Forest Service may change BWCAW permit availability date,

[Lee Borgersen]

Forest Service may change BWCAW permit availability date, could be moved up to Dec. 1



There may be changes to the U.S. Forest Service's plan to eliminate the lottery system for BWCAW permits.

In a letter from Forest Supervisor Jim Sanders, it was revealed the start date to reserve permits could be moved up to Dec. 1 or Jan. 11.

In the letter Sanders said he has received 50 letters or emails from people expressing support or opposition to eliminating the current lottery system.

Instead of a six-week lottery application period, the Forest Service would allow all permits to be given out in a first-come, first-serve system either online or by phone.

Ely area outfitters have asked the Forest Service to delay implementation of the elimination of the lottery.

They provided U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack with a letter outlining their concerns. Cravaack met with Forest Service chief Tom Tidwell at a forestry conference in Wisconsin this week.

In the letter Sanders said the Forest Service is working on addressing four technological issues:

1. Working with ReserveAmerica, the provider, to see if it can handle thousands of reservations simultaneously.

2. Setting up a test site with a test date of Nov. 2 to see if Forest Service cooperators will be able to access the system properly including the influx in internet traffic.

3. Looking at options if the system was overloaded on the first day, including stopping the process in case of a malfunction

4. Changing the "go-live" date to Dec. 1 or Jan. 11.

Sanders said a final decision on the process will be made after the Nov. 2 test date.