Our Home, Our Choice – No National Park Redesignation - H.R. 9111 Opposition

H.R. 9111, introduced by Congressman Tom Tiffany, proposes to redesignate the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore as the Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve. This proposal has been met with strong and consistent opposition from Bayfield County, the City of Bayfield, and many local residents who would be directly impacted by such a change.

Bayfield County passed resolution 2024-100 opposing H.R. 9111, citing the complete lack of a public process. No public meetings have been held, no impact studies have been conducted, no coordination with local governments or tribal nations has taken place, and many questions raised by the Red Cliff Tribal Council remain unanswered. The City of Bayfield also passed Resolution No. 621, echoing these concerns and highlighting staffing shortages due to an ongoing housing crisis.

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore already welcomes over a quarter million visitors annually, not including Bayfield Apple Festival attendees, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest visitors, and seasonal residents who return each summer. Our local services—emergency responders, fire departments, and law enforcement—are already stretched dangerously thin, relying heavily on volunteers. Increased visitation would only worsen this strain, yet the proposal includes no provision for federal support.

Local businesses are also experiencing severe staffing shortages caused by a lack of available and affordable housing, worsened by the growth of short-term rentals. Adding more visitors without addressing these fundamental challenges means restaurants, hotels, and essential services cannot keep pace, eroding the visitor experience while harming the community.

Furthermore, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore already faces a $66 million maintenance backlog. The National Park Service is dealing with deep budget cuts nationwide, making it unrealistic to expect additional funding or improved conditions through redesignation. Environmental experts, including members of Wisconsin Green Fire, warn that over-tourism is already damaging fragile ecosystems and water quality in the area.

Parties from both the City of Washburn and the Red Cliff Tribal Council have made public statements emphasizing that they cannot take a position of support without a formal study of the impacts and without clear answers to the many questions surrounding this proposal. A primary concern is the potential for violations of treaty-reserved rights and threats to tribal sovereignty. The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has reserved rights, guaranteed under long-standing treaties, to hunt, fish, and gather on ceded territory. No meaningful communication or assurances have been provided to demonstrate that these rights will remain protected under redesignation. The lack of consultation with tribal nations on a matter that directly affects their sovereignty is unacceptable.

Despite these concerns, Congressman Tiffany has pointed to support from officials outside of Bayfield County, including the Mayor of Hayward and the Superior/Douglas County Chamber of Commerce. These communities are more than 70 miles away and will not bear the consequences of over-tourism in Bayfield County. The communities of people who live, work, and raise families here should be the ones who decide what is best for our community and our waters.