ARIZONA
Grand Canyon National Park recently pulled the
plug on consensus efforts among private boaters, environmentalists
and commercial rafting companies (HCN, 12/21/98: Grand Canyon
Gridlock). The outcome could have reduced the number of motorized
boats on the river by giving more permits to private rafters and
kayakers, and by implementing a wilderness management plan.
The Park Service says discussions had become
polarized and contentious, with no resolution in sight. “How much
time and taxpayer dollars can we spend on issues that appear
unresolvable?” asks Maureen Oltrogge, a spokeswoman for Grand
Canyon National Park.
She says the agency wants
to wait for Congress to make the decision on wilderness
designation. Most of the park, including the river, was first
recommended for wilderness more than 20 years ago. Congress has
failed to act, allowing commercial guides to speed tourists down
the river on motorized rafts.
Environmentalists
and private boaters say they are frustrated because Park
Superintendent Robert Arnberger has the power to make many of the
tough decisions; instead, he’s passing the buck to
Congress.
“The park is mandated to manage for
wilderness experience and they’re not doing it,” says Kim Crumbo, a
former river ranger in the canyon and now a staffer with the
Southwest Forest Alliance.
Crumbo charges that
guide companies make millions of dollars exploiting a publicly
owned treasure while pushing to “dictate what goes on.” He says
almost 80 percent of river permits go to companies operating
motorized trips, while private boaters must wait up to 20 years for
a turn on the river.
Grand Canyon Private Boaters
Association recently filed a suit against the park in federal
court, saying that halting the planning process now silences the
public and denies fair access to the river. Some environmental
groups say they may also file lawsuits to force wilderness
management of the park.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Agency torpedoes canyon planning.
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