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| I am attaching Tom Petri's newsletter from June. The article of interest is titled "Fox Locks Progress Good for Wisconsin" I wanted to get everyone elses thoughts on this. I find it interesting that the whole article speaks of all the good things people want to here except for at the end when there is one little blurb about exotics and their plan of washing boats and emptying bilges. This won't be good for bago and the bad thing is that Petri is pushing for it and so is Gov. Doyle among others. I think we are outnumbered as fisherman on this one and it will be a tough battle.
http://www.house.gov/petri/newslett/june_2004.pdf
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That is interesting and also believe this will be controversial with the Winnebago fisherman.
Am sure there will be more information forthcoming and will reserve making a personal judgement for a time. The negatives in this are what the action has done to those who guide here, as well as the potential for more foriegn invaders to the water.
Positives are the Feds will be picking up the tab to reopen (and hopefully maintain) the lock system. |
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Location: Milw, WI | Look the the envoriment will soon be paying for Doyle being in office.
Cares nothing if the asian carp gets to Lake Mich. either.
Only talks of stopping zebbra muscules from getting up in to the system, Am I the only one who knows they are already there.
Edited by Richfish 7/14/2004 11:29 AM
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Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin | Richfish -
Why should my tax dollars be spent on a project in Illionois that probably won't work for long anyway? Why rip on Doyle for this when the feds have dropped the ball on stuff like this for years? |
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| The zebra mussel comment in the article goes to show how oblivious they are of the situation.
I sent email messages to both Doyle and Petri regarding this. I know where it will probably get me but thought that would be the best place for my opinion.
In the meantime, start stocking up on Gobie colored shad raps. |
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Location: Milw, WI | Brad B.
There was a standing agreement with all the states that can be effected to pitch in.
Where is this buggeted money going to go to now?
Pulling out just delays things getting done.
We expect a place that dug the canal to pump its sewer water to the mississippi to be able to haddle this.
I really hope they can. |
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Posts: 1406
| The state leveraged 22 million and closed a deal in April to begin taking over ownership? Does anyone know where that piece of legislature is? I can't seem to find it anywhere and would think it might give some clues as to how long the coast guard will be here!
Good Luck
Tyee |
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| This is a bit of an odd situation, if you read chapter 237 of the Wisconsin State Statutes the state has the authority to form a "Fox River Navigational System Authority" and operate the lock system with what I believe are probably state dollars and charge user fees. There is mention of transfer of ownership between the state and federal governments. The odd part being it is classified as a federal waterway. The Fox River lock system is strange animal and I am unclear as to who is going to be funding the opening of the lock system. I also believe there are over a dozen locks between Green Bay and Neenah. The cost to operate all of those locks is going to be fairly substantial and who will pay for it. This just seems like a very poor idea that someone came up with and is pushing hard to try to make it reality. |
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Petri may be out of touch with how much controversy this will create. Can imagine at the time the lock system was closed down, there was enough of a disturbance over it from those who were using it, that he noticed and spoke on behalf of these voters.
Now, with these invasive spieces dominating the thoughts of fisherman, Petri might need to be educated as to how many voters will become angry should he press forward in re-opening the locks, and allowing a free pass to these dominant non-naturals.
These invasive speices are reason enough to keep the system closed, adding the cost of re-opening and the higher cost of operation over years, it is hard for the average fisherman/taxpayer to be aligned with this idea.
There are questions that need answering: What type of person will most benefit by re-opening the locks? Pleasure Boaters? Are there more fisherman voters than pleasure boater voters?
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| I think it's who has the most $ that has the biggest say as far as the vote. You can forget about Lake Sturgeon if the Locks open, sea lamprey will surely wipe them out just as they have the lake trout in Michigan. NOt to mention, spiney water fleas, fish hook water fleas, gobies,white perch, alewife, ect. the list goes on forever. we will soon be looking at another lake Michigan. also known as the "great aquarium" if those lock operate. And as far as washing boats and draining bilges, I don't buy that for a second, 1 tsp of water with water fleas will infect the lake. Common sense tells me this is the worst possible thing that could happen to the fishery. Whatever the economical profit would be for pleasure boaters is far less than the importance of this fishery to our comunity. How can the be so blind and ignorant? The DNR and Fisherman have been against this from the start and they are far more educated on this subject than any polititian! |
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Location: Milw, WI | On PBS yesterday they had a show called americas water ways or such.
They are traveling the Erie canal from Lake Erie east in the show right now.
The whole thing has been retroed and is a huge tourist trail.
With Inns and rental boats all along the canal.
Big tourist $'s.
Bet that is what they are trying to do here on the lower Fox. |
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| My emails to both Petri and Doyle were ignored aside from an automatically generated email response from Petri. My representatives at work for me as expected. The sad thing is if I cast a vote for whomever they are running against in the future they will probably be behind this also. I guess it saves me a trip to the polls.
