118 S594 RS: Continental Divide Trail Completion Act U.S. Senate 2024-05-16 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Continental Divide Trail Completion Act

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Acequia

The term acequia has the meaning given the term community ditch in New Mexico Stat. 73–2–27.(2)

Land grant-merced

The term land grant-merced means a community land grant issued under the laws or customs of the Government of Spain or Mexico that is recognized under chapter 49 of New Mexico Stat. (or a successor statute). (3)

Optimal Location Review

The term optimal location review means a review conducted in accordance with the process described in the guide entitled Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Optimal Location Review Guide and dated November 2017. (4)

Secretaries

The term Secretaries means each of the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior.(5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.(6)

Team

The term Team means the joint Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Trail completion team established under section 3(b).(7)

Trail

The term Trail means the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail established by section 5(a)(5) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)(5)).

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

(a)

Completion of trail

(1)

In general

Not later than November 10, 2028, the Secretaries shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure the completion of the Trail as a contiguous route, consistent with sections 3(a)(2), 5(a)(5), and 7 of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1242(a)(2), 1244(a)(5), 1246). (2)

Required activities

The Secretaries shall, to the maximum extent practicable, carry out necessary activities to achieve the goal described in paragraph (1), including the following activities, in the following order of priority:(A)Complete the Trail by acquiring land or an interest in land, entering into easement agreements, or encouraging a State or local government to enter into a cooperative agreement to acquire any interest in land, that is necessary—(i)to eliminate gaps between sections of the Trail; and (ii)to maintain the nature and purposes of the Trail.(B)If appropriate and supported by local affected stakeholders, optimize the Trail by relocating, consistent with the nature and purposes of the Trail, existing incompatible portions of the Trail onto Federal land as necessary to provide for—(i)maximum outdoor recreation potential; (ii)the conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of the areas through which the Trail passes;(iii)continuity in land ownership, if desired by the owner of the affected land; and(iv)segments of the Trail that are comparable in length to the segments of the Trail being relocated.(C)Publish maps of the completed corridor of the Trail.(b)

Trail completion team

(1)

In general

In carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall establish a joint Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Trail completion team to work in coordination with the administrator of the Trail to facilitate the completion and optimization of the Trail, pursuant to the purposes of section 3(a)(2) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1242(a)(2)), consistent with the nature and purposes of the Trail.(2)

Duties of the Team

The Team shall—(A)carry out land and right-of-way acquisitions, easement acquisitions, relocations, and Trail construction activities, consistent with any optimal location reviews, giving priority to land that—(i)eliminates gaps between segments of the Trail;(ii)may be acquired for the Trail by the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior by—(I)purchase from a willing seller;(II)donation; (III)exchange; (IV)cooperative agreement; or(V)easement agreement;(iii)is best suited for inclusion in the Trail corridor in accordance with the purposes, policy, and provisions of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.); (iv)if appropriate and supported by local affected stakeholders, has been identified as a segment of the Trail on Federal land that should be relocated to provide for maximum outdoor recreation potential and the conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of the areas through which the Trail passes;(v)mitigates land use conflicts;(vi)would support the development of rural communities through use as a trail; and(vii)minimizes the distance to connect compatible segments of the Trail;(B)provide the necessary administrative and technical support to complete conveyances of the Trail corridor under subsection (a);(C)as appropriate, consult with other Federal agencies, Governors of the affected States, affected Indian Tribes, local governments, affected land owners, land-grant mercedes, acequias, and applicable owners or users of a land grant-merced or acequia, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and other volunteer and nonprofit organizations that assist in the development, maintenance, and management of the Trail; and(D)support the Secretary in the development of the comprehensive development plan for the Trail under subsection (c) and annual reports under subsection (f).(c)

Comprehensive Development Plan

(1)

In general

Not later than 2 years after the date of establishment of the Team under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a comprehensive development plan for the Trail. (2)

Recommended inclusions

The plan submitted under paragraph (1) should—(A)identify any gaps in the Trail with respect to which the Secretaries have not been able to acquire land or interests in land by purchase from a willing seller, donation, exchange, cooperative agreement, or easement agreement; (B)include a plan for closing the gaps identified under paragraph (1) by acquiring land or interests in land or entering into an easement agreement; and (C)include general and site-specific development plans, including anticipated costs. (d)

Method of acquisition

In carrying out this section, the Secretaries—(1)may acquire land or an interest in land only by—(A)purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds;(B)donation; (C)exchange; (D)cooperative agreement; or(E)easement agreement; and(2)may not acquire land or an interest in land by eminent domain. (e)

Maintaining existing partnerships

In carrying out this section, the Secretaries shall continue to maintain and develop working relationships with volunteer and nonprofit organizations that assist in the development, maintenance, and management of the Trail.(f)

Reports

Not later than September 30, 2024, and not later than the end of each fiscal year thereafter until the date on which the comprehensive development plan for the Trail is determined by the Secretary to be fully implemented, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report that includes the following:(1)A description of the progress of the Secretaries in acquiring land or interests in land to complete the Trail consistent with this Act.(2)The quantity of land or interests in land acquired during the fiscal year and the amount expended for the land or interests in land.(3)The quantity of land or interests in land planned for acquisition in the subsequent fiscal year and the estimated cost of the land or interests in land.(4)The estimated quantity of land or interests in land remaining to be acquired after taking into account the acquisitions under paragraphs (2) and (3).(5)The existing number of miles of the Trail on Federal land that need to be relocated to provide for—(A)maximum outdoor recreation potential; and(B)conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of the areas through which the Trail passes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Completion Act

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.(2)

Trail

The term Trail means the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail.(3)

Trail Completion Team

The term Trail Completion Team means the joint Forest Service-Bureau of Land Management Trail completion team established under section 4(a).

Completion of Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior shall seek to complete the Trail as a continuous route not later than the 50th anniversary of the date of designation of the Trail as a national scenic trail.

Trail Completion Team

(a)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior shall establish a joint Forest Service-Bureau of Land Management Trail completion team to work in coordination with the administrator of the Trail—(1)to facilitate the completion and optimization of the Trail, consistent with the purposes of the Trail; and(2)to assist in the development of the comprehensive development plan for the Trail under section 5.(b)

Consultation

As appropriate, the Trail Completion Team shall consult with other Federal agencies, affected State, Tribal, and local governments, landowners, affected land-grant mercedes owners and users, acequias, and other interested parties in—(1)the completion and optimization of the Trail; and(2)the development and completion of the comprehensive development plan for the Trail under section 5.

Comprehensive development plan for the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

(a)

In general

Not later than 3 years after the date of establishment of the Trail Completion Team under section 4(a), the Secretary shall complete a comprehensive development plan for the Trail.(b)

Plan inclusions

The comprehensive development plan under subsection (a) shall—(1)identify any gaps in the Trail for which the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior have not been able to acquire land;(2)identify opportunities for the use of easements acquired from willing sellers to facilitate completion of the Trail; and(3)include general and site-specific Trail development plans, including anticipated costs of the plans.

Partnerships

The Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior shall seek to enter into agreements with volunteer and nonprofit organizations, as appropriate, to facilitate the completion and administration of the Trail.

Effect

Nothing in this Act—(1)provides any authority to acquire land or interests in land for inclusion in the Trail beyond the authorities provided for the Trail in the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.), including acquisition by eminent domain; or (2)makes the acquisition of land or interests in land for the Trail a priority over other land acquisition authorizations.

May 16, 2024

Reported with an amendment