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119-hr-5134119th Congress

Appalachian Trail Centennial Act

Sponsored By: Representative Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would establish a federal framework for cooperative management of national historic and scenic trails. It centers a new Designated Operational Partner role and would require the Secretary to designate the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as the Appalachian Trail's partner within 1 year of enactment.

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  • Volunteers and nonprofit partners: Recognizes volunteer organizations, including Appalachian Trail Maintaining Clubs, as essential for planning, construction, maintenance, and stewardship. It authorizes nonprofits and volunteers to perform non-inherently governmental operational roles and notes the role of tens of thousands of volunteers.
  • Federal agencies and staff: Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to prioritize broad partnerships and community engagement and permits cooperative management agreements up to 20 years. It narrows the application of certain federal labor and administrative rules to allow more flexible partnership arrangements.
  • Communities, landowners, and trail users: Requires Designated Operational Partners to develop priority lists for land and resource protection and authorizes federal funds to acquire parcels on those lists. It allows transfer of surplus federal property to partners under strict limits and says visitor capacity must be set by specific trail segments rather than the whole trail.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Appalachian Trail leader and land protections

If enacted, the Secretary would name the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as the lead operational partner within 1 year. That partner could receive federal funds without competition if it meets listed standards, and the Secretary could remove it if it stops meeting them. The partner would submit land‑protection priority lists, and the Secretary should favor listed parcels for federal funding unless other laws or plans say otherwise. The partner could ask for trespass enforcement; the Secretary must assess in 60 days and the U.S. Attorney must decide in 150 days, and a court could award the partner its fees.

Clear status and rules for trails

If enacted, the bill would define trail "operations" to include planning, building, maintenance, services, research, and volunteer training done under cooperative agreements, without taking over a land manager’s authority. It would also make each covered trail an official unit of the National Trails System and of the federal area assigned, clarifying how they are managed.

Funding and planning for national trails

If enacted, the government would be able to spend "such sums as are necessary" from fiscal years 2026–2031 to study visitor capacity, measure economic effects, and buy or build trail lands and facilities. Congress would set the exact amounts later. It would also require one report and economic methods within 3 years, a second report within 5 years, and updates at least every 5 years. Work would be done with nearby communities, Tribes, land managers, and trail partners.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]

VA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 9/4/2025

  • Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 1/7/2026

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 1/7/2026

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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