[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 92 (Tuesday, June 5, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4748-H4750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL ROUTE ADJUSTMENT ACT
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 1026) to revise the authorized route of the North
Country National Scenic Trail in northeastern Minnesota and to extend
the trail into Vermont to connect with the Appalachian National Scenic
Trail, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1026
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``North Country National
Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act''.
SEC. 2. ROUTE ADJUSTMENT.
Section 5(a)(8) of the National Trails System Act (16
U.S.C. 1244(a)(8)) is amended in the first sentence--
(1) by striking ``thirty-two hundred miles, extending from
eastern New York State'' and inserting ``4,600 miles,
extending from the Appalachian Trail in Vermont''; and
(2) by striking ``Proposed North Country Trail'' and all
that follows through ``June 1975.'' and inserting `` `North
Country National Scenic Trail, Authorized Route', dated
February 2014, and numbered 649/116870.''.
SEC. 3. LAND ACQUISITION.
Neither the Secretary of Agriculture nor the Secretary of
the Interior may acquire for the North Country National
Scenic Trail land in Minnesota or Vermont that was obtained
through condemnation by a State or local government.
SEC. 4. ENERGY.
Nothing in the amendments made by this Act that change the
authorized route of the North Country National Scenic Trail
in Minnesota or Vermont shall prohibit the development,
production, conveyance, or transmission of energy in those
States, with reasonable efforts made to preserve the nature
and purpose of the North Country National Scenic Trail, and
to mitigate any damage to that trail and its associated
resources caused by such activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands
(Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The North Country National Scenic Trail is about 4,000 miles and
links scenic, national, historic, and cultural areas across seven
States. It goes from basically North Dakota through New York and will
eventually end up in Vermont.
The issue at hand here is a section in Minnesota which is about 93
miles that has not been built because it is a swamp. You can't build it
there.
{time} 1645
So what this would do--and it is strange we have to pass legislation
to do it--is simply authorize to build a trail and go around the swamp
which may add some additional miles to it, maybe around 400. It also
authorizes at the other end about, maybe 66 miles of potential road
from Vermont so that they can all connect to the Appalachian Trail
which will create one of the most significant trails, the longest trail
that we have to be able to use in this country.
I should say the National Park Service has studied this, they have
approved it; and nonetheless, it is still a good idea. I urge its
adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).
Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bishop for his thoughtful
[[Page H4749]]
consideration of this legislation and his very apt, clear, and concise
explanation of what it does. I also want to thank our ranking member,
Mr. Grijalva, and thank the bipartisan sponsorship for this legislation
adjusting, expanding, and finishing off this great North Country
National Scenic Trail.
As Chairman Bishop explained, it starts up here at Sakakawea State
Park and then travels all the way through the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness, Superior National Forest through Wisconsin, Michigan,
Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania, all the way up to beautiful Lake
Champlain and will connect with the great Appalachian Trail, which my
family and I have enjoyed hiking on as well in years past.
So I want to now note with gratitude the fact that virtually all--I
am not sure everyone--but most all of the Members, Democrats and
Republicans, whose district this trail goes through are cosponsors on
the legislation. It enjoys wonderfully good bipartisan support.
Mr. Speaker, there are millions of people in this country who really
enjoy hiking and the camaraderie, the exercise, and all the good things
that go along with that. So with this in mind, Chairman Bishop has
already explained the fact that it gets us through this 100 miles of
bog. Hats off to the State and local officials and the private
landowners. All have agreed to do this without any cost to the public
and without any exercise of eminent domain.
Also hats off to the volunteers who enjoy so much of this hiking. I
have actually worked on some of the trails myself. Of course, coming
out of the sawmill and the pallet construction business, why, I feel
pretty good with an ax, a hatchet, and a chain saw, so I have been out
myself and volunteered my services to expand these trails.
So with that in mind, I want to thank my good friend from Vermont
(Mr. Welch) for his work, help, and support in bringing this trail all
the way up to that beautiful Lake Champlain and then connecting it with
the great Appalachian Trail as well.
I think it is important to note that this legislation is not just
about trails. It is about good jobs, and it is about good economic
development. The fact is that there are millions of Americans who are
out here hiking on these trails all the time. They get hungry and they
get thirsty. They want to stop somewhere, have a refreshment, have a
bite to eat, and support all the local restaurants.
Secondly, hiking causes some exertion, which is why it is good
exercise. So they get a little tired along the way, and they want to
stop and spend a night or two in local hotels along the way. Of course,
they also need some additional equipment or repairs or a new pair of
shoes.
The American Hiking Society has determined that, applying the
multiplier effect here, this reaches and results in about $196 billion
a year and supports about 768,000 jobs. I explained here how that
happens.
So along with the good-paying jobs, there is this enormous health
factor. Experts are telling us now that our youth have a nature deficit
in their thinking. In fancy terms it means the kids just don't get out
enough anymore. One study indicated that each day the average kid
spends 7 minutes outdoors and 7 hours in front of a computer or a TV
screen. So we need to get our kids outdoors so they can learn the
values and appreciation of the great outdoors. They are probably not
going to get a chance to spend any time at Walden Pond, but we can get
them out and exercising.
