Commissioners Urge YNP To Consider Economy

Park County Commissioners yesterday voted to send a letter in response to a proposed road construction project in Yellowstone National Park that could affect the Cody economy.

According the environmental assessment published by the Park, the proposed project could close the east entrance road between Cody and Fishing Bridge during the peak of the tourist season in September. However, Commission Chair Lee Livingston says that during meetings with Park officials on Monday, community leaders were told that any closure, if deemed necessary, would not occur until October 15 of 2018.

Livingston added, though, that his concern with the environmental assessment lies mainly with the lack of regard for the economic impact that a road closure would have on Cody. The report only took into consideration money that the construction workers would spend in the gateway communities, and not the money that tourists spend in the community, which would be missed should the east entrance road be shut down for construction.

At the meeting, Livingston read a portion of the letter that he had added as part of the commission’s comments on the proposed project.

The commissioners voted unanimously to send the comments to the Park Service.