Groups Petition Interior Department To Protect Rocky Mountain National Park

(01 September 2004 - Colorado)  Environmental Defense and Colorado Trout Unlimited today petitioned the U.S. Department of the Interior to carry out its legal responsibilities to protect Rocky Mountain National Park from harmful air pollution.   A body of scientific research shows that high pollution levels threaten human health, fisheries, forests and at times cloak the park’s grand vistas in a veil of haze.   The petition requests the Interior Department to formally declare that the park is threatened by air pollution, to establish limits on pollution levels, to call for clean up action by state and federal officials, and to take action to clean up air pollution within the park’s borders.   Each year, there are more than 3 million visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park who go there to fish, hike, and enjoy the park’s inspiring vistas.  Action by the Interior Department would establish pollution limits to protect the Park, curb increasing pollution levels, and spur cleanup action by the state.

“There is a compelling body of scientific research showing that the Rocky Mountain National Park is being hard hit by air pollution that harms human health, threatens its lakes and forests, and pollutes scenic vistas.   We are calling for immediate action to protect Colorado’s crown jewel before lasting damage is done,” said Environmental Defense senior scientist Dr. Jana Milford.  

“Rocky Mountain National Park has been a centerpiece of restoration for Colorado’s state fish, the greenback cutthroat trout, ” said David Nickum, the Executive Director of Colorado Trout Unlimited.  “But if current trends continue, the Park’s waters will acidify and we could lose greenbacks and the other Park fisheries enjoyed by thousands of anglers every year.  We’ve seen the early warning signs, and we now have the opportunity and responsibility to make changes that will preserve the Park for future generations.”
 
Nitrogen Pollution
Total nitrogen deposited into the Park’s forests, lakes and streams has increased to more than 15 times its natural level, exceeding the critical load that the Park’s ecosystems can bear.   Nitrogen deposition rates on the eastern side of the Park are more than double those on the western side of the Continental Divide, and are increasing.  The increased nitrogen has altered forests, aquatic species and soil chemistry.   If nitrogen deposition continues to increase at current rates, high-altitude lakes in the Park are expected to soon become acidic, causing a dramatic deterioration of Park resources and putting the threatened greenback cutthroat trout at further risk.

Harmful Ozone Levels
Since the summer of 1998, the federal health-based standard for ground-level ozone has been exceeded 19 times at the Park.  High ozone threatens human health and vegetation.  Over recent summer ozone seasons, ozone pollution exposure at the Park has been higher than in urban Denver.  Children, the elderly and individuals with asthma are particularly at risk to high levels of ozone.   Quaking Aspen, which draw numerous Fall visitors to the Park, are also sensitive to high ozone.  

Pollution of Scenic Vistas
Visibility at the Park is severely degraded relative to natural conditions.  The National Park Service monitoring data indicate that visibility on the haziest days has significantly worsened over the past decade. 

Clean Air Solutions
Scientific studies point to urban, agricultural and industrial activities to the east of the Park as important sources of the nitrogen-related pollution problems.   Federal and state actions are needed to lower nitrogen pollution from oil and gas development activity, coal- and gas-fired power plants, transportation activities, animal feedlots, and heavy fertilizer use in agriculture.   The Park itself should become a model for cleaner, healthier air through the use of cleaner transportation and equipment.