So it is a good bill for economic health; it is a good bill for
business and economic development. I want to again thank the chairman
for his support in his committee for this legislation.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from
Minnesota for introducing this bill. As he said, the North Country
Trail is really a gem that goes across seven States.
But I take particular interest in it because the 173 miles that we
are adding today are so close to the State of Wisconsin. I know there
are many outdoor enthusiasts in my district for whom it is very
important to do what they can to complete the North Country Trail.
As was mentioned right now, to go through the trail you would wind up
in an area that would be very difficult to get through. So I am sure
there is an economic benefit to this to Minnesota, but to me far more
than the economic benefit is the huge benefit so many of our American
citizens take and experience in the outdoors, particularly in the area
that is relatively undeveloped.
I encourage passage of the bill. Add the new 173 miles. I am sure
there are plenty of constituents in Wisconsin's Sixth Congressional
District who look forward to walking across each one of those miles.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from the Northern Mariana
Islands has 15 minutes remaining.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the distinguished gentleman from
Vermont (Mr. Welch) such time as he may consume.
Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from the
Northern Mariana Islands and my cosponsor, the lead sponsor, Mr. Nolan.
I also want to thank Chairman Bishop.
Chairman Bishop, I want to thank you as well. You did something for
us in Vermont with the Missisquoi River, and everything is working out.
You had your same skepticism of certain agencies, but Vermonters are
very grateful. You helped us then, and you are helping us now.
I will take issue with a little thing you said. You presented the
fact that this is going to go into Vermont. I heard it as an
afterthought. I may be a little sensitive, but the whole point of
walking 4,600 miles is to get to Vermont. That is what it is about.
This is covering all these States, starting up in the Plains and
coming around that bog hopefully, and it is going to connect up to the
Appalachian Trail that not only runs through Vermont, Mr. Nolan, but
runs by my house. I am going to wave to you next year when you have the
time of being a retired Member of Congress and you are marching across
that trail, when you get to Vermont, we are going to say hello and
invite you in.
The points you made are true. The economic benefit of this is really
substantial. It gets people out and around and into the communities.
The spin-off economic benefit is very substantial. In Vermont, our
whole trail system, which we are very proud of, as I note you are in
Minnesota, we estimate that about one in seven Vermont jobs depends on
outdoor recreation, about 51,000 jobs and about $5.5 billion in
consumer spending. And that is a big deal.
The other point you alluded to is something I really think is
important. It is good for the bottom line, but it is good for the soul:
the camaraderie, the family participation, the connection that people
have to where they live and the beauty of where it is they live.
It is interesting you have got sponsors from all of the States
through which this trail goes, and it didn't matter if it was
Republican or Democrat because all of us have so much engagement with
our citizens and ourselves where they have a sense of place in that
location where the trail goes through their land, and they get out
there, like you say, with the chain saws, and the amount of volunteer
work that goes into making these trails passable in winter and summer
is extraordinary.
So this whole effort on this trail and in all of our trails is
something that I think Congress should be doing as much of as it
possibly can. It is good for the economy, it is good for the heart, and
it is good for the soul.
This is very, very important to us in Vermont. The Appalachian Trail
goes through part of Vermont. The Green Mountain Corridor goes through
all of Vermont, and we have a number of other trails that sometimes
link up with snowmobile byways, some of which go across the land my
wife and I own. And your legislation I think is building on a very,
very ambitious and wonderful trail, the North Country National Scenic
Trail.
When you think about it, a person--you showed it on the map--can walk
all that way. Do you know what? There are people who are going to do
it. They are doing the Appalachian Trail, they
[[Page H4750]]
are doing the Pacific Coast Trail, and it becomes a lifetime effort for
them. They plan it, and they arrange with friends to meet and do it.
Whether you can do all of it, like Mr. Bishop probably could, and you
could, or some of it, which I could do, it is an opportunity out there
that awaits us, our kids, our grandkids, and future generations.
So, Mr. Nolan, I have got to say that it has been an enormous
pleasure to serve with you in Congress. You are one of the most direct
and forthright people whom I have seen here. I think as a piece of
legislation to pass upon the soon departure of your second round here
in Congress, this is really something that generations of Americans,
generations of Minnesotans, and generations of Vermonters are going to
have very, very fond feelings, look back and thank you, Rick Nolan, for
taking up the leadership on this tribute to our land and to our people.
I want to thank you for letting me be part of this effort.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will gently remind Members that
they need to direct their remarks to the Chair.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of this legislation. I
just want to say if it is really 4,600 miles, then that is the
equivalent of a round trip between San Francisco and Honolulu, a
distance which I frequently fly and don't actually enjoy sitting down.
Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers. I ask for
support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have
been able to work on a bill that makes the assumption that someone
actually does want to walk to Vermont. If indeed you can find that
individual, we will provide an opportunity for it to take place.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1026, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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