[at-l] AHS Help Trails/Fund Forest Protection

[Snodrog5@xxxxxxx (Snodrog5@xxxxxxx)]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
I posted this to the wrong list the other day :O)
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Capitol Trails Broadcast for AHS Alliance Members & Partners, March 2003
Contents:
1) Help Fund Your Trails
2) Help Uphold Forest Protections
1) HELP FUND YOUR TRAILS
Contact your Congress Members right away to help increase funding for trails
and recreation in FY 2004.

In order for Americans to enjoy the outdoors, we need protected open spaces
and well-maintained trails and other recreation facilities. The federal land
management agencies require funding increases to enhance natural and cultur=
al
resource management and protection, improve visitor services, and strengthen
volunteer partnerships. Federal policy encouraging healthy lifestyles,
promoting volunteerism, and backing partnerships to protect and maintain our
public lands also prompt and support funding increases for trail and
recreation programs.

American Hiking recommends the following appropriations:

- $11 million for the seventeen national scenic and historic trails
administered by the National Park Service, plus $1.25 million for a
Geographic Information System network for the National Trails System.

- $15 million for the National Park Service=E2=80=99s Rivers, Trails, and
Conservation Assistance program.

- $320 million for Recreation Management, Heritage and Wilderness and $100
million for Capital Improvement and Maintenance for trails in the USDA Fore=
st
Service.

- $64 million for Recreation Management in the Bureau of Land Management.

The National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance
Program (RTCA) in particular needs your help. RTCA is a federal technical
assistance program that helps communities nationwide restore rivers, develop
trails and greenways, and preserve open spaces. Despite the program's
successes, funding has remained relatively stagnant for the last eight year=
s,
and the program can only assist half of all applicants. Last year, RTCA
helped develop more than 1,200 trail miles, protect more than 850 river
miles, and preserve almost 18,000 acres of open space. The Administration=
=E2=80=99s
budget includes a much needed $1.5 million increase for RTCA, but the progr=
am
needs a total of $15 million ($6.8 million increase) to put staff closer to
the people they serve and to better help communities meet local conservation
needs.

Every year, members of Congress submit "member request letters" - letters to
the Chair and Ranking Member of different appropriations subcommittees to
highlight funding needs in their personal district or state. Urge your
members of Congress to request increased funding for trails and recreation =
in
their member request letters. The deadlines for these letters are March 28 =
in
the Senate and April 2 in the House. Urge Congress to support these trail a=
nd
recreation programs that represent investments in both people and natural
resources, benefiting the environment, the economy, public health, and
communities. Call your members of Congress this week; or to write your
Representative and Senators directly via email, visit
http://www.americanhiking.org/policy/write.html adding a paragraph to
personalize your request.

2) HELP UPHOLD FOREST PROTECTIONS
By April 7, tell the Forest Service to uphold and not gut critical forest
protections. Last fall, the Bush Administration proposed forest planning
regulations that weaken environmental protections and reduce environmental
analyses in the forest planning process. The proposal dismantles regulations
implementing the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) - a landmark law
passed in 1976, which guides landscape level planning on our 155 national
forests. Given the fact that many forests throughout the nation will be
conducting a new round of forest plans in the near future, the environmental
and social impacts of this new proposed rule will be widespread.

The proposal essentially exempts (or "categorically excludes") the forest
planning process from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), the nation=E2=80=99s premier environmental law requiring federa=
l agencies
to review the consequences of proposed actions and to consider alternatives.
The proposal diminishes protections for wildlife; limits scientific review
and public involvement in forest management decisions; reduces the priority
of ecological values; downgrades protection of roadless areas; and presumes
national forests lands are generally suitable for commodity development (e.=
g=2E
grazing, mining, logging, etc.) and other environmentally damaging activiti=
es
such as off-road vehicle use.

America's national forests provide myriad opportunities for hiking and
backpacking. Clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty=E2=80=
=94all
valued pieces of the hiking experience=E2=80=94warrant strong environmental
safeguards that ensure the long-term conservation of forest ecosystems.

Urge the Bush Administration to withdraw these proposed NFMA regulation
rollbacks, explaining why forest protections are important to you and the
hiking experience.
The comment period was extended from March 6 to April 7. Submit comments to:
USDA FS Planning Rule
Content Analysis Team
PO Box 8359
Missoula, MT 59807

Email: planning_rule@fs.fed.us

Fax: (406) 329-3556
For more information visit http://www.wilderness.org/takeaction/.
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To call your Member of Congress:
US Capitol Switchboard
(202) 224-3121
To locate your Member on-line:
U=2ES. House of Representatives: <A HREF=3D"http://www.house.gov/";>www.hous=
e=2Egov</A>
U=2ES. Senate: <A HREF=3D"http://www.senate.gov/";>www.senate.gov</A>
White House: <A HREF=3D"http://www.whitehouse.gov/";>http://www.whitehouse.g=
ov/</A>
Library of Congress: <A HREF=3D"http://thomas.loc.gov/";>http://thomas.loc.g=
ov</A>
Comprehensive information about Congress, including legislation, committees,
and Member information. Also provides links to other judicial and
administrative branches as well as state and local governments.
-------------------------
Celina Montorfano
Director of Conservation Programs
American Hiking Society
1422 Fenwick Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301) 565-6704 x205
(301) 565-6714 (fax)
cmontorfano@AmericanHiking.org
http://www.AmericanHiking.org