[at-l] OT: Rail Trail funding in Jeopardy

[papabear.nyc at verizon.net (Papa Bear)]

To AT-L

Anyone who knows me knows that I seldom or never get involved in off-topic or political issues on this list.

However at this time I feel I must let the AT and hiking community know of a very dangerous situation which jeopardizes the federal program which helps fund the construction of bike paths and hiking paths along abandoned railroad beds.

Although the funding for this is through the transportation department, this program is in many ways akin to the government's support of the National Scenic Trails: the AT, PCT, CDT, etc. through the Parks Department and Forest Service.

I have worked for nearly 20 years with the Rails to Trails Conservancy and have seen the miles of rail trails increase to over 20,000 in that period.  There is almost universal approval of these trails once built, although there is sometimes opposition from land owners initially who fear crime, an influx of visitors, etc.  This is very much the same story as the fight for protection of the scenic trails.  And remember, many or most of these corridors were given to the railroads over a hundred years ago for the purpose of promoting transportation.  It's not a major mental step to consider recreational transportation as a modern day inheritor of this use, now that many commercial railroads are in decline.

Please read the information and get involved. Do something, call or write your congressman or senator or the President.

http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/policy/tea21b.asp

Thanks
Pb

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