[House Report 104-54]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



104th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                     104-54
_______________________________________________________________________


 
                    GREAT WESTERN SCENIC TRAIL STUDY

                                _______


 February 27, 1995.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


  Mr. Young of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 531]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 531) to designate the Great Western Scenic Trail as a 
study trail under the National Trails System Act, and for other 
purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 
with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do 
pass.
    The amendment is as follows:
    Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

SECTION 1. POTENTIAL ADDITION OF GREAT WESTERN SCENIC TRIAL TO NATIONAL 
                    TRAIL SYSTEM GREAT WESTERN TRAIL.

    Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(38) The Great Western Scenic Trail, a system of trails to 
accommodate a variety of travel users in a corridor of approximately 
3,100 miles in length extending from the Arizona-Mexico border to the 
Idaho-Montana-Canada border, following the approximate route depicted 
on the map identified as `Great Western Trail Corridor, 1988', which 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the Office of 
the Chief of the Forest Service, United States Department of 
Agriculture. The trail study shall be conducted by the Secretary of 
Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, in 
accordance with subsection (b) and shall include--
    ``(A) the current status of land ownership and current and 
potential use along the designated route;
    ``(B) the estimated cost of acquisition of lands or interests in 
lands, if any; and
    ``(C) an examination of the appropriateness of motorized trial use 
along the trail.''.

                      Summary of the Reported Bill

    H.R. 531 would amend the National Trails System Act to 
designate the Great Western Scenic Trail for potential addition 
to the National Trails System. The Great Western Scenic Trail 
would accommodate a variety of travel users along a corridor of 
approximately 3,100 miles from the Idaho-Canada border to the 
Arizona-Mexico border.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 531 is to amend Section 5(c) of the 
National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c)) to add the Great 
Western Scenic Trail as a study trial.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    Under the National Trails System Act, Congress may 
designate a trail for study for inclusion within the National 
Trails System. H.R. 531 will authorize the Secretary of 
Agriculture in consultation with the Secretary of Interior to 
study the Great Western Scenic Trail for inclusion in the 
National Trials System.
    The Great Western Scenic Trail is a north/south trail 
system extending from Canada to Mexico. The proposed route 
takes advantage of many existing trails and roads plus the 
abundance of public lands throughout the Rocky Mountain area. 
This route will avoid new construction for the trail and 
acquisition of private rights. The Committee intends that the 
impacts and/or conflicts with private property be minimized as 
much as practicable.
    The Great Western Scenic Trail is envisioned as a 
``multiple use'' trail that would accommodate nearly all 
methods of recreational trail use including hiking, biking, 
skiing, horses, boating, four wheel and off road vehicles. This 
is reaffirmed in H.R. 531 by requiring the Secretary of 
Agriculture to examine the appropriateness of motorized trail 
use along the trail.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 531 was introduced by Mr. Hansen of Utah on January 
17, 1995. The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, 
and within the Committee, to the Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Forests and Lands. On January 24, 1995, the Subcommittee 
on National Parks, Forests and Lands received testimony from 
the U.S. Forest Service on H.R. 531. On January 26, 1995, the 
Subcommittee met to consider H.R. 531 in markup session. At the 
markup, Mr. Hansen offered an amendment to the bill which 
deleted language regarding the inventory of rights of way along 
the Trail corridor and replaced that language with the 
protections called for in the National Trail System Act. The 
amendment was adopted by voice vote, and the bill, as amended 
was ordered reported to the Committee on Resources. On February 
15, 1995, the Committee on Resources considered H.R. 531 in 
markup session. No additional amendments were offered to the 
bill, and the bill, as amended, was ordered reported to the 
House of Representatives by voice vote.

            Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    Pursuant to clause 2(l)(3) of Rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives and clause 2(b)(1) of Rule X of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee's 
oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 
body of this report.

                     Inflationary Impact Statement

    Pursuant to clause 2(l)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee estimates that the 
enactment of H.R. 531 will have no significant inflationary 
impact on prices and costs in the operation of the national 
economy.

                        Cost of the Legislation

    Clause 7(a) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the 
Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out 
H.R. 531. However, clause 7(d) of that Rule provides that this 
requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in 
its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill 
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
under section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                     Compliance With House Rule XI

    1. With respect to the requirements of clause 2(l)(3)(A) of 
Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands held a 
hearing on January 24, 1995, and received testimony regarding 
H.R. 531 from the U.S. Forest Service. The oversight findings 
and recommendations of the Committee are reflected in this 
report.
    2. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(D) of 
Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee has received no report of oversight findings and 
recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight on the subject of H.R. 531.
    3. With respect to the requirement of clause 2(l)(3)(C) of 
Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Committee has received the following cost estimate for H.R. 531 
from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.

               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                 Washington, DC, February 22, 1995.
Hon. Don Young,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed H.R. 531, a bill to designate the Great Western Scenic 
Trail as a study trail under the National Trails System Act, as 
ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on 
February 15, 1995. CBO estimates that enacting this legislation 
would result in costs of about $300,000 to the federal 
government over fiscal years 1996-1997. Because enactment of 
H.R. 531 would not affect direct spending or receipts, pay-as-
you-go procedures would not apply.
    H.R. 531 would amend the National Trails System Act to 
designate the Great Western Trail as a potential addition to 
the National Trails System. This bill would require only that 
the Secretary of Agriculture conduct a study of various issues 
concerning the trail. Based on information provided by the 
Forest Service, CBO estimates that this study would cost about 
$300,000, assuming appropriation of the necessary funds, and 
would take two years to complete.
    Enacting H.R. 531 would result in no cost to state or local 
governments.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Theresa 
Gullo, who can be reached at 226-2860.
            Sincerely,
                                             James L. Blum,
                              (For Robert D. Reischauer, Director).

                          Departmental Reports

    The Committee received no departmental reports on H.R. 531.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, as shown as follows (new matter is 
printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed 
is shown in roman):

              SECTION 5 OF THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT

             national scenic and national historical trails

    Sec. 5. (a) * * *
           * * * * * * *
    (c) The following routes shall be studied in accordance 
with the objectives outlined in subsection (b) of this section:
          (1) * * *
           * * * * * * *
          (38) The Great Western Scenic Trail, a system of 
        trails to accommodate a variety of travel users in a 
        corridor of approximately 3,100 miles in length 
        extending from the Arizona-Mexico border to the Idaho-
        Montana-Canada border, following the approximate route 
        depicted on the map identified as ``Great Western Trail 
        Corridor, 1988'', which shall be on file and available 
        for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the 
        Forest Service, United States Department of 
        Agriculture. The trail study shall be conducted by the 
        Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of the Interior, in accordance with 
        subsection (b) and shall include----
                  (A) the current status of land ownership and 
                current and potential use along the designated 
                route;
                  (B) the estimated cost of acquisition of 
                lands or interests in lands, if any; and
                  (C) an examination of the appropriateness of 
                motorized trail use along the trail.
          * * * * * * *