Well Intended DNR Too Invasive

I have said it here before and will say it again. So don't read words into the following that are not there. I AM ALL FOR STOPPING THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES TO OUR CLEAN LAKES.

But the latest unveiling of our DNR 2012 plans to stop the spread of the bad stuff is way too invasive!

First, one obvious flaw in the plan is the traffic back-ups that will, no doubt, be created in high traffic areas around the likes of Lake Mille Lacs and every popular Mn. lake the "checks" will be taking place at. If each "check" only takes 5 minutes (most likely will take longer), dozens of towed boats will be backed up on major highways waiting to pass through. Traffic counts of boats on any major highway or even lesser traveled roads around any of the fishing and boating meccas in Mn. will make it impossible to not have the big traffic back-up. Will it become a safety issue for non-boat towing drivers on a busy Memorial Day weekend? I see a mess waiting to happen.

And then there's my pet peeve about this whole thing. And with that, I will ask again........"how am I breaking the intentions of the law driving down the road, on my way home or to my motel/resort cabin?"

In fact, the ONLY way I am, potentially, transporting invasive species from one lake to another is as I back my boat down the access ramp!!!! Who is the DNR or a court to say my intentions, as I drive down the road, on my way home, is to transport invasive species to another lake? Because I am on the road? That's like saying I am going to break a speed limit as I leave my home, entering the highway, before I do it.

So, tag me and others carrying the bad stuff on our rigs as we ENTER the lake, NOT LEAVING the lake! How can we clean our boats before we enter the highway? At a resort ramp let alone a public access? How?? You have to allow us to go home and use whatever it takes to get weeds etc. off our trailers! Does anyone in St. Paul have a way, to consistently, clean their boats to meet the standards of the law, before they leave the boat ramp and head home? I dare anyone of you to show me how to do this at the ramps I use! I invite any DNR enforcement officer to show me......

I think the intent is great. I agree we need to do whatever we can to stop the spread of bad stuff into our clean lakes. The DNR needs to stop the spread of the stuff at the boat ramp as boats ENTER the lake, NOT LEAVING the lake! Not on the road! On the boat ramp backing into the water. That's the ONLY place the intent of the law is being broken!