This reconfirms why I have no interest in politics, who's running for what, etc. Its all a big smokescreen that boils down to $$. One of them (can't remember which) even touts himself as being an evironmental leader. What a joke.
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Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin | Dave -
Don't waste much time with emails to reps. They are ignored by and large. Call their office and talk with someone. Ask them to talk with the rep and tell them you will be following up. This gives them a platform to "work" for the voter. |
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| Drawbridges impede future use of Fox locks
By Steve Wideman
Post-Crescent staff writer
APPLETON — If the Fox River locks are ever to reopen to boat traffic, two drawbridges over the Fox River in Appleton must be replaced, a consultant’s report recommends.
The estimated replacement cost is $4 million, of which the city would be liable for 20 percent, or $800,000. State and federal funds would cover the balance.
It’s been two decades since the drawbridges on Lawe and Olde Oneida streets were opened for boats traveling the Fox locks.
The bridges, now largely inoperable because of degraded structural, mechanical and electrical systems, must be replaced, according to a report from URS Inc., a consulting firm hired by the city.
Gov. Jim Doyle is expected to sign legislation in Appleton on Sept. 15 officially accepting ownership of the locks system by the state, a critical step in eventually reopening the locks to navigation, but the drawbridges stand in the way.
The Common Council’s Municipal Services Committee last week referred the question of finding the local share to the mayor’s Riverfront Action Committee, which meets Sept. 21.
“What we are trying to do is find a way for the local share not to come from taxpayers,” said Public Works Director Paula Vandehey.
Operating and maintenance expenses for the bridges, once rebuilt, are expected to cost the city $70,000 annually. The costs include expenses to employ a bridge tender.
One source of funding for the bridge replacement may be Friends of the Fox, Ald. Kathy Groat said, but Friends president Doug Dobbe said the organization is not in a position to make funding commitments at this time.
“Everything is starting to come to a head with the Fox River navigational system,” Dobbe said. “If things start in Appleton with renovating the locks, we need those two lift bridges repaired or replaced. You can’t have 14 locks working with those two bridges not working.”
Dobbe said Friends of the Fox, which has a representative on the Riverfront Action Committee, would be willing to discuss alternative strategies for funding the bridge replacements.
Vandehey said the city in 2002 completed repairs on the bridges to keep them safe for traffic in the short term. Major repairs are needed in the next three to five years if the bridges are to remain safe for traffic.
Replacing the bridges would be done before or after the planned replacement of the College Avenue bridge in 2008-09, Vandehey said.
“We are targeting getting them replaced before the College Avenue bridge is rebuilt,” she said.
Vandehey said the state Department of Transportation has included the bridge replacement in its 2005-08 state-local bridge funding program, but only at a level of $2.9 million instead of $3.2 million. The lower figure was based on preliminary cost estimates by the city to replace the bridges.
Vandehey said she is working with the DOT to secure the additional $300,000. Once alternative funding sources are found, the city would pursue a project agreement with the DOT, she said.
That agreement could come before the council for approval early in 2005.
Vandehey said construction on the replacement bridges could begin as early as January 2006.
Construction would take about two years.
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Location: Neenah, WI | If You belong to a fishing/conservation type of club, this topic should be brought up for discussion. We have to fight the reopening of the locks until they give up!!! Don't just sit back and wait for the other guy to do it. With all the exotics introduced to the Great Lakes lately, we need to keep the Winnebago system isolated. The only way to do that is to keep the locks closed. |
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| It seems like they think if they build everything up and get it ready they will just be able to open them up with no resistance. The argument will be but we spent all this money to repair the locks and build new bridges so we have to open them now. Call me pessimistic but I think it will be very difficult to succesfully fight this one because of the politicians that are behind it fully. |
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| i thought they were opening all but one, therefore isolating gb? it's too late to fight this one i believe! |
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Location: Neenah, WI | I don't think it's too late. The plan is to keep the Rapide Croche lock sealed and use some kind of lift to move boats over it. The thought of a low paid, apathetic crew operating this lift is scary. The proponents of this idea claim that the boats would be sanitized to keep exotics from spreading. The process of cleaning the hull and bilge of a large boat is pretty involved. Can these people gaurantee that this will be done every time? I think not. The entire Winnebago system is too valuable of a resource to put at risk so that a few boaters can go to the Great Lakes and beyond. There are plenty of marinas with space avaiable downriver and on Lake Michigan.
I think now is the time for fishing/conservation clubs and, yes, websites to voice their concerns over this before it really is too late.
Dale Frank
Neenah, WI |
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Location: Menasha, WI | Dale,
Has this been formally discussed at Payne's Point Hook & Spear Club? Is the club willing to draw up petition of some sort? If so, I'll sign it! |
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Location: Neenah, WI | We've discussed this at the Payne's Point Hook and Spear club in the past. I intend to bring this up at our next meeting on Sept. 20. Our last newsletter had an incorrect date. IMHO it's beyond the petition stage. I know that the Otter Street club is against the reopening and I would think that the Walleye and Sturgeon folks are against it too.
