MPR’s Greg Barron interviews Bruce, a resort owner in Gunflint Trail area, about the current proposals going through legislation. Bruce expresses his concerns on the potential negative impact to resort owners if motorized vehicles are restricted on some lakes in Boundary Waters.

Transcript:

(00:00:00) Their proposal I guess from the light of our community within the gun from Trail is completely unacceptable because they did not address themselves to mechanize travel on either single lakes or Clearwater Lake the the failure to around mechanized travel on recognized Recreation on see go and clear water jeopardizes for Resorts and 75 summer homeowners. Well
(00:00:28) Bruce, it's clear that you and I number of other Resort owners have an important vested interest in this legislation. And apparently you may stand to lose some of your investment but on the other hand doesn't the creation as proposed by The Carter Administration doesn't the creation of some areas on the periphery of The Boundary Waters canoe area as recreational areas really satisfy. Most of the needs expressed by those people who have been opposing the Fraser
(00:00:59) bill. No, The Carter Administration really does not offer a very viable alternative to what has been on the deck. So to speak they they add the acreage on the southern parameters that the Fraser proponents include in their bill. It's unfortunate that they are attempting to convince people that that's Canoe Country were in fact in most areas its Wilderness that has exceedingly few lakes in it. Makes the acreage figures look great. But in fact, it doesn't help in the recreation pattern much right now the if they choose to restrict on Clearwater and see go actually what they're doing to doing is denying 67% of those people that are presently ewing using those Lakes the continued recreational opportunities. If we look at it at least for a moment from the proposals of the Fraser Administration on the gun from Fair we have 17 Resorts and 500 summer homeowners the Fraser proposal would eliminate 60% of the economic activity of that Recreation territory the 65 miles of begun front rail, the counter proposal would eliminate approximately 20 to 25 percent of the economic activity of our community with no compensation. We are 100% behind over star and I guess at this point those of us in northeastern, Minnesota. Sort of feel we just cannot compromise any further. We want a good Wilderness. We'd like to see the expanded and manage well, but we are not about to give up our homes and our livelihoods and our families. And that's what we're down to Bruce. Was it
(00:02:43) possible to get any indication at all from the committee yesterday as to which direction they're likely to go ultimately
(00:02:51) at this point we have taken And an active role in visiting with the subcommittee members for eight days straight and at this point a majority of the subcommittee supports the principle of multiple use and it's now reached the deliberation stage of which lakes. They feel wise to allow mechanized travel in both summer and winter.