Brimmer is the judge responsible for the 720-sled limit of last winter; his ruling lifted previous limits, as he ruled the National Park Service could not lower snowmobile limits until a permanent plan was in place.
After Yellowstone Park officials announced the new temporary use plan, the state of Wyoming and Park County came back to Brimmer and asked his to do basically the same thing: strike down a temporary plan until a permanent plan was in place.
This time Brimmer demurred, saying that because his previous ruling was under appeal, he was powerless to intervene. Muddying the water is a ruling from a Washington, D.C. court striking down last year’s temporary-use plan.
So much of this is academic, of course; last winter saw a decline in snowmobile usage, and only on a few days did usage approach the 318-sled limit adopted by the National Park Service in the new temporary plan.
RELATED STORIES: Wyoming Seeks to Overturn Obama Administration Winter Rules; Obama Administration Sets 318-Sled Limit for 2009-2010 Winter Season
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