county to override national park and hold radar run

Northern Minnesota's Koochiching County commissioners voted to hold a snowmobile radar run on Lake Kabetogama, although Voyageurs National Park denied a permit to the local snowmobile club earlier this year for the event.
Koochiching County commissioner, Larry Chezick, said a state law that says that Minnesota did not cede rights to waterways at the time of giving the land for the National Park, means Minnesota holds jurisdiction over the waterways surrounding the park, where the radar run is scheduled.

Chezick said that the park is denying reasonable use of the area. The Kabetogama community, located on the south shore of Lake Kabetogama, which borders the Voyageurs National Park, proves to benefit economically from the event with those traveling to the area for the radar run and will be hurt if the event is not held.

According to Chezick, park officials argued the radar run could be held elsewhere. The response being that the nearest available area to hold such an event is several miles away, and does not have the same facilities. And, that a radar run is not compatible with park and wilderness experiences.

Chezick also said that the Koochiching County Board is applying for a permit for the same event from Voyageurs National Park.

The county board stepped in and voted to sponsor the run after the national park refused a permit for the radar run, a local tradition 18-years running.
The radar run is scheduled for March 17, 2001 a few hundred feet from the south shore of Lake Kabetogama.