TEL: (218) 740-3175 FAX: (218) 740-3179 EMAIL info@MnResponsibleRec.org WEBSITE: www.MnResponsibleRec.org

Proactive Steps to Protect Duluth’s Public Lands from ATV Damage

October 28, 2003

Dear Duluthian,

We bring you good news and big opportunities! After two years of quiet and persistent work, MRR is now poised to succeed in getting city government to protect Duluth’s parks and public land from the unwanted impacts of ATVs, dirt-bike motorcycles, and four-wheel drive trucks.

With a recent MRR survey of city council and mayoral candidates MRR has built consensus and has collected near unanimous commitments to protect our parks and public lands from ATV damage. MRR is calling on Duluthians to ensure swift and decisive action by the new city government.

• Use MRR’s Voter Information below to guide your decisions in next Tuesday’s, Nov. 4 city elections

• Volunteer now to help pass council resolutions and ordinances in early, 2004
• Use the enclosed "Protect Duluth’s Parks and Public Lands" campaign envelope to make a financial contribution to MRR today and take advantage of the consensus and momentum we’ve built

• Damaging Duluth parks and public lands from Lester Park to Fond du Lac Park making trails no longer passable or safe for walkers and jeopardizing the health of Duluth’s streams. The College of St. Scholastica’s Outdoor Pursuits! Program has chosen not to use the area above Wheeler Field and may abandon other areas because of student safety concerns due to ATV damage and traffic

• Negatively impacting homeowners who are suffering from the noise, fumes, and damage to the landscape caused by these machines. At least one homeowner has had to sell her home to escape these impacts

• Costing current and future taxpayers untold amounts to repair accumulating damage. Cost to repair a short section of damaged trail in Fond du Lac Park has been estimated to exceed $10,000. A 2003 legislative audit found that, even with a multi-million dollar budget, the state has failed to provide adequate funding, planning, and enforcement to protect the environment and rights of others from unwanted ATV impacts. Already burdened with a budget shortfall, our city cannot afford to allow ATV damage to continue.

Eleven out of twelve candidates responded to MRR’s Duluth city council and mayoral candidate survey.

• Seven city council and one mayoral candidate "strongly agree" or "agree" to "support a new Duluth ordinance that would prohibit ATVs, dirt-bike motorcycles, and four-wheel drive trucks…on city land".

• All nine city council candidates and one mayoral candidate also unanimously "strongly agree" or "agree" to: "do whatever… is necessary to immediately and adequately enforce existing ordinances." and to "call for a city-wide damage assessment to restore our parks."

Charlie Bell provided a written response only. Excerpt: "…I support appropriate creation of trails and other areas specifically for off-highway vehicles, education

• Use the above information to guide your decisions in the city elections next Tuesday, Nov. 4
• Contact MRR at 740-3175 to find out how you can help make candidate commitments a reality
• Send a contribution to MRR today to support MRR’s Protect Duluth’s Parks and Public Lands campaign

Help MRR provide a swift and happy ending to the sad story of ATV damage in our parks and public lands! Vote November 4 using the above MRR information and make a financial contribution to MRR today using the enclosed envelope labeled "Protect Duluth’s Parks and Public Lands Campaign".

Sincerely,

Jeff Brown
Executive Director

p.s. Please pass this information on to like-minded friends and watch your mail and MRR’s website, www.MnResponsibleRec.org, for updates.