Issue:
The National Park Service ("NPS") and U.S. Department of the Interior have issued a new Colorado River Management Plan ("CRMP") Colorado River. Based on over thirty years of scientific, technical and anecdotal evidence, it is clear that the past and current Colorado River Management policies and actions have and still are causing impairment and degradation of the resource and value of the GCNP and the Colorado River. A change in the CRMP is needed to remedy these problems and prevent further degradation of the Colorado River as a valuable resource. It is critical that the new CRMP include consideration of alternatives that will undo the harm of past and current management practices and policies.

Background:
The Colorado River courses through some of the most spectacular scenery in North America. As a scientific resource, the Grand Canyon is a mecca for geologists, geographers, and biologists throughout the world. It is also a place of tremendous natural and historic interest; a place of beauty, peace, quiet or exciting adventure. The Colorado River within the Grand Canyon National Park ("GCNP"), is the longest stretch of recreational whitewater in the world and offers one of the most sought-after river trips in the United States as well. The desire of the American public to experience this unique area has dramatically increased over the last 20 years. In 1967, 2,100 people traveled the river through GCNP. By 1972, that number rose to 16,500. While exponential growth of visitors wishing to make recreational use of the river has had an impact on river resources, far more damaging have been the effects from the Glen Canyon Dam.

RtE Position:
The Colorado River is not being managed in accordance with the Management Objectives or the Goals of the CRMP, the terms of the current GCNP itself, other federal statutory and regulatory requirements, or NPS Guidance documents. This data warrants the consideration of substantial modifications to the way that the Colorado River is currently managed. We recommend that the NPS and U.S. Department of the Interior should, in reviewing the current CRMP and developing the scope of the 2004 EIS and ROD for the CRMP, consider altering management of the Colorado River so as to implement policies and corrective actions that remedy the problems that protect against further impairment to park resources and values.

Alternatives that should have been considered include: a restoration of natural flows to the Colorado River; the elimination of motorized river transport on the Colorado River (except as is necessary for park and river management); and the equalization of access to the river that does not favor commercial interests over others.

This position is based on a wealth of data, including past GCNP and CRMP EISs and RODs, as well as scientific, technical and anecdotal data, observations and reports, indicating that the current CRMP adversely impacts endangered species and wildlife, diminishes visitors' experiences, and results in inequitable access to the river. These adverse impacts are due in part to: (1) the way water flow is regulated at the Glen Canyon Dam; (2) allowing the use of motorized river transport; and (3) a disparate system favoring those who can afford to pay commercial river trip guides over individuals and other non-commercial interests.

NPS mandates, as set by U.S. law, NPS guidance documents, and NPS management policy that directs NPS decisions and activity, support our position that natural flows need to be restored to the Colorado River and that motorized river transport needs to be eliminated, in order to stop any further impairment to both the Colorado River and Grand Canyon National Park.

Update:
On March 24, 2006, the NPS released a Record of Decision (ROD) addressing how the stretch of the Colorado River which travels through Grand Canyon National Park will be managed. The 2006 ROD does not adequately address these concerns, ignores the deleterious impact of the Glen Canyon Dam on species and biota in and along the river, continues to allow for motorized transport through the canyon, maintains access discrimination against private boaters in favor of commercial interests and recommends changes that actually increases the number of people who may travel the river, thereby increasing the damage to the environment.

On March 28, 2006, Rock the Earth along with a coalition of wilderness advocate groups including River Runners for Wilderness, Living Rivers and Wilderness, challenged the ROD in the Federal District Court of Arizona. The primary purpose of the litigation will be to force the NPS to honor the wilderness characteristics of the River by eliminating motorized transport and equalize usage of the River between private concessionaires and the public do-it-yourself boaters.

On October 17, 2006, the judge granted permission for two other groups, Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association (GCPBA) and Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association (a concessionaire trade group), to intervene in the current litigation on the side of the federal government. Primarily at issue is the continued mismanagement of a proposed wilderness area in Grand Canyon National Park. Both the GCPBA and the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association are well funded organizations, thereby not only increasing the stakes in this important case, but also likely to increase our costs as we now have more opponents to battle in our effort to protect the Grand Canyon's wilderness characteristics.

This project was made possible with grants from the Rex Foundation and the Fund for Wild Nature.

Links:

RtE Complaint

RtE Complaint against NPS, filed in U.S. District Court, March 28, 2006

CRMP Answer -- Answer by NPS, filed June 8, 2006

RtE Reply

RtE Reply Brief against NPS and Intervenors, filed in U.S. District Court, September 4, 2007

RtE Press Release dated March 28, 2006

RtE Summary Judgment Statement of Material Facts dated May 25, 2007

RtE Memorandum in Support of Motion for Summary Judgement dated May 25, 2007

RtE CRMP Fact Sheet

NPS Record of Decision Dated February 17, 2006

RtE-DEIS-Letter.pdf

Rock the Earth CRMP letter of January 26, 2005

RtE-CRMPLetter.doc

Rock the Earth CRMP Comment Letter of October 25, 2002

http://www.nps.gov/grca/crmp/

National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park, Colorado River Management Plan Website

http://www.nps.gov/grca/crmp/documents/89crmp/89crmp.htm

1989 Colorado River Management Plan (current plan)