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Today's Washington Post features an article about Vice President Cheney under the headline "Leaving No Tracks." I've quoted a small  passage of it below — one dealing with the issue of snowmobiling in Yellowstone and with administration efforts to commercialize, privatize and motorize America's National Parks.
Pasted immediately below todays WP article I've provided a short passage from a 2001 "Trail Tracks Newsletter" — the voice of a pro-motorized recreation advocacy organization. That article had been given the headline "Outdoor recreation groups meet with Bush Team" and was written by the American Recreation Coalition's President Derrick Crandall.
Pasted immediately below that is a broadcast message I shared with the Wild Wilderness network on January 6, 2001. I had titled that message "Motorized Message to President Elect" and those who make the effort to read it today will discover precisely why Vice President Dick Cheney did not need to tell his people what needed doing with regard to snowmobiling in Yellowstone, with National Park policy revisions or, for that matter, with regard to anything associated with the radical transformation of outdoor recreation on America's public lands which has occurred in recent years.
Cheney delegated that authority to his industry friends... or so I would suggest.
Scott
--- begin quoted ---
Leaving No Tracks
By Jo Becker and Barton Gellman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 27, 2007; Page A01
<snip>
With Cheney's encouragement, the administration lifted the [Yellowstone
snowmobile] ban in 2002, and [Paul] Hoffman followed up in 2005 by
writing a proposal to fundamentally change the way national parks are
managed. That plan, which would have emphasized recreational use over
conservation, attracted so much opposition from park managers and the
public that the Interior Department withdrew it. Still, the Bush
administration continues to press for expanded snowmobile access,
despite numerous studies showing that the vehicles harm the parks'
environment and polls showing majority support for the ban. Hoffman,
now in another job at the Interior Department, said Cheney never told
him what to do on either issue -- he didn't have to.
Outdoor recreation groups meet with Bush team
By Derrick Crandall, American Recreation Coalition
Nearly 30 key representatives of the recreation community met for two
hours recently with four key Bush-Cheney Transition Team coordinators.
The meeting was the first held by the Interior and Agriculture
coordinators with outside interests and was successful from both our
standpoint and the Transition team's. I want to congratulate all of the
ARC member representatives who took part for raising important
substantive issues well, and for delivering a great deal of information
in a very short time.
--- Original Message ---
From: Scott Silver
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2001 12:05 AM
Subject: Motorized Message to President Elect
The following message was placed onto the Internet today by United Four
Wheel Drive Association. It was co-signed by 16 additional members of
the American Recreation Coalition.
It is a letter addressed to Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney congratulating them on their election win.
More importantly, it informs the President elect that these 17
recreation organizations represent millions of "responsible
recreational uses" who will be happy to volunteer their time and pay
their recreation user fees in exchange for their preferred forms of
access to the public lands.
The letter is truly worth reading in its entirety...
Scott
--- begin quoted ---
http://www.ufwda.org/landuse/010501.html
UNITED PLAYS INTEGRAL PART IN SENDING
RECREATION MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT BUSH!
Since November, United has had the privilege of participating on a
taskforce on recreational access designed to educate the new Bush
Administration about our goals for public land management.
Today, the following letter was sent to President-Elect Bush on this
important issue. I am proud that United and myself have been given the
opportunity to play an integral role in developing this message to our
new President. I am confident that our contact with President-Elect
Bush and members of his transition team will benefit recreationists in
the years to come by affecting land management policy and improving
recreational access.
The letter was signed by United and 16 other national organizations working cooperatively for the betterment of recreation.
************************************************
January 5, 2001
Dear President-Elect Bush:
America's recreation community would like to congratulate you and Vice
President-Elect Cheney on your recent election and to offer ourselves
as a resource as you prepare to assume the Presidency of the United
States.
Nearly eight in ten Americans engage in some form of outdoor recreation
at least once each month. An estimated $400 billion is spent annually
on recreation goods and services. Indeed, Americans are seeking out
recreation opportunities in record numbers for fun and relaxation,
physical and mental wellness, and to strengthen ties with family and
friends.
We feel a strong kinship with the outdoors as well as a shared
responsibility for the careful and consistent management of responsible
recreation on our public lands and waterways - places we regard as a
treasured legacy comprising nearly one-third of the nation's surface
and hosting nearly two billion recreation visits annually.
Over the past eight years however, the number of instances of
inadequate notice of public meetings, abbreviated and unreasonable time
frames on which to comment on in-depth and interrelated rule changes,
and lack of genuine public participation in the proclamation of
restrictions for monuments and other "special areas" has resulted in
restricted access to responsible recreation on our public lands and
waters.
Where either legitimate concerns of safety or environmental impact
exist, closures of specific areas to protect the public's welfare or
sensitive sites are valid. However, declarations making millions of
acres of land and waterways off-limits to recreation use, under the
guise of resource protection, have been made by circumventing the
process established to ensure meaningful public and state
participation. When this process is compromised, the mission of public
involvement entrusted to federal agencies is eroded. This erosion is
inequitable to all Americans, even to those of us who support the end
goal of resource protection.
We have volunteered thousands of hours to maintain our public lands and
waters. We have proven our willingness to assist in regulating use and
restricting those who misuse the outdoors. We have assisted in the
development of legislation at both the state and federal levels
regarding safety, recreational program funding, and environmental
protection. We support law enforcement efforts and continue to support
the closure of environmentally sensitive areas and controls designed to
mitigate user conflicts. Additionally, recreationists contribute
billions of dollars annually in special federal and state taxes,
licenses and fees for natural resource program funding. We are asking
your administration to join us in the establishment of a recreation
agenda that protects our natural resources while maintaining the sacred
right of meaningful public participation. Such an agenda will support
responsible recreational access and promote management decisions based
on peer-reviewed scientific evidence. Responsible recreation can be
accomplished in a safe and environmentally sound manner while it
encourages economic development, the creation of jobs and the promotion
of family values.
We, as strong stewards of America's natural resources, thank you in
advance for your time and consideration of our concerns. We look
forward to hearing from you in response to this letter and to working
together on the challenges that lay ahead.
Sincerely,
Dennis Noes, President
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
Also signed by:
Executive Director, American Council of Snowmobile Associations
President, American Horse Council
President, American Motorcyclist Association
Executive Director, American for Responsible Recreational Access
President, American Sportfishing Association
President, American Trails
Managing Director, American Watercraft Association
President, Back Country Horsemen of America
Executive Director, Blue Ribbon Coalition
President, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association
President, Marina Operators Association of America
President, Marine Retailers Association of America
President, Motorcycle Industry Council/Specialty Vehicle Institute of
America
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association
Executive Director, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
President, Personal Watercraft Industry Association
President, Recreational Vehicle Industry Association
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- Land management 
