Recreational Trails Program

House bill would reauthorize the Recreational Trails Program.

The American Horse Council
February 7, 2012

According to the American Horse Council, a bill recently approved by a U.S. House of Representatives committee would reauthorize and provide funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

According to the American Horse Council, a bill recently approved by a U.S. House of Representatives committee would reauthorize and provide funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which benefits trail riders and all recreational trail users.

On February 2, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012, its version of a national highway bill. This bill would reauthorize the Federal Highway Administration’s RTP for five years and allocate $85 million in annual funding for the program. The American Horse Council is pleased the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recognized the importance of RTP and included it in the bill.

Since its inception, RTP has provided money for thousands of state and local trail projects across the country, including many that benefit equestrians. RTP provides funding directly to states for recreational trails and trail-related facilities for all recreational trail users. It is funded with a portion of the gas taxes paid into the Highway Trust Fund by recreational off-highway vehicle users.

The current national highway bill, SAFETEA-LU, which authorizes the RTP, was set to expire in September of 2009. However, because Congress has yet to pass a new highway bill, it has been forced to extend the current law several times, most recently until March 31, 2012.

In November, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee marked up its version of a multi-year national highway bill, called MAP-21. MAP-21 would also reauthorize RTP; however it would make major changes to RTP by removing dedicated funding for the program and consolidating it with several other programs. The American Horse Council does not support the changes the Senate bill would make to RTP because they would effectively end the program in many states.

AHC, in conjunction with a broad coalition of recreational trail users, has been asking Congress to re-authorize the RTP in its current form in the next highway bill as a separate distinct program with dedicated funding.

AQHA is a member of AHC, which represents all segments of our diverse horse industry in Washington, D.C. AHC is urging its member organizations and their membership to contact the Senate and voice support for this program and let your representatives in Congress know this program is important to the horse community.

To learn more, visit www.horsecouncil.org.