Industry Info
Congress Passes National Forest Service
Trail Stewardship Act
The Senate has
passed the National
Forest Service Trail
Stewardship Act
(H.R.845/ S.1110).
This follows House
passage of the bill
earlier this fall. The
bill, introduced by
Representatives
Cynthia Lummis (RWY), Tim Walz (DMN) and Senators
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
and Michael Bennet
(D-CO), would direct the Forest Service to take several
actions to help address the current trail maintenance
backlog that is adversely impacting all trail users on
many National Forests, including equestrians.
“The AHC applauds Congressional passage of this
important legislation and would like to thank the bill’s
sponsors Representatives Lummis and Walz and Senators Enzi and Bennet for their leadership, We would
also like to thank Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson
(R-PA) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman
Pat Roberts(R-KS) for their help” said American Horse
Council President Julie Broadway. “The AHC has made
trails a priority and has been working with Backcountry Horsemen of America, the Wilderness Society and
many other recreational groups to advance this bill.”
“Many people have worked to achieve passage of this
bill over the last couple of years and this is an important
victory for equestrians and everyone who enjoys our
national forests” said Ben Pendergrass, AHC, Sr. VP,
Policy & Legislative Affairs. “National forest and trails
are important to thousands of recreational horseback
riders and are a vital component of the $32 billion recreation segment of the horse industry. This bill will help
make certain that equestrians and all trail users are able
to have access to and enjoy our national forest.”
“We need to provide more opportunities for Amer6 • Walking On
icans to experience their great outdoors, and this bill
will help do that. Keeping more trails open is a good
thing for anyone who cares about our public lands. We
applaud the Senate for passing this important legislation and thank Representatives Lummis and Walz and
Senators Enzi and Bennet for their commitment to
keeping America’s trails open,” said Paul Spitler, Director
of Wilderness Policy at The Wilderness Society.
“We are overjoyed that Congress recognized the need
to improve the condition of trails on our national forests. Public access to public lands provides many benefits, including enhanced tourism and a stronger local
and national economy. This bill will encourage more
volunteers and partners, like the Back Country Horsemen, to concentrate their energy toward reducing the
trail maintenance backlog. We applaud Representatives
Lummis and Walz and Senators Enzi and Bennet, “said
Donald Saner, chairman of the Back Country Horsemen
of America.
A June 2013, study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Forest Service has
deferred trail maintenance needs that exceed half-billion
dollars, and only one-quarter of the agency’s 158,000
miles of trails meets agency standards for maintenance.
This maintenance backlog is causing access and safety issues for equestrians and all trail users on national
forests.
The National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act
would direct the Forest Service to develop a strategy to
more effectively utilize volunteers and partners to assist
in maintaining national forest trails. It will also provide
outfitters and guides the ability to perform trail maintenance activities in lieu of permit fees. Additionally, the
bill would address a liability issue that has discouraged
some national forests from utilizing volunteers and partner organizations to help perform trail maintenance and
would direct the Forest Service to identify and prioritize
specific areas with the greatest need for trail maintenance in the national forest system.
President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law
in the near future.