Wright County plan for mandatory boat inspections gets public review
From- MPRNews.org
For the first time in Minnesota, boats would be required to undergo checks for aquatic invasive species at a regional checkpoint before entering four Wright County lakes under a proposal that’s the subject of a public hearing Wednesday night in Annandale.
The proposal is being closely watched statewide. Proponents of the pilot project say the current system of checking boats at public accesses isn’t enough to stop the spread of invasive species such as zebra mussels and starry stonewort.
“They’re looking for a way to provide protection for our lakes in a way that’s more sustainable than putting an inspector at every single boat ramp in the state,” said Jeff Forester, executive director of Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates.