Park Service agrees to keep Sylvan Pass open

By BEN NEARY ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The National Park Service has formally approved an agreement it reached with the state of Wyoming and others last month to use explosives to keep a mountain pass open to snowmobile access on the eastern side of Yellowstone National Park. Park Service Regional Director Mike Snyder in Denver signed the agreement Monday. It codifies the changes in the agency's Yellowstone winter-use plan that the Park Service negotiated with state and local officials in a series of closed meetings. Wyoming officials say keeping Sylvan Pass open in the winter is critical for the area's tourism and recreation. Groups including the National Parks Conservation Association have criticized the Park Service for deciding the snowmobile issue in closed meetings with... [read full story]