward-looking action because at the same time that Americans love our Parks, we are also capable of loving them to death. 

Outdoor recreation is growing rapidly in this country by almost every measure.  This is a wonderful trend that Friends of the Earth wants to encourage.  However, we must recognize that some forms of recreation cause damage to the land.  We are particularly concerned about the growing use of motorized vehicles on our public lands and parks.  These include all-terrain vehicles and motorbikes.  They also include personal water craft - also known as jet skis - and snowmobiles. 

Snowmobile use is rapidly growing and its popularity is reflected in sales growth.  Between 1991 and 1996, snowmobile sales have grown from 78,000 to 168,000 units each year.  Since 1983, retail sales have sky-rocketed from $122 million to over $1 billion annually.  The snowmobiles themselves have also been growing larger and more powerful.  Snowmobile users can now travel to more remote areas and cover much more ground than a decade ago. 

These trends are warning signals that we must act now to protect our special places.  We must take action to guarantee that the flood of new snowmobiles does not damage our natural resources or monopolize our public spaces. 

The petition we are releasing today is an important step, not only to protect our National Parks, but also to begin guiding how America should enjoy our tremendous outdoors resources. 

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For more information, check out Trails of Destruction a report on how off-road vehicles gain access and funding on public lands.  Available from Friends of the Earth (202) 783-7400.

Also, see the Environmental Media Services press release.