Recreational Trails Program, 2012

February 15: A broad coalition of trails groups is defending trails funding in federal legislation now being considered in the House and Senate. The Coalition for Recreational Trails is opposing a Senate bill, which would eliminate trails funding altogether.  Click here for more info and quick response form to your Senators provided by Rails-to-Trails. . The coalition also opposes H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012. Click here for more info and quick response form to your Representative provided by Rails-to-Trails.

February 9: Both the House and Senate committees have passed bills that either eliminate or seriously decrease funding for Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and Recreational Trails. While the House bill funds RTP at $85, the Senate bill (MAP-21) cuts funding for all three programs dramatically. These bills may come to floor votes within the week. We urge trail supporters to restore dedicated funding for the Recreational Trails, Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails programs. Write your own letter or consider using these links:

Rails-to Trails letter campaign

American Trails RTP info page

February 2: By a vote of 27-29, the House Transportation & Infrastructure defeated an amendment to the transporation reauthorization bill that would have restored rail trails eligibility for funding.

February 1, 2012: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy reports that the bill being considered by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee would preserve funding for the RTP at $85 million for each of the next four years, but singles out for complete or severe cuts  programs that support rail trails and other initiatives.

The Safe Routes to School program would be eliminated along with dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements. Eligibility for preserving abandoned railway corridors, including trail conversion, is specifically eliminated.

The 2012 proposed bill:

• Ends all dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements
• Eliminates eligibility for rail trails and rail corridor preservation
• Eliminates eligibility for historic projects, including canal corridors and railroad facilities
• Cuts out the Safe Routes to School programs and staff
• Allows states to build bridges without accommodating pedestrians and bicycles
• Stops funding for bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs 

See bill analysis by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

January 30, 2012: TRAILS FUNDING AT RISK

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's "Transportation Reauthorization Proposal," like the Senate bill announced in November, proposes to eliminate the requirement for federal set-aside for programs that have provided the majority of trail, walking, and bicycling funding in the United States.

When introduced, the House bill will be designated as, "The American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act." This bill could be voted on by the Committee this week:

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Markup of "The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act"

Thursday, February 2, 2012; 9:00 a.m. EASTERN
2167 Rayburn House Office Building

Attend the live webcast of the markup at transportation.house.gov.

Learn more at American Trails.