This bill, called the Appalachian Trail Centennial Act, updates how national historic trails and national scenic trails are managed. It emphasizes cooperative management with volunteers, tribes, states, nongovernmental groups, and Federal agencies. The bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to name the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as the Designated Operational Partner for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail within one year. It also allows the Secretary or Secretary of Agriculture to designate other nonprofit partners for other covered trails.
The bill defines roles for administration, management, and operation of trails, and it encourages long-term cooperative agreements (up to 20 years) between Federal trail administrators and volunteer organizations to delegate or share operational duties. Designated Operational Partners must prepare proposed priority lists for land and resource protection and may request Federal investigation and enforcement when alleged trespass or violations affect trail resources. The bill allows Federal agencies to transfer surplus personal property to designated partners for trail use and clarifies that covered trails are eligible for various Federal funds, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The bill requires the relevant Secretaries to determine visitor capacity by specific trail segments, to identify methods to measure economic impacts on nearby communities, and to deliver reports to Congress about planning, development, and visitor use. It also directs rulemaking for processes such as addenda to comprehensive plans and a fee collection/distribution system for permits and fees on areas traversed by covered trails.
The bill authorizes appropriations for planning, studies, reports, land acquisition, construction, and development for covered trails for fiscal years 2026 through 2031. The text uses the phrase "such sums as are necessary" and does not list specific dollar amounts. No specific cost estimates are provided in the bill text.
According to the bill text, supporters view national historic and scenic trails as landscape conservation tools best managed through partnerships, volunteer work, and community engagement. The bill emphasizes that the Appalachian Trail and its volunteer clubs are a model of cooperative management and that the trail conservancy's centennial is an opportunity to strengthen and replicate that partnership approach across the National Trails System.
No publicly available information.