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BOB KELLEHER: Northeastern Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has always been unique among regions under protection of The Federal Wilderness Act. A 1978 compromise preserved some use of motorboats within the wilderness area. But a court ruled in 1993, the deal didn't necessarily cover trucks in the wilderness.

Now, language inserted into the Transportation Bill by Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar directs the Forest Service to allow trucks back on two of the four portages, where trucks traditionally carried anglers boats to prime fishing lakes. But language in the bill is terse, providing little detail, which might leave wiggle room for interpretation. Superior National Forest spokesman Mark Van Every in Duluth says that so far it's unclear, exactly, how the bill directs the Forest Service to go about reopening the Trout Lake and Prairie portages

MARK VAN EVERY: When the bill is signed into law, Of course, we want to look at the language from the committee reports to see if there's any specific instructions on how we should proceed, and then we would, at that point, develop criteria for a new permit and what kinds of operations would be permitted, which in this case could include motorized vehicles on the portages. And then we would put together a bid package. We would send that out to any interested party and give them an opportunity to submit a proposal.

BOB KELLEHER: Language in the Transportation Bill rewrites a 1978 compromise measure to say that nothing in the act shall be construed to prevent the operation of motorized vehicles to transport boats across the two portages. But it doesn't say motor vehicles have to be used for that purpose. Another line alters The 1978 Act to take motor boats off to small lakes in the Eastern boundary waters, which fulfills a compromise reached between Oberstar and Congressman Bruce Vento to reopen mechanized portages.

A non-motorized portage service now operates on Prairie Portage, between the Moose Lake Chain and Basswood Lake using people to pull a boat trailer down the narrow forest path. Mark Van Every says the Forest Service will have to determine whether those who offer a non-motorized service will be allowed to compete for a vendor's permit with those who intend to put trucks on the portages, and the Forest Service will have to consider whether to place constraints on trucks, such as limits on noise or air emissions.

MARK VAN EVERY: There isn't anything that tends to indicate that would be a requirement in the act. But we'll be looking at-- there may be some restrictions in terms of width of vehicles and that kind of stuff just because of what the portage is physically capable of accommodating. But there's an opportunity to look at all those issues and determine what the best criteria. And probably, those are things that we'll take a look at in terms of the proposals, and it will be some of the factors. But again, I don't know at this point what all those criteria are going to be.

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BOB KELLEHER: Former truck path at Prairie Portage has been unused for several years, with boats now muscled across a shorter stretch between lakes. However, the older portage would have to be reopened to provide adequate space to operate trucks. And just getting trucks to the portage could be difficult.

MARK VAN EVERY: How do we get the vehicle up there in the spring? Where's it stored on site? Fuel is another issue. What kind of condition is the old portage that trucks used to use in, and what kind of improvements are necessary for that? Who's responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the portage during use? All those things are issues that are going to need to be addressed in the permit.

BOB KELLEHER: Also, a permit may not be granted to the highest bidder. The Forest Service is likely to take into account a vendor's experience, financial history, and the price charged users. And it's possible no one will bid for a permit to put trucks on Trout Lake portage. Far fewer boaters crossed that portage each year than on the more lucrative Prairie Portage to Basswood Lake.

Bob LaTourell has held a permit to pull trucks over Prairie Portage for two decades. He earned the moniker "Jeep" LaTourell for the vehicle he once used to tow the boats, which are now lugged manually by employees. LaTourell says it's too early to speculate whether he'll apply for a mechanized permit on the portage. He'll wait to see what requirements might be placed on a permit holder.

A spokesperson for Congressman Jim Oberstar says meetings may be scheduled over the next few weeks to determine exactly how the portages will return to mechanized status. Mary Kerr says it's still under consideration whether committee report language will be used to clarify the ways portages are to be managed for mechanization. In Duluth, I'm Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio.