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"