PDF Model of Letter and Chart of Trails Initiatives
September 15, 2025
Letter for the Document: Home Pure Sources Committee, Federal Lands Subcommittee Listening to: The Nice American Outdoor Act: Modernizing and Sustaining Nationwide Parks to Rejoice America’s 250th Birthday
Committee Chairman Westerman, Subcommittee Chairman Tiffany, Subcommittee Rating Member Neguse and Members of the Federal Lands Subcommittee,
On behalf of American Mountain climbing Society (AHS) and the 63 million robust mountain climbing group we write in help of the extension of the Nice American Outdoor Act Nationwide Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and the influence it has had in enhancing outside recreation and public lands entry for hikers throughout the nation.
We strongly help the committee’s work to increase the LRF and stay up for working with the committee to totally understand the fund’s supposed influence in addressing deferred upkeep wants throughout federally managed public lands.
Trails, Path Bridges, and Path Associated Initiatives Have Benefitted from the LRF and Addressed Deferred Upkeep
Between 2021 and 2025, at the very least 558 path, path bridge, and path associated deferred upkeep initiatives have or will probably be funded via LRF throughout the Forest Service, BLM, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Nationwide Park Service.[1] Attachment 1 gives a whole checklist of path and path associated initiatives based mostly on accessible info from the Division of the Inside and the U.S. Forest Service.
This contains 32 initiatives throughout DOI websites totaling $286.623M and 526 Forest Service initiatives. These path initiatives and different initiatives influence the person expertise and instantly profit hikers and different path customers by making certain our public land stays open and accessible for all to make use of. Many of those initiatives are supported and accomplished by companions and volunteers that leverage the funding offered via the LRF, maximizing the influence of the fund.
Particular recognition is warranted for the Forest Service of their strategy to implementation of the LRF and the general public outreach and partnership efforts undertaken to attain the fund’s targets to deal with deferred upkeep.[2] By means of strong public engagement, transparency within the choice of initiatives, and strong mission partnerships, the Forest Service is a shining instance of learn how to maximize the restricted funds accessible via the LRF to generate the largest influence.
Company Allocation of Legacy Restoration Fund in Reauthorization
American Mountain climbing Society helps a reexamination and allocation of the proportionality of the Legacy Restoration Fund to every land administration company based mostly on every company’s precise deferred upkeep backlog. We echo the suggestions of the Appalachian Path Conservancy and others that extending the LRF gives the chance to regulate these allocations so they’re extra according to every businesses’ share of the entire backlog, reflecting the truth that every of them present necessary companies to the American folks, in numerous geographical areas, with totally different leisure experiences, with separate legislative necessities and practical wants.
Particularly for the Forest Service, a reallocation making certain that the USFS receives 21% extra intently aligns with precise burdens.
Guaranteeing all parts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can entry the Legacy Restoration Fund
As enacted, the Nice American Outdoor Act Legacy Restoration Fund identifies the USA Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a beneficiary of LRF funding, nevertheless the statutory textual content in explicitly referencing the Nationwide Wildlife Refuge System inadvertently excludes the Nationwide Fish Hatchery System thereby prohibiting FWS from addressing deferred upkeep wants at these websites which give comparable kinds of recreation and public lands entry because the Refuge System. We ask the committee to incorporate language to make clear that deferred upkeep funding for FWS via the LRF can embody the Nationwide Fish Hatchery System by including “and Nationwide Fish Hatchery System” following “within the Nationwide Wildlife Refuge System” to Sec. 200402(e)(1) of the legislation. The America the Stunning Act (S. 1547) launched within the Senate makes this technical correction as properly. American Mountain climbing Society helps this laws.
Elevated Annual Funding is Required to Absolutely Deal with Deferred Upkeep Backlog
Whereas not the purview of this committee it is very important notice that the annual upkeep wants of federal land managers outpaced annual appropriations funding ensuing within the continued development of deferred upkeep. Absolutely addressing deferred upkeep and stopping additional backlog development requires a congressional dedication to offering enough annual funding to federal land administration businesses.[3] 260 path and path associated organizations and entities have known as on congress to extend funding for our nation’s trails via the annual appropriations course of.
Sincerely,
Tyler Ray
Senior Director for Applications and Advocacy
[1] Knowledge pulled from Forest Service and DOI databases. https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/gaoa; https://www.doi.gov/gaoa-project-data.
[2] https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/gaoa/partnerships
[3] Public Witness Testimony from American Mountain climbing Society and 259 path organizations in help of strong funding for trails. https://americanhiking.org/american-hiking-and-259-organizations-support-fy26-trail-funding/
