[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 28, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4495-S4496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                By Mr. McCAIN (for himself and Mr. Kyl):

  S. 2354. A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to direct the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to jointly 
conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Arizona Trail as 
a national scenic trail or a national historic trail; to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined today by Senator 
Kyl in introducing the Arizona Trail Feasibility Study Act. This bill 
would authorize the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to conduct 
a joint study to determine the feasibility of designating the Arizona 
Trail as a National Scenic or National Historic Trail. A companion bill 
is being introduced in the House of Representatives today by 
Representative Kolbe and rest of the Arizona delegation.
  Since 1968, when the National Trails System Act was established, 
Congress has designated twenty national trails. This legislation is the 
first step in the process of national trail designation for the Arizona 
Trail. If the study concludes that designating the Arizona Trail as a 
part of the national trail system if feasible, subsequent legislation 
will be introduced to designate the Arizona Trail as either a National 
Scenic Trail or National Historic Trail.
  The Arizona Trail is a beautifully diverse stretch of public lands, 
mountains, canyons, deserts, forests, historic sites, and communities. 
The Trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial on the U.S.-Mexico 
border and ends in the Bureau of Land Management's Arizona Strip 
District on the Utah border. In between these two points, the Trail 
winds through some of the most rugged, spectacular scenery in the 
Western United States.
  For the past 10 years, over 16 Federal, state and local agencies, as 
well as community and business organizations, have worked to form a 
partnership to create, develop, and manage the Arizona Trail. 
Designating the Arizona Trail as a national trail would help streamline 
the management of the Trail to ensure that this pristine stretch of 
diverse land is preserved for future generations to enjoy.
  The corridor for the Arizona Trail encompasses the wide range of 
ecological diversity in the state, and incorporates a host of existing 
trails into one continuous trail. The Arizona Trail extends through 
seven ecological life zones including such legendary landmarks as the 
Sonoran Desert and the Grand Canyon. It connects the unique lowland 
desert flora and fauna in Saguaro National Park and the pine-covered 
San Francisco Peaks, Arizona's highest mountains at 12,633 feet in 
elevation. In fact, the Trail route is so topographically diverse that 
a person can hike from the Sonoran Desert to Alpine forests in one day. 
The Trail also takes travelers through ranching, mining, agricultural, 
and developed urban areas, as well as remote, pristine wildlands.
  With nearly 700 miles of the 800-mile trail already completed, the 
Arizona Trail is a boon to recreationists. The Arizona State Parks 
recently released data showing that two-thirds of Arizonans consider 
themselves trail users. Millions of visitors also use Arizona's trails 
each year. In one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S., the 
designation of the Arizona Trail as a National Scenic or National 
Historic Trail would ensure the preservation of a corridor of open 
space for hikers, mountain bicyclists, cross country skiers, 
snowshoers, eco-tourists, equestrians, and joggers.
  I commend the Arizona Trail Association for taking the lead in 
building

[[Page S4496]]

a coalition of partners to bring the Arizona Trail from its inception 
to a nearly completed, multiple-use, non-motorized, long-distance 
trail. Trail enthusiasts look forward to the completion of the Arizona 
Trail. Its designation as a national trail would help to protect the 
natural, cultural, and historic resources it contains for the public to 
use and enjoy.
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