Montana Issues

      ~ New report ~   Potential new Montana markets for two-stroke engines

Overview

Riders

Snowmobiling is important to Montana's economy, and the State of Montana has taken a leadership role in providing objective scientific information and addressing concerns about snowmobile emissions.

Over 60 percent of the snowmobiles entering Yellowstone Park in the year 2001 passed through West Yellowstone, Montana, representing roughly 75 percent of Montana's $163 million a year snowmobile industry. On peak visitor days, over 1,000 snowmobiles entered the Park through West Yellowstone while an additional 1,000 snowmobiles left town to recreate on neighboring public lands such as the seven nearby National Forests.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has partnered with others to conduct a number of applied research projects to define the problems and probable solutions to concerns with two-stroke engine pollution. DEQ provided an unbiased evaluation for industry, local businesses and other agencies to help prevent pollution by investigating and demonstrating fuel and engine technologies that might reduce emissions. DEQ helped direct laboratory and field work that measured snowmobile emissions and reductions. DEQ encouraged local businesses to use these fuels and technologies and measured the affects from this use. To advance existing cleaner technologies, DEQ and its partners developed a collegiate level competition — the Clean Snowmobile Challenge — to develop snowmobiles for responsible recreation that maintain performance while reducing pollution and noise. The results of the research and competition formed the basis for an educational effort including workshops for snowmobile operators, industry, and land managers.

Selected Links

Go to the Publications and Links section for a more complete list, including related or overlapping topics.

In 1998 the Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research completed a study of the economic impact of snowmobiling in Montana:

Sylvester, James T.  October 1998. Snowmobiling in Montana: A 1998 Update. (42k pdf file)

An overview of Montana snowmobiling opportunities and their economic impact can be found on the Travel Montana  website

Howard Haines of DEQ has written a concise summary of Yellowstone emissions problems and the history of research on cleaner snowmobiles:

Haines, Howard, 1999. The Snowmobile Dilemma, or, Who Spilled What in the Refrigerator vs. Who's Going to Clean It Up? Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Helena, Montana. (4 pages)

In 2000, DEQ contracted with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) to help organize workshops at various locations in the United States, with the purpose of educating snowmobile operators, rental agencies and manufacturers about the environmental benefits of new practices and products. NCAT's report includes a description of these workshops as well as a summary of questions from the audience:

Clean Snowmobile Technology Educational Outreach Activities During 1999-2000 (89k pdf file)

In October 2000, Howard Haines of DEQ developed a slide presentation that was given at a number of these workshops:

Health and Air Quality Impacts of Bio-Based Fuels and Lubes in Small Engines (978k pdf file)

A presentation developed by Jeff J. White and James N. Carroll of Southwest Research Institute was also included at a number of these workshops:

Emissions from Snowmobile Engines Using Bio-Based Fuels and Lubricants (42k Microsoft PowerPoint file)

In 2001 DEQ conducted a modeling analysis to compare potential emissions from snowcoaches and different types of snowmobiles. The purpose of this analysis was to compare carbon monoxide emissions from snowcoaches, older snowmobiles, and technologically improved snowmobiles using the latest and best estimates of CO emissions.

Cain, Cyra J. and Haines, Howard, 2001. Comparison of Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Snowcoaches, 1997 and 2001 Snowmobiles, and 2001 Clean Snowmobile Challenge New Technology Applications. Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Helena, Montana. (29 pages, 87k pdf file)

In 2001 DEQ commissioned a new report on the status of two-stroke engine technology for use in off-road recreational vehicles, including inherent strengths and weaknesses of the technology, as well as current and future research:

Williford, John. April 2001. Status and Prospects for Two-Stroke Engines Used in Off-Road Recreational Vehicles.

In 2001 DEQ commissioned a new report on the status of two-stroke engine technology development in Montana, with a focus on identifying market opportunities and barriers:

Miller, Emily. May 2001. Status and Potential of Two-Stroke Engine Technology in Montana (32 pages, 131k pdf file)

Since 1994 DEQ has spearheaded the Truck in the Park Project placing an unaltered diesel pickup truck into service in Yellowstone National Park, fueling this truck with 100 percent rapeseed ethyl ester, and monitoring performance and emissions. Project goals include defining a market for biodiesel, providing data on emissions and performance that can be used by land managers, regulators, and providers of commercial tourism transportation, and reducing environmental impacts resulting from diesel fuel use in the tourism industry.