[Geysers] Polluters

[srlb at eskimo.com]

Udo Freund wrote:

> I wonder what all of you think regarding other noisy, polluting vehicles
> that enter the Park during any season.  Motorcycles, cars, buses,
> trucks, motorhomes, snowmobiles, boats, etc. can all be sources for
> complaints.

<SNIP>

> IMHO, the time is long overdue for NPS to establish non-discriminatory
> regulations and enforce them.  Decibel meters and smog/particulate
> detection equipment should be used at entrance stations to prohibit
> entry to ALL polluting machinery, year 'round.  And not just in
> Yellowstone either.

I agree.

The current YNP winter use rules limit snowmobiles operating at full
throttle to 73 dBA maximum. As a part of my July 2001 visit to the park, I
brought a lab quality, field use decibel meter (deciometer SP??) with
which I measured the sound energy levels of vehicles passing along the
road in front of the lower Ham's store. By far the loudest were a couple
of NPS flatbed and dump trucks that gave 105+ dBA readings. Several motor
cycles registered in the 85dBA range with a few in the 95dBA range (more
than 100 times greater sound energy than the new snowmobile limit). Quite
a few cars (some obviously with after market performance exhaust systems)
registered above 75 dBA. Interestingly, except for two old clunkers, no
motor homes produced readings over 75 dBA.

Now, what are we going to do about the crowds waiting for an afternoon Old
Faithful eruption? I propose banning kids' cork shooting pop guns and
genuine, made in China, 7th cavalry bugles. Parents and their crying
babies should be expelled from the park, as should back-country hikers
wearing their jingle bells. :>)

Bob Berger
srlb at eskimo.com