| July 27, 2009 - The United States Court of | | | | Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association and |
| Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, upholding an earlier | | | | Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association. |
| judgment of the United States District Court, | | | | Environmental concerns about the use of |
| found in favor of the National Parks Service in the | | | | motorized vehicles in America's national parks are |
| “River Runners for Wilderness” case. The | | | | not limited to the use of motorized rafts for |
| suit was filed in March 2006 as a challenge to the | | | | Grand Canyon tours. Earlier this week the |
| NPS Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP), | | | | Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, proposed |
| part of which allows the use of motorized rafts in | | | | a decrease in the number of snowmobiles allowed |
| the Grand Canyon. The original decision was | | | | in Yellowstone National Park, cutting the number |
| rendered by Arizona District Judge David G. | | | | of permits issued by half down to 318 per season. |
| Campbell in November of 2007. | | | | Yellowstone is also in the process of converting |
| Many Grand Canyon tours include trips down the | | | | most of their current diesel powered machines to |
| Colorado River in motorized raft, a faster and | | | | a new system which runs on cooking oil. |
| more secure way to tour the Grand Canyon | | | | Conservation is always a primary concern for the |
| from the surface of the river that created it. The | | | | National Parks Service but they also need to take |
| suit was originally filed by a wilderness advocacy | | | | into account the tourist industry that keeps them |
| group of four organizations, River Runners for | | | | afloat. Motorized rafts at the Grand Canyon and |
| Wilderness, Rock the Earth, Wilderness Watch and | | | | snowmobiles at Yellowstone are practical ways |
| Living Rivers group, all who wanted to see only | | | | that some tourists will get to see these wondrous |
| non-motorized crafts on the river, claiming it | | | | national treasures. The Grand Canyon needs to be |
| would better preserve the natural beauty of the | | | | preserved and environmental concerns need to |
| Grand Canyon and eliminate the harmful emissions | | | | be kept up front but if you want to take a trip |
| of gas powered motors. On the side of the | | | | down the Colorado River a motorized raft is a |
| National Parks Service were two associations, the | | | | pretty cool way to do it. |