Promoting quiet recreation in Wisconsin.
Opposing the coming attempts to sell off Wisconsin's natural heritage.
Fighting denial about climate change. When are we hitting the streets?


Tuesday, September 06, 2005

From Brook Waalen: Ready to Roll?

Friends,

Sorry for yet another email this week but when it rains it pours.

The following article (from Rep. Mark Pettis’ office) ran in this week’s _Inter-County Leader_ (Frederic, Wisconsin) in a slightly modified form. I assume this hit many other papers across Wisconsin too. The article explores the likelihood of opening the Gandy Dancer State Trail in Polk and Burnett Counties to ATVs year-round even though federal Transportation Enhancement (also know as TE or T-21) funds were used for trail development. Remember, federal rules stipulate that if TE funds are used on a trail it must be closed to motorized vehicles (snowmobiles are the one exception).

Joel Patenaude, Editor of _Silent Sports_ magazine is genuinely concerned that this issue will have statewide ramifications. The threat is that the ATV lobby will look for sympathetic governments or staff to simply open non-motorized trails that were developed with TE dollars to year-round ATV use and bet that the Feds will be unable to track such violations or respond with a deterrent.

How to respond: We have the opportunity to share any "hot" ATV topics with http://us.f530.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=Diane.Greisinger@dnr.state.wi.us in an attempt to get that issue on the agenda for the DNR's next ATV policy meeting (Wausau’s Best Western Midway, Sept 17 from 10-3pm...ask me for more details). Joel and I are no Chicken Littles but we do take this threat seriously.

Brook
715-472-2922
I am having trouble with the link function, please go to here,

http://the-leader.net/

You will have to paste it in-then scroll down to article titled "Ready to Roll"