Support the National Forest Service Trails Bill
On Thursday, July 16, the Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 (S.1110).
The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 EST on Thursday, July 16, in Washington DC.
The bill 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.
Support from recreational riders and trail users is especially important. Call your Senators and ask them to support the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 (S.1110) and to please co-sponsor this legislation.
You can reach your Senator through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121, or you can locate contact information for your senators here. Once connected to the Senator’s office, ask to speak to the staff person who handles public lands issues.
Call them today and tell them:
- You support Senate Bill 1110, the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 and it is important to trail riders and all recreational trail users in your state.
- The Forest Service has deferred trail maintenance needs that exceed half-billion dollars. This maintenance backlog is causing access and safety issues for equestrians and all trail users on national forests.
- S. 1110 will direct the Forest Service to develop a strategy to more effectively utilize volunteers and partners to assist in maintaining national forest trails and identify and prioritize specific areas with the greatest need for trail maintenance in the national forest system.
- This bill will help improve trail maintenance without adding to the federal budget deficit.
- The bill is bi-partisan and supported by a wide range of recreational users of public land.
- Please support and co-sponsor this important legislation.
Background
Groups such as the Back Country Horsemen of America, the American Horse Council and The Wilderness Society have been working diligently to persuade Congress to move forward on the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act. In the House of Representatives the bill’s number is H.R. 845. Earlier calls and letters have been effective, as the bill now has 52 co-sponsors in the House!
The Forest Trails bill was introduced in the Senate in late April. It was forwarded to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, whose membership is listed here.
It’s critical you call your senators prior to Thursday.
Additional information regarding the bill can be found on BCHA’s website (click here for more). Thank you for taking action to support forest trails!
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Equine Land Conservation Resource
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