Give me a couple of days to find out what I can. Perhaps I can help to line up a speaker (but it's short notice for 9/20).
Members and non members are welcome at our meetings.
1934 Cty Rd. A
Neenah, WI.
7:00 PM
Viking- Thanks for the response. I heard the fishing is pretty good on Winnebago but I haven't had the chance to get out. I hope to this weekend. I know that school is just getting started but I promised you a trip. Call me and we'll try to pick a date to get out. |
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Location: Menasha, WI | Sounds great Dale. If nothing else, I'll probably see you at the Sept meeting. |
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Location: Menasha, WI | Now what? How do we keep them closed? Does this affect the guide license nonsense on 'Bago?
Wisconsin now owns Fox River locks system
22-year ordeal put to rest with official transfer
By Steve Wideman
Post-Crescent staff writer
APPLETON — Gov. Jim Doyle officially accepted state ownership of the 132-year-old Fox River locks system from the Department of the Army during a ceremony Friday at J restaurant.
The transfer ends a 22-year struggle to keep the locks system from being permanently sealed, but begins a new effort to turn the Fox River between Menasha and Green Bay into a recreation and economic development corridor.
“This is the day we’ve waited many years for,” said Ron Van De Hey, chairman of the Fox River Management Authority, which will oversee restoration and operation of the 17-lock system.
The transfer came after the state Building Commission, meeting at the riverfront restaurant, voted 7-0 to accept ownership of 17 locks and 140 acres of land along 39 miles of the Fox River.
“Today’s transfer ensures the locks will be an important part not only of Wisconsin’s past, but of Wisconsin’s future,” Doyle, the commission chairman, said. “It’s taken 20 years to get to this point, but we have a long way to go.”
Immediately following the transfer signing, the authority met and voted 9-0 to enter into a 30-year lease with the State Building Commission, giving the local group management responsibilities over the system.
The authority will pay $1 annually to lease the system and use a portion of the interest from $11.8 million in federal funds presented to the state on Friday for operation of the locks.
The $11.8 million check, presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, must be set aside to fund potential closure of locks, Van De Hey said, although closure is not envisioned.
Van De Hey said the Corps pledged an additional $5.5 million in federal matching funds to be used for actual restoration of the locks, beginning with four locks in Appleton. The state will also provide $2.75 million for restoration work.
The state and federal funding requires a local match of $2.75 million, of which $1.4 million has been raised, Van De Hey said.
Van De Hey said the Appleton locks should be operational by 2008. Three locks are already operational, while the Rapide Croche lock near Wrightstown will remain sealed as a barrier to sea lamprey and other exotic species.
Leroy “Skip” Zacher of Oshkosh, a boating enthusiast who traveled through the locks 15 times before they were closed in the 1980s, said he looks forward to them reopening.
“It’s a very historic and scenic trip,” Zacher said of the section of waterway closed off with gates in which vessels in transit are raised or lowered by raising or lowering the water level of that section.
A delegation of state congressional leaders, headed by U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac, who personally fought for more than two decades to preserve the locks, attended Friday’s ceremonies.
“Many of us have fought to save the locks from the moment in the early 1980s when the Corps of Engineers started planning to shut them down,” Petri said. “Nobody said it would be easy, but after 20 years of effort, we’re finally restoring the locks to the stature they deserve as an historical treasure important to Wisconsin’s quality of life, and with significant tourist potential.”
A 140-mile stretch of the upper and lower Fox Rivers from Portage to Green Bay is eyed for development as the Fox River State Heritage Parkway, featuring cultural and historical attractions, parks and other significant open spaces along the river.
Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna said the transfer will provide a boost to economic development and tourism.
“This will open the river to more visitors from outside the area … The river will become another gateway to Appleton,” Hanna said. “On a regional basis, the Heritage Parkway will attract attention not only from people in Wisconsin, but from all over the country. This is something unique in the United States.”
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| This Petri guy needs to be removed from office!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NUFF SAID
Good Luck
Tyee |
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Location: Neenah, WI | I have no idea what Petri and all of these "Locks Lovers" think with. It sure can't be the brains they were born with. These people have millions of bucks to throw around.
At the Payne's Point Hook and Spear club tomorrow night I'll speak about a plan I'm starting, to form an alliance of fishing/conservation clubs against the reopening of the Fox Locks. I think the time has come for us to stand up and let the public know our side of this. The Winnebago System is too much of a valuable resource to gamble with. I'm not a fundraiser type of person and I don't intend to be. I just want conservation and outdoor enthusiasts to come together and make a stand. I urge all of you to get the adresses of your clubs to me on this thread. Let's get together and get our opinions out in the public eye. I want some answers and I'm sure you do too.
Dale Frank |
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| ttt
I thought I would bring back our conversation from a year ago since there is a thread on the General Discussion about it also.
We are getting hosed big time. |
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