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Regarding today's Duluth News Tribune article, DNR picks Aitkin County for 85-mile ATV trail, MRR is pleased that an Environmental Assessment Worksheet will be completed for the DNR's proposed 85-mile ATV route for Aiktin County.  Public and environmental review is the essential first step in selecting appropriate routes for these potentially high-imapct machines.  To ensure a complete and accurate review of this and all ATV route proposals, review should not be commenced in the winter when the route is under snow and ice, but rather in the spring or summer when wetlands, drainages, vegetation, wildlife, and adjacent human activity is more readily observed.

MRR advocates Five Standards for Protecting Minnesota from the unwanted effects of motorized recreation.  The below standards should be met before the proposed Aitkin or any other ATV route is considered:

1.  Public and environmental review, i.e., completion of Environmental Assessment Worksheets,

2.  A "designated routes only" policy requiring operators to stay on selected routes

3.  Adequate enforcement to keep operators on routes

4.  Funds to repair adjacent and accumulating damage

5.  Oversight and accountability to accomplish the above objectives.  Local government sponsor providing public funds to ATV club that will "maintain" route, should take at least 20% of public grant to conduct oversight.

Learn more about MRR's Five Standards for Protecting Minnesota and our campaign to Reform or Abolish Public Funding of Motorized Recreation.

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