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Residents urge DNR and borough to block or limit "fat truck" tours over 2 Rivers trail system
Summary
Neighbors in the 2 Rivers area told the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly they oppose a proposed DNR permit for large "fat truck" tour vehicles, citing alleged misstatements in the application about vehicle size/weight, potential river crossings, risks to juvenile king salmon habitat and conflicts with mushers, hikers and other trail users.
A series of residents from 2 Rivers and adjacent neighborhoods used the Sept. 25 Assembly meeting to press concerns about a public-use permit filed with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (LAS35688, ArcticCatTrucksTours LLC) proposing year-round "fat truck" tours on local trails. Multiple commenters described the vehicles as larger and heavier than the applicant stated, said the proposed traffic levels would strain narrow winter trails, and raised environmental and safety concerns.
Amanda Brooks, a 2 Rivers resident representing neighborhood concerns, listed five specific issues: she alleged the applicant misrepresented vehicle width (stating 68 inches in the application vs. a measured 100 inches) and vehicle weight (stating 3,500 pounds vs. an alleged 7,600 pounds), said proposed tour traffic would use narrow trail segments that cannot safely accommodate the vehicles, claimed planned crossings of sensitive stream channels (naming Aran Creek and Mullen Flue) that could harm the Chenow River watershed and juvenile salmon, and accused the applicant of misleading statements in a local newspaper about withdrawing the permit. Brooks said the community had invited the applicant to a public meeting and reported the applicant's outreach had been aggressive.
Other residents echoed those concerns. Patricia McCrary and Julia Kenyon described the trails as volunteer-maintained shared-use paths used by mushers, hunters, hikers and farmers and warned of noise, habitat damage and safety conflicts. Jeannie Olson described a potential toxic chemical concern (6-PPD quinone from tire treatments) that could threaten baby king salmon where vehicles cross waterways, and invited Assembly members to attend a community meeting scheduled the following evening.
No formal borough action on the DNR permit was taken at the meeting; speakers asked the Assembly to monitor the permit process and support community engagement with DNR. DNR representatives were not present in the Assembly testimony record. Several assembly members asked clarifying questions about ownership of the land, permitting authority (DNR), and whether the applicant had purchased local property; speakers said the applicant had recently closed escrow on property that touches state land and that DNR is the permitting authority.
The residents scheduled a public meeting in 2 Rivers the following evening and requested the Assembly and staff receive copies of community information and correspondence. The testimony provides detailed allegations about vehicle specifications and proposed crossings that DNR and the applicant would need to verify.
