Take the trail toward reauthorization for TEA-21: support the Recreational Trails Program

Parks & Recreation, March, 2004 by Richard J. Dolesh

As part of NRPA's national advocacy efforts for parks and recreation, NRPA participates in a number of national coalitions to advance its mission, namely "to promote parks, recreation, and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people." NRPA is a founding member of the Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), a consortium of about 30 national organizations in support of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The Recreational Trails Program is a nationwide assistance program of the Federal Highway Administration (FH WA) that makes grants to each of the states to construct new trails, and to maintain and restore existing trails on both public and private land.

The Recreational Trails Program was first authorized under the Inter-modal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991, and was reauthorized in 1998 under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21). The funds for the RTP are generated from a portion of the 18.4 cents of the federal fuel excise tax paid into the federal highway trust fund by the tax on fuel used by off-road light trucks, ATV's, off-road motorcycles and snowmobiles.

For the past four years, the RTP has distributed almost $50 million for recreational trail projects in every state. Each state administers its own program, and each has a State Trail Administrator, who is usually in a park or resource agency, and a State Recreational Trail Advisory Committee to assist the program.

The RTP funds up to 80 percent of recreational trail projects that may include new trail construction, maintenance and restoration of existing trails, purchase of trail maintenance equipment, acquisition of property or easements for trails, educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection, and a portion of the funds are allowed for state administration of the program. Local sponsors must fired the match of at least 20 percent, although there is some provision for in-kind services. The use of youth conservation corps is encouraged in project implementation. States must use 30 percent of their funds for motorized trail uses, 30 percent for non-motorized trail uses and 40 percent for diverse trail uses, which are trails for multiple types of uses.

The RTP is a very valuable program for increasing outdoor recreation resources. More than 6,700 trail projects have been funded since its inception, and although the RTP grants are typically small in dollar amounts, they leverage much larger economic and social benefits to the communities that implement these projects.

The RTP is an unusual program, in that it funds projects for both motorized and non-motorized users. RTP projects have done much to reduce the inherent conflicts between motorized and non-motorized users, and each interest group has benefited from this collaborative approach.

Although $50 million per year for the last four years of authorization of TEA-21 has been allotted to the RTP, the amount of fuel tax revenue generated by off-road vehicles has been tar greater than $50 million. In fact, this $50 million is only about 18 percent of the total of $286 million that FHWA collected last year from the tax on off-road vehicles. NRPA and CRT have called on Congress to correct this inequity, and advocates for at least 50 percent of the proceeds of off-road fuel tax revenue (which last year alone, would have been $143 million) to be dedicated to this program, a move that would be in keeping with the "user-pays" nature of this program.

NRPA has been a strong advocate for the Recreational Trails Program, and continues to support this program fully as the reauthorization of the nation's surface transportation program is being considered by the 108th Congress. NRPA also supports reauthorization of several other important funds that will be enabled by the reauthorization of TEA-21 including the Transportation Enhancements (TE) program, which dedicates a percentage of the total funds available for highway construction. The majority of TE funds are used for bicycling, hiking and rail-trail conversion projects. Transportation Enhancements have provided more than $2 billion in the past 12 years for bicyclist and pedestrian trails in states and local communities.

NRPA also supports reauthorization of the Wallop/Breaux Act, S. 1804, which authorizes the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (ARTF). Boat fuel excise taxes fired the ARTF, which in turn supports boating and fishing programs, wetlands conservation and safety education.

As this issue Goes to press, prospects for a comprehensive long-term reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act are not certain. It is possible that a short-term extension will be passed to move the thorny funding issues past the presidential election of 2004. One scenario that has recently emerged is the prospect of a one- or two-year bill instead of the full six-year authorization, thereby putting off the difficult issue of how to fund the $300 billion-plus Congress wants for this program.