The Bush administration on Monday reversed a proposed policy that would have opened some of America’s national parks to snowmobiles and other motorized recreation and permitted increased commercialization.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne – who has been on the job less than a month – threw out a draft of the National Park Service Management Policies that would have weakened protections for wildlife and natural resources, instead restoring the longtime standard that national parks must emphasize preservation over any other activity.

“That is the heart of these policies and the lifeblood of our nation’s commitment to care for these special places and provide for their enjoyment,” Kempthorne said during a ceremony in Washington.

The new policy, which is to become final in three weeks, explicitly instructs park managers to maintain clean air, water and natural sounds, and not to allow any activities that might damage park resources.

The revised management plan also contains sections that acknowledge the impact of global climate change in the parks and encourage cultural diversity.