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Representative Pete Stauber
Citing economic concerns to surrounding communities and a lack of communication, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) wrote a letter to the United State Forest Service demanding they not cut Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) quotas for 2022.
The letter was sent to Randy Moore, chief, United States Forest Service on December 13.
A recent decision by the Superior National Forest to curtail up to 13 percent of BWCA permits prompted this response from the Congressman, “Following a record-breaking year, I am incredibly disappointed to learn that the Forest Service plans to cut permits for entry to the Boundary Waters Canoe Are, especially since they did not consult those who would be most impacted in this decision: the residents of northeast Minnesota. Cutting permits could deprive up to 40,000 individuals from enjoying America’s most visited wilderness, meaning that there will be fewer tanks of gas purchased in our gas stations, fewer lodging reservations, and less patronage of our restaurants.”
Stauber also noted, “Constitute stakeholders and I are concerned about a lack of prior consultation. In staff conversations with my office cooperators communicated this caught them completely by surprise, many of whom received no notification, let alone an opportunity to comment.”
The previous two years has seen a significant spike in those gaining access to travel into the BWCAW. Sadly, not all campers and canoeists followed the rules, some leaving behind littered campsites and some illegally cutting down trees etc. In its decision, the Forest Service also noted there was crowding and congestion near some entry points. and added there was “overall degradations of the wilderness.”
When his staff met with USFS Rangers, Stauber stated they also learned, “that another justification from the agency is due to “social damage.”
In asking for a comment about the Congressman’s letter, On December 14, Superior National Forest Public Affairs Specialist Joanna Gilkeson said, “The Forest is continuing to implement changes to the 2022 permit quotas in response to thousands of public complaints regarding overcrowding and resource damage. The Superior National Forest is committed to protecting the Wilderness and the experiences our visitors expect in the BWCAW in order to ensure both the integrity of the Wilderness and the long-term demand for tourism in the area. The forest is gathering complete numbers related to Boundary Waters permit quotas for 2022 and will have a complete response available within the next 48 hours.”
While 2021 permit numbers will soon be forthcoming, the BWCA saw a 16 percent increase from 2019 to 2020 up to the wildfire season. “Cooperators estimate that this boost accounted for a 20 percent increase in their businesses in 2021 alone,” wrote Stauber.
Further, Stauber posed several questions to Chief Moore: Were economic factors considered when deciding to cut permits? How does the Forest Service quantify “degradation of the wilderness” and “social damage?” Could you please provide correspondence with any group or individual, including but not to, Forest Service solicitation of input form business, nonprofit organizations, and others? What if any other remedies to solve the above issues were explored before opting to cut access? And finally, Stauber asked, “Was the decision to cut permits made at the agency leadership level I Washington, D.C. or locally in the Milwaukee of Duluth office?
The Congressman ended with this, “Public lands like the BWCA are available for the public to use. Small business owners built a livelihood around the permit quota system. Therefore, cutting permits means cutting public access, cutting small business opportunities, and cutting out way of life.”
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