FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — The American Watercraft Association, the nation's largest personal watercraft owners' organization, announced its support, with reservations, for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area's "Preferred Alternative" to allow continued PWC use in its recently released Lake Management Plan. The "Preferred Alternative", or Alternative C, is one of four different management schemes forwarded for public comment by park managers at Lake Mead. Alternative C is the management plan that park managers support, which allows for continued access for PWC owners indefinitely.

In a letter sent to the Lake Mead's superintendent, the AWA lauded park managers for creating a comprehensive management plan that focuses on all forms of recreation, not just the use of PWC. In addition, the AWA commended park managers for developing a rule that does not discriminate against PWC owners, but rather treats all boats of similar horsepower identically.

"There is no evidence that supports treating PWC separately from other boats, both for environmental reasons or for safety reasons," said Stephan Andranian, Government Affairs Manager for the AWA. "Park managers at Lake Mead recognized that and we hope that other park managers share their management approach."

But while Alternative C does support continued PWC access to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, it does include a clause that seemingly does not relate to the management plan at all. If adopted in its entirety, Alternative C would adopt a rule that would bar all carbureted two-cycle engines from Lake Mead in 2012. This rule, demanding that all motorboats meet or exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency's 2006 marine engine emission standards would apply to all motorboats, including outboard-powered bass and ski boats.

In its letter to the Lake Mead superintendent, the AWA voiced its strong opposition to this provision of Alternative C.

"The EPA developed its emission rule to encourage marine engine manufacturers to develop low emission engines for consumers. They have answered, producing engines that exceed the EPA's demands already," said Andranian. "However, these rules were meant for the industry and were not developed to punish consumers. Now, the managers at Lake Mead seek to use this rule to bar access to boat owners. We feel that one government agency, in this case, the National Park Service, should not second-guess another — namely the EPA."

Regarding the banning of all carbureted marine engines at Lake Mead in 2012, the AWA made the comparison between banning two-cycle engines and banning the use of older automobiles at the recreation area.

"Banning a 1957 Chevy from Lake Mead National Recreation Area because it does not meet today's strict emission standards does not make any sense," said Andranian. "The EPA's regulations on manufacturers will reduce the emissions and should be allowed to take effect without punishing boat owners."