LETTER TO CONGRESS: Support Recreational Trails Program in Reconciliation

We ask that you ensure the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) receives the $147 million included in the INVEST Act and passed by the House of Representatives.

The Senate bipartisan infrastructure bill left the RTP completely untouched, relegating it to stagnant funding once again. According to the recently released Federal Highway Administration report, the nation’s trails community currently contribute $281 million in tax revenue each year, yet for the last ten years the program has been held at flat funding of only $84 million. From an equity and climate standpoint, the budget reconciliation represents an opportunity to invest in our nation’s recreational trails for the first time in nearly a decade.

There is clear benefit to ensuring states and localities can access the funds needed to expand their active trail networks, ensure outdoor recreation is a part of the clean energy transition, provide safe and healthy outdoor spaces for all communities, and encourage greater carbon-free modes of transportation. We ask that the reconciliation package include funding for the RTP that brings it up to the $147 million per year included in the INVEST Act.