Coast Guard Permits ‘Race The Joe’

Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter announced today that wildlife concerns had been addressed and the U.S. Coast Guard has issued a permit for the second annual “Race the Joe!” jet boat race on northern Idaho’s St. Joe River. The race is scheduled for May 17-19 near St. Maries. The event was threatened when the Coast Guard announced early last week that it needed to conduct an environmental analysis of the race’s impact on protected bald eagles and bull trout. The analysis would have taken too long for the race to go on as scheduled. Commander Eric Belleque, chief of external affairs for Coast Guard District 13, said a marine permit for the Race the Joe! event was issued today/ Mark Warbis , Governor’s Office news release. More here.

Question: Did the Coast Guard make the right decision, in the end?