News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 23, 2001

Massachusets PErsonal Watercraft Owner Condemns National Park SErvice Ban:
House Committee Holds Hearing on Recreational Access to Public Lands

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kristin Young or Amy Fox: 202-775-1401

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Massachusetts' firefighter, Private Russell Laine, testified before the House Committee on Resources hearing, "Recreational Access to Public Lands." Private Laine argued forcefully against the discriminatory ban of personal watercraft (PWC) at Cape Cod National Seashore and other National Parks across the country.

"I still can not believe that the National Park Service has seen fit to engage in a closed-door settlement that essentially has told 1.5 million personal watercraft owners that they are no longer welcome in our parks," Laine argued. "This ban is discriminatory and wrong. Scientific assessments will prove what we PWC boaters know, that we have a right to enjoy our National Parks."

On March 21, 2000, the National Park Service published a regulation in the Federal Register banning personal watercraft in 66 of the 87 national parks. In the remaining 21 parks, the Service delegated two years for superintendents to work with the public in deciding how best to handle personal watercraft use in their park. However, an extremist, anti-access group, dedicated to ending a wide-array of recreational activities on our public waters, set their sights on personal watercraft and filed a federal suit against the National Park Service to ban personal watercraft in all parks by 2002.

Unfortunately, in December 2000, the Park Service caved to pressure and settled the lawsuit without any input from the public or the personal watercraft community. That settlement bans my personal watercraft from the remaining 21 parks unless a study evaluating the impact of personal watercraft to each park under the National Environmental Policy Act is undertaken. However, Cape Cod National Seashore chose not to conduct the study and banned the use of personal watercraft Ð without conducting a sound and fair analysis of impact.

"I have been going to Cape Cod National Seashore for 37 years, and I was hoping my children could experience the reverence and enjoyment of such an incredible resource in the same manner," Laine testified. "We are diligent in protecting these resources, respect the national parks, and have always been environmental stewards in every aspect of our lives. We are the people the national parks were created for." Laine continued, "That is why I am honestly stunned that it is necessary for me to be here today. I still cannot believe that my family is not welcome to boat in the park. "

The personal watercraft industry has gone to great lengths to make personal watercraft clean, quiet and safe. Today's personal watercraft are 75% cleaner and as much as 70% quieter than 1998 models. In only a decade, they have attained the same level of engine emission reductions it took the auto industry 25 years to achieve.

"The ban is not sound policy," argued Laine. "It was orchestrated by people who preach intolerance towards any form of motorized recreation, has been taken at face value without any scientific support. What science does prove is that personal watercraft are ideal for use in our national parks and any waterway where other motorized boating is allowed," continued Laine.

"Our boats are some of the most environmentally friendly vessels on the water today, meeting or exceeding all state and federal noise level standards, without disturbing sensitive marine and wildlife. I think that the millions of personal watercraft owners and enthusiasts in this country will agree with me when I say that, when operated according to existing state boating laws, personal watercraft are not only clean and safe, but one of the best riding and most enjoyable boats out on the water," Laine added.

Testifying on behalf of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association, Russell Laine is a firefighter for the city of Taunton and a member of the Dive and Rescue Team. He has used personal watercraft for water rescues and used to own several personal watercraft for his family's recreational use.

PWIA, headquartered in Washington, DC, was formed in 1987 as an affiliate of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. It was created to bring together the manufacturers of personal watercraft to promote safe and responsible operation and work with federal, state and local government agencies that regulate recreational boating. For more information, please visit www.pwia.org.