WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement in support of increased access to Yellowstone National Park for snowmobiles.  Today, the National Park Service announced a new draft plan for winter management.

“Montana snowmobilers continue to face uncertainty and unjustified hurdles restricting access to the Park.  Opponents of snowmobiles have turned to judicial wrangling and the never-ending rulemaking process to completely end access to our national parks.  Meanwhile, the local economy around the Park is suffering.  While these obstructionist groups always trumpet the economic benefits of public lands, they are also doing everything they can to choke those benefits out of existence.  It’s time for a long-term solution to fix this mess once and for all.”

Montanans For Multiple Use (MFMU) Board of Directors has adopted resolutions opposing I-160 and I-161.  MFMU recommends that people DO NOT SIGN petitions proposing to add these proposals to the November 2010 General Election Ballot.

Both I-160 and I-161 are proposed and funded by very small special interest groups that want to impose their values on all Montanans.  I-160 proposes to make furbearer trapping illegal.  Such a drastic measure would negate decades of regulation and scientific management of furbearers and predator animal trapping by Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.  Regulated trapping is a necessary tool for scientific management of healthy animal populations.  I-160 would destroy our heritage of trapping and the environmental, social, recreational, and economic benefits that directly or indirectly benefit all Montanans.