Short title

This Act may be cited as the

New England National Scenic Trail Designation Act

Authorization and administration

Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(__)

New England national scenic trail

The New England National Scenic Trail, a continuous trail extending approximately 220 miles from the border of New Hampshire in the town of Royalston, Massachusetts to Long Island Sound in the town of Guilford, Connecticut, as generally depicted on the map titled ‘New England National Scenic Trail Proposed Route’, numbered T06–80,000, and dated October 2007. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with Federal, State, tribal, regional, and local agencies, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and other organizations, shall administer the trail consistent with the recommendations of the draft report titled the ‘Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesset Trail System National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment’, prepared by the National Park Service, and dated Spring 2006. The United States shall not acquire for the trail any land or interest in land without the consent of the owner.

Management

(a)

In General

The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this Act referred to as the Secretary) shall use the Trail Management Blueprint described in the draft report titled the Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesett Trail System National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment, prepared by the National Park Service, and dated Spring 2006, as the framework for management and administration of the New England National Scenic Trail. Additional or more detailed plans for administration, management, protection, access, maintenance, or development of the trail may be developed consistent with the Trail Management Blueprint, and as approved by the Secretary. (b)

Application of Certain State and Local laws

Notwithstanding subsection (a), all designated and future designated lands within the New England National Scenic Trail, including all Federal lands, shall be exclusively governed by relevant State and local laws regarding hunting, fishing, and the possession or use of a weapon (including concealed weapons), trap, or net.

Cooperative agreements

The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (and its political subdivisions), the State of Connecticut (and its political subdivisions), the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and other regional, local, and private organizations deemed necessary and desirable to accomplish cooperative trail administrative, management, and protection objectives consistent with the Trail Management Blueprint. An agreement under this section may include provisions for limited financial assistance to encourage participation in the planning, acquisition, protection, operation, development, or maintenance of the trail.

Additional trail segments

Pursuant to section 6 of the National Trails System Act, the Secretary is encouraged to work with the State of New Hampshire and appropriate local and private organizations to include that portion of the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in New Hampshire (which lies between Royalston, Massachusetts and Jaffrey, New Hampshire) as a component of the New England National Scenic Trail. Inclusion of this segment, as well as other potential side or connecting trails, is contingent upon written application to the Secretary by appropriate State and local jurisdictions and a finding by the Secretary that trail management and administration is consistent with the Trail Management Blueprint.