July 27, 2009 – The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, upholding an earlier judgment of the United States District Court, found in favor of the National Parks Service in the “River Runners for Wilderness” case. The suit was filed in March 2006 as a challenge to the NPS Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP), part of which allows the use of motorized rafts in the Grand Canyon. The original decision was rendered by Arizona District Judge David G. Campbell in November of 2007.

Many Grand Canyon tours include trips down the Colorado River in motorized raft, a faster and more secure way to tour the Grand Canyon from the surface of the river that created it. The suit was originally filed by a wilderness advocacy group of four organizations, River Runners for Wilderness, Rock the Earth, Wilderness Watch and Living Rivers group, all who wanted to see only non-motorized crafts on the river, claiming it would better preserve the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon and eliminate the harmful emissions of gas powered motors. On the side of the National Parks Service were two associations, the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association and Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association.

Environmental concerns about the use of motorized vehicles in America’s national parks are not limited to the use of motorized rafts for Grand Canyon tours. Earlier this week the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, proposed a decrease in the number of snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone National Park, cutting the number of permits issued by half down to 318 per season. Yellowstone is also in the process of converting most of their current diesel powered machines to a new system which runs on cooking oil.

Conservation is always a primary concern for the National Parks Service but they also need to take into account the tourist industry that keeps them afloat. Motorized rafts at the Grand Canyon and snowmobiles at Yellowstone are practical ways that some tourists will get to see these wondrous national treasures. The Grand Canyon needs to be preserved and environmental concerns need to be kept up front but if you want to take a trip down the Colorado River a motorized raft is a pretty cool way to do it.