Background
On July 20, 2009 the Lake County Planning Commission will consider a request to convert a portion of the North Shore State Trail to ATV use.
It is the long stated goal of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ATV enthusiasts and their advocates in county government and the Minnesota legisalture to convert the North Shore State Snowmobile Trail to ATV use. The state trail runs from Duluth to the Canadian border, paralells, crosses and in some places shares a treadway with the Superior Hiking Trail, one of the nations top destinations for hikers. ATV advocates want to use the 135 mile long North Shore State Trail as the backbone for a future web of ATV, dirt-bike motorcycle and four-wheel drive truck routes in Northeast Minnesota. While MRR finds there may be a place for limited ATV use on carefully considered and selected routes in the region converting the North Shore State Trail to an ATV superhighway will have a devestating effect on Northeast Minnesota and the North Shore.
In 2006 a feasibility study completed by the Minnesota DNR found that $875,000 would be required to flatten slopes and fill low areas and otherwise alter the North Shore State Trail to accomodate ATVs.
Minnesota Envionmental Quality Board rules include "Mandatory Environmental Assessment Worsheet Categories" that require competion of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for any "permanent physical encroachement on lands within a ...state trail corridor" (see Subp. 30. Natural Areas). MRR has championed the use of public and enivornmental review to protect not only the North Shore State Trail but our forests, communities and other special places. In 2005 MRR was uniquely successful in leading the charge to amend MEQB rules to include Subp. 37 Recreational Trails, mandatory public and environmental review of some ATV, dirt-bike motorcycle and four-wheel drive truck routes.
Over the past decade MRR has used these valuable citizen tools to champion protection of the North Shore and the Superior Hiking Trail by successfully opposing conversion of the North Shore State Trail to ATV use. Learn more about MRR's work protecting the North Shore State Trail.
Immediate Threat to Minnesota's North Shore:
Public Hearing to Convert a portion of the North Shore State Trail to ATV Use
On Monday, July 20th at 6:30 pm in the Law Enforcement Center of the Lake County Courthouse, 601 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, the Lake County Planning Commission will consider an application from Lake County to convert portion of the North Shore State Trail to ATV use.
Hearing Notice
Map of Proposed Section
Conditional Use Application
July 20, 2009 Planning Commssion Agenda
Map of North Shore State Trail (Large document - 650 K - may be slow to download)
Action Needed
1. While the public comment period regarding the above proposal closed on July 16 and it is expected that Lake County Planning Commission memebers will rubber stamp the Lake County's application concerned citizens are encouraged to contact Matt Huddleson, Lake County Planning Administrator (info below) and reinforce MRR's message by stating the following:
A. You are opposed to ATVs on the North Shore State Trail (See MRR's
Protecting the North Shore State Trail)
B. "any permanent physical encroachment on a state trail corridor" mandates completion of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet and extensive public review.
C. Compliance with these rules is a serious matter. Citizens will expect the highest level of public and environmental review from Lake County should it continue to pursue its proposal to convert a portion of the North Shore State Trail to ATV use.
Lake County
Matt Huddleson, Lake County Planning Administrator
218-834-8322
Matthew.Huddleston@co.lake.mn.us
2. Help MRR hold Lake County accountable to Minnesota Environmental Quality Board Rules by making a tax-deductible contribution to MRR. We need your financial support to continue to protect the Superior Hiking Trail, the North Shore and Northeast Minnesota from ATVs.
3. Watch MRR's homepage and Protecting North Shore State Trail page for updates regarding Lake County's proposed conversion of the North Shore State Trail to ATV use.
