June 2, 2004
Arizona - Three National Recreation Areas have now reopened their boat ramps to personal watercraft, two years after the National Park Service was required by a court settlement to begin prohibiting the vessels.
Amistad National Recreation Area and Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, both in Texas, recently joined Arizona's Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in reallowing PWC. Furthermore, another nine NPS units are in the final stages of the rulemaking process to reallow the vessels, and scientific analyses on the effects of personal watercraft are currently underway at two National Seashores.
PWC were banned from National Recreation Areas, Lakeshores and Seashores in 2002 as a result of a 2000 lawsuit between an anti-boating group and the National Park Service. Each NPS unit that seeks to reopen to PWC is required to complete a omprehensive scientific study of PWC impact on the local environment and economy and prepare a rule allowing continued PWC use.
"We were confident that science would once again rule over bias, and confirm that PWC have no unique impact that justifies singling them out for discriminatory bans," said Jeff Ludwig, Regulatory Affairs Manager at the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA).
"In fact, in every instance where a scientific assessment has measured the impact of PWC on a public body of water where motorized boating is permitted, modern PWC have been found to be appropriately included in multiple-use waterways management plans," Ludwig said.
