Gov. Mead: Reviewing Options To Help Plow Roads in Yellowstone

Governor Matt Mead said Thursday that state and local officials are still reviewing options on whether and how to help plow roads into Yellowstone National Park. The National Park Service announced earlier this week that snow plowing would be delayed in an effort to save money to meet across-the-board federal budget cuts required by Congress under the sequestration plan that took effect March 1. Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk said Monday the move will push back Yellowstone’s spring opening dates by 1-2 weeks at the various park entrances.

Mead said during a press conference that he has been speaking with park managers, gateway community elected officials and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock to explore possibilities for maintaining the park’s previously announced opening schedule. That could mean helping to fund park plowing operations or providing labor and equipment, but no decision has been made. Mead said he expects to see a plowing operations schedule today from Yellowstone mangers, and that he would reach out again to mayors in Cody and Jackson.

Tourism is Wyoming’s second largest industry, generating nearly $3 billion in annual spending that supports 30,000 jobs statewide.