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119-hr-4924119th CongressWALLET

Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act

Sponsored By: Representative Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]

Introduced

Summary

Protects landowners' rights in temporary rail-to-trail conversions. This bill would impose new notice, payment, maintenance, and transparency rules for interim recreational use of abandoned railroad rights-of-way to balance property rights, safety, and community impacts.

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  • Landowners: Requires signed owner approvals within 30 days of intervention and payment at fair market value for costs from interim use, including moving infrastructure and lost development opportunities.
  • State, local governments, and private trail sponsors: Must provide financial assurances, pay for a mandated cost-benefit analysis, run a 90-day public notice and comment period, and maintain the right-of-way in perpetuity or until rail service returns.
  • Public oversight and rail interests: Creates an online public portal, mandates periodic Board reviews of corridors, and directs the Interior Department to form an 11-member advisory committee that must report maintenance recommendations to Congress within 2 years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Landowner approval and payments for rail-trails

If you own land crossed by or next to a railroad right-of-way, a trail sponsor would need your signed approval. They would have to get it within 30 days after they intervene in an abandonment case and notify you and your local government. The agreement would have to pay you at least fair market value for added costs, including moving infrastructure and lost development chances. The sponsor would have to show the Surface Transportation Board it can cover these payments and keep up all right-of-way maintenance forever or until trains return. Key facts, legal status, approvals, and payment assurances would be posted on a public online portal. These rules would take effect when enacted.

More review before rail-trail approvals

Before approving interim trail use, the Surface Transportation Board would post public notice and take comments for at least 90 days. This would happen after landowner approvals. The Board would review easement width and consider narrowing it if full width is not needed for possible rail return. It would finish a cost-benefit study within 10 days after the comment period, covering safety, health, privacy, security, local economic effects, and rail-return chances. Trail sponsors would pay review costs, and the Board could not spend until funds are provided; it could hire an independent reviewer. The Board would also review corridors over time and report maintenance needs to Congress. These rules would take effect when enacted.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]

MO • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 8/8/2025

  • Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 8/8/2025

  • Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 8/8/2025

  • Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 8/8/2025

  • Rep. Onder, Robert F. [R-MO-3]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 8/8/2025

  • Rep. McDowell, Addison P. [R-NC-6]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 9/15/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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