16 U.S.C. § 583k: Findings

Summary

Notes that the National Forest System has over 157,000 miles of trails used for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain biking, motorized use, and other outdoor activities. The Forest Service can maintain only about one-quarter of those trails and faces a $314 million maintenance backlog plus $210 million in yearly needs. Poor upkeep risks access, the environment, and safety, so volunteers, partners, outfitters, and guides must be used more effectively.

Title 16, §583k

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Congress finds as follows:

(1)The National Forest System features a world-class trail system with over 157,000 miles of trails that provide world-class opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain bicycling, motorized vehicles, and other outdoor activities.

(2)According to the Government Accountability Office, the Forest Service is only able to maintain about one-quarter of National Forest System trails to the agency standard, and the agency faces a trail maintenance backlog of $314 million, and an additional backlog of $210 million in annual maintenance, capital improvements, and operations.

(3)The lack of maintenance on National Forest System trails threatens access to public lands, and may cause increased environmental damage, threaten public safety, and increase future maintenance costs.

(4)Federal budget limitations require solutions to National Forest System trail maintenance issues that make more efficient use of existing resources.

(5)Volunteers, partners, and outfitters and guides play an important role in maintaining National Forest System trails, and a comprehensive strategy is needed to ensure that volunteers and partners are used as effectively as possible.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Pub. L. 114–245, § 1(a), Nov. 28, 2016, 130 Stat. 990, provided that: “This Act [enacting this subchapter and amending section 558c of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act’.”

§583k Findings

Summary

Title 16, §583k

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Citations & Metadata