News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2000

PWIA in Full Support of General Accounting Office Monitoring Report

MEDIA CONTACT:
Allison Stanfill
Personal Watercraft Industry Association
202-721-1621
E-mail stanfill@pwia.org

'The Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) fully supports the General Accounting Office's (GAO) most recent report that outlines the need for monitoring the impacts of personal watercraft and snowmobile use on federal lands," said Monita Fontaine, Executive Director, PWIA. The shared responsibility that the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and the Forest Service have for ensuring that our public lands are managed and maintained properly is tremendous. The GAO report underscores the troubling lack of guidelines these federal agencies are facing when establishing public land use regulations, as well as the difficulty in enforcing existing regulations due to lack of resources.

"The manufacturing members of PWIA stand ready and willing to assist these federal agencies in their monitoring efforts," Fontaine continued. "We are encouraged by the report's call for monitoring based on detailed scientific studies to provide knowledgeable decision making ­ rather than capricious and arbitrary rules or bans. We have numerous independent environmental studies and technical information that we believe will be valuable in educating land use planners about the significant technological advancements that have been made. We have not ignored critics' concerns about personal watercraft. Marine engine manufacturers have invested their resources to make personal watercraft quieter and cleaner. Some may be surprised to learn that today's personal watercraft are among the most environmentally friendly boats on the water.

"Our position is simple: Public lands, by definition, are publicly owned. The decision regarding what activities can and cannot take place on these lands should be a public decision. The Personal Watercraft Industry Association and the nearly 1.3 million owners of personal watercraft nationwide are encouraged that we will have an opportunity to participate in a knowledgeable, responsible and fair public planning process that is based on scientific merit. The PWIA has long supported the view that there are some waterways that, for environmental or other reasons, are inappropriate for use by any powerboats or certain powerboating activities. The PWIA opposes wholesale elimination or restriction of personal watercraft from some waters when similar boating activities are allowed.

"In the meantime, the PWIA will continue to support these federal agencies and other law enforcement organizations through our personal watercraft loan program and other activities. Since 1989, over 11,000 personal watercraft have been loaned to hundreds of law enforcement, rescue and boating agencies by members of PWIA ­ all in the effort to make our waterways safer and more pleasurable for everyone.'