On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the House of Representatives passed S.47, the massive public lands bill, officially termed the “Natural Resources Management Act.” The Senate had previously passed it on Feb. 12. Section 2503 instructs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to help install ADT trail signs on federal lands.
The House considered this bill under a special legislative provision designed to move non-controversial bills bills faster, called “suspension of the rules.” Time for debate is limited, and no amendments are allowed, but the bill has to pass by at least a 2/3 majority. Our bill, S.47, easily passed this bar, with a vote of 363 for and only 62 against. Now we are one step away from becoming public law – President Trump needs to sign the bill! He’s busy with a summit in Hanoi, but there have been no hints that he opposes the bill, and his approval is expected.
New Missouri Coordinator
Please welcome Harold Draper as the Missouri Coordinator. Harold lives in Kansas City and is retired from FEMA. He is the president at Friends of Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge and on the board of the Kansas City Chapter of the Missouri Native Plant Society. When he lived in Mississippi, he co-founded a Natchez Trace Trail Conference to support the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, in Tennessee, he worked on trails in the Smokies. When he lived in Tallahassee, he was active in the local chapter of the Florida Trail Association. Harold’s interests include trails and parks, science, maps and geography.
New Sponsor: I Bike Kansas.com
We welcome our latest business partner, IBikeKansas.com
If you are interested in sponsoring the ADTS as a business partner check out all the details here – plans start at $50/year
On The Trail: Potomac Watershed Cleanup at Greenbelt Park
Join NPCA and the National Park Service on Saturday April 6, 2019 for the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. Park volunteers help keep our area of the Potomac River watershed clean.
Great Signage News For ADT Routes!
America’s first coast-to-coast trail could soon receive a huge upgrade, thanks to legislation that just passed the U.S. Senate. The Natural Resources Management Act of 2019 directs federal land managers to allow the American Discovery Trail Society to place signs marking the American Discovery Trail (ADT) on the lands they oversee.
The bill passed the Senate by 92 votes to 8 on February 12th and now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
“The American Discovery Trail Society is thrilled that the Senate has passed this bipartisan bill,” said ADT Society congressional liaison Peter Schoettle. “We laud the leadership and assistance of Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia for sponsoring the section of the act regarding ADT signage.”
The Act directs the Secretary of the Interior, overseeing the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management, and the Secretary of Agriculture, overseeing the U.S. Forest Service, to “place signage on the federal land.”
Placing signage marking the American Discovery Trail will help thousands of hikers and bikers find the route, from Cape Henlopen in Delaware on the Atlantic to Point Reyes in California on the Pacific. Previous National Park Service policy allowed each park superintendent to decide on their own whether to allow signs. Some did; others didn’t.
Allowing trail markers, paid for by the American Discovery Trail Society, is a common sense, safety issue. Proper signs help trail users to avoid getting lost. Staying on the trail can be a life and death issue, particularly in vast desert and mountain stretches out West.
“I’m pleased this provision will expand access to the American Discovery Trail, which connects trails from coast to coast, giving more Americans the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while supporting tourism and economic development for local parks and communities. This will expand recreational opportunities and improve quality of life in our state and around the country. We commend the American Discovery Trail Society for their dedication in pushing this provision forward, and we hope to see it signed into law soon.”
Senator Chris Coons, Delaware.
The American Discovery Trail is the nation’s only coast to coast, non-motorized trail connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It provides the backbone of the national trail system, linking numerous other national scenic and national historic national trails, and countless state and local recreational trails in one national system. It facilitates countless Americans enjoying nature and the outdoors not only in remote wilderness locales, or national parks and forests, but also in numerous cities and urban environments.
On The Trail: Nebraska Wear Yellow Night on the Wabash
Thu Apr 25 2019, 05:00 pm to 08:00 pm
The Wear Yellow Nebraska crew is hitting the Wabash Trace Nature Trail on a Thursday Taco Ride to promote the 16th Annual Wear Yellow Ride, Run & Walk!
Show us your yellow (shirt, jersey, hat, socks . . . you get the picture) and we’ll give you a fabulous prize! (until we run out!)
Encourage your friends to come out, learn about Wear Yellow Nebraska and sign up for our ride, run & walk!
Rain Location: In the event of inclement weather, our back-up location is DJ’s Dugout at Aksarben Village
On The Trail: Kennedy 50 Mile C&O Canal Walk
The 6th annual reprise of John F Kennedy’s 1963 walk on the C&O Canal, part of the American Discovery Trail. We got very late notice of this but since it is an annual event posted it anyway.
https://www.kennedy50.org/
On The Trail: Nebraska St. Patrick’s Day Run & Ride
Saturday March 16th, 2019, Johnson Lake, Nebraska
A 10.5 mile race on the Johnson Lake Trail which is part of the ADT, this event has raised over $30,000 for the Johnson Lake Trail system in the past 5 years!
Looks like great fun!
New Sponsor: FLTGear
We welcome our latest business partner FLTGear.com – online rental of bicycle touring equipment.
“Gear up and ride. Here at FLTGear we want every bicycle tourist, whether first time or veteran, to have an awesome trip. Let us help you prepare for that next adventure.”
If you are interested in sponsoring the ADTS as a business partner check out all the details here – plans start at $50/year
Featured Article: What SAR Wants You To Know by Nancy East
Nancy East is a Search and Rescue team member in North Carolina.
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