[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10961-10962]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE CASCADIA MARINE TRAIL STUDY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 12, 2011

  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Cascadia 
Marine Trail Study Act.
  The Cascadia Marine Trail is a unique, 150-mile long water trail 
stretching from the Canadian border south through the San Juan Islands 
and Puget Sound to Olympia. It was started in the late 1980s by local 
kayaking enthusiasts wanting to highlight the 5,000-year old small-
boating tradition along the water trail. The trail's popularity with 
both tourists and

[[Page 10962]]

local boating enthusiasts is a testament to its grassroots beginnings 
and extensive local support, making it a valuable economic and natural 
State resource.
  The Cascadia Marine Trail has been recognized as a significant 
environmental and tourist resource, including its 1994 designation as a 
National Recreation Trail and in 1999 as a National Millennium Trail. 
In 2005, the American Canoe Association (ACA) designated the trail an 
ACA-Recommended Water Trail. The trail's 55 safe pull-out zones and 
campsites are managed by a multitude of State and local agencies, 
despite its extensive length.
  First introduced in 2009, the Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act directs 
the Department of Interior to study the feasibility of adding the trail 
to the National Trail system. During the 110th Congress, the bill 
passed the House with unanimous support but unfortunately, did not make 
it out of the Senate. Today, with bipartisan support, I am 
reintroducing the Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act. The trail's 
designation as a National Scenic or Historic Trail, if recommended by 
the Department of Interior study mandated by the bill, would raise its 
national profile, provide for educational and interpretive resources 
along the trail, and coordinate management and restoration of the trail 
and surrounding campsites.
  The bill has wide support, including endorsements from several 
national and statewide recreation and conservation agencies and is the 
first step toward enhancing the visibility and preservation of this 
historic water trail. Designation will help encourage tourism across 
the Puget Sound, which will bolster local economies in the Puget Sound 
region. According to the Prosperity Partnership, the Tourism and 
Visitor industry cluster is the region's largest economic cluster with 
more than 108,000 jobs across the region. Scenic travel to places like 
the Cascadia Marine Trail can have a significant impact on the economy 
of surrounding communities. The Cascadia Marine Trail is a State gem 
that deserves its chance to become a national treasure.

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