[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6627]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING MAINE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB FOR WHITE CAP MOUNTAIN PROJECT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHELLIE PINGREE

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2014

  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to be from a state that 
features some of the most beautiful and diverse natural landscapes in 
the country. From the mountains to the sea, with deep woods in between, 
Maine has many places that inspire a sense of wonder for the world 
around us.
  That said, they are not always easy to reach. For that reason, I'm 
grateful for organizations and volunteers in our state who work so hard 
to protect these special places while building trails and other 
accommodations so the public can enjoy them.
  I would like to recognize one of these groups in particular for 
recently restoring a key section of the Appalachian Trail, which 
stretches from Georgia to Maine. With partner organizations and 
dedicated volunteers, the Maine Appalachian Trail Club rebuilt the 
trail up White Cap Mountain, whose summit boasts some of the most 
spectacular views in the state. Support from the Federal Recreational 
Trails Program--an absolutely critical source of funding that has 
helped build thousands of miles of public trails across the country--
was also critical to the project's success.
  The difficulty of the rebuilding should not be understated. The trail 
is in a remote location on very rugged terrain. But the club's care and 
hard work have resulted in a path that will last for many years, 
accommodate more hikers, and limit environmental impacts on the 
mountain. Thousands of hikers have already used the newly refurbished 
trail.
  Mr. Speaker, projects like this that benefit our community and deepen 
our appreciation of nature should not go unrecognized. My sincere 
congratulations go to the Maine Appalachian Trail Club on a job well 
done.

                          ____________________