Wednesday, March 24, 1999. In a ruling published today , Judge Lamberth suspended implementation of a bioprospecting deal between Yellowstone and Diversa Corporation that had been announced by the National Park Service in August, 1997. Lamberth called on the Department of the Interior to prepare an environmental assessment in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The park didn't get sold down the river while he was sleeping. This decision mandates that the American people, the owners of the parks, have to be consulted.
Any commercial exploitation has to go through a public review.
It guarantees that the primary purpose of having a national park system is to preserve the country's scenic beauty and natural resources for all of us to enjoy. They did a deal without the knowledge and consent of the American people and without any review of the environmental and aesthetic impacts. We are very pleased that the court found their actions to be illegal and stopped them. It alleged DOI violation of the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, the National Park Service Organic Act, the Yellowstone National Park Organic Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and Public Trust Doctrine. In return for granting such access, Yellowstone was to receive a small fee, a percentage of royalties from any products that might ensue, and assistance in scientifically cataloguing the resources of interest.