119-hr5134

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5134 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5134

 To enhance the preservation, maintenance, and management of national 
 historic trails and national scenic trails, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 4, 2025

 Mr. Beyer (for himself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To enhance the preservation, maintenance, and management of national 
 historic trails and national scenic trails, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Appalachian Trail Centennial Act''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION OF POLICY.

 Congress declares that--

    (1) the large landscape conservation work relating to 
 national historic trails and national scenic trails is built on 
 partnership, collaboration, and community engagement;

    (2) national historic trails and national scenic trails--
        (A) are landscape conservation tools; and
        (B) are federally designated areas, but may include 
 portions of non-Federal land under the National Trails 
 System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.);

    (3) national historic trails and national scenic trails are 
 intended to be developed and preserved over time, 
 collaboratively and cooperatively, to further the purposes of 
 the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.);

    (4) the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 1 of the first 2 
 components of the National Trails System--
        (A) is a realm of natural, scenic, historical, and 
 cultural wonder available to all; and
        (B) is a model for cooperative management and 
 public-private partnership;

    (5) the centennial of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in 
 2025 is an opportunity to strengthen the precepts of the 
 cooperative management model--
        (A) pioneered on the Appalachian National Scenic 
 Trail; and
        (B) to be replicated as appropriate throughout the 
 National Trails System;

    (6) the development of the Appalachian National Scenic 
 Trail is in large part due to the efforts of volunteer 
 organizations (commonly referred to as ``Appalachian Trail 
 Maintaining Clubs'') that--
        (A) directly or through subdivisions or subsidiary 
 organizations, have coordinated the participation of 
 tens of thousands of volunteers for the planning, 
 construction, development, maintenance, operation, and 
 stewardship of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 
 which inspired the establishment of the National Trails 
 System; and
        (B) are the expert, dispersed corps of volunteers 
 who provide much of the day-to-day cooperative 
 operation of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail;

    (7) there are inherently governmental functions referred to 
 in the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.) 
 relating to the administration of national historic trails and 
 national scenic trails, which is distinct from the management 
 and operation of those trails;

    (8) the Federal Government is responsible for--
        (A) the administration of national historic trails 
 and national scenic trails; and
        (B) in cases in which the United States is the 
 landowner, the management of national historic trails 
 and national scenic trails;

    (9) volunteers, volunteer organizations, and other 
 cooperating individuals or entities are empowered to undertake 
 non-inherently governmental and delegable roles in the 
 management and operation of national historic trails and 
 national scenic trails;

    (10) the operation of a national historic trail or national 
 scenic trail does not require land management authority over 
 the land on which the national historic trail or national 
 scenic trail is located; and

    (11) it is the policy of the Federal Government that 
 national historic trails and national scenic trails--
        (A) are conservation units managed and operated in 
 partnership with governmental and nongovernmental 
 entities; and
        (B) while administered by Federal agencies, are 
 intended to be cooperatively developed with appropriate 
 non-Federal Governmental and nongovernmental partners.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Administration.--The term ``administration'', with 
 respect to a covered trail, means the roles and 
 responsibilities of the Secretary concerned with respect to the 
 covered trail that may not be shared with any other individual 
 or entity.

    (2) Comprehensive plan.--The term ``comprehensive plan'' 
 means a comprehensive plan for a covered trail submitted under 
 subsection

    (e) or

    (f) of 

section 5 of the National Trails 
 System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244).

    (3) Cooperative management.--The term ``cooperative 
 management'', with respect to a covered trail, means the 
 negotiated division of roles and responsibilities relating to 
 the stewardship and development of the covered trail that are--
        (A) permissible under law; and
        (B) within the categories of--
            (i) administration;
            (ii) management; and
            (iii) operation.

    (4) Cooperative management system.--The term ``cooperative 
 management system'', with respect to a covered trail, means the 
 negotiated management structure for cooperative management of 
 the covered trail, including--
        (A) Federal and State trust resource managers;
        (B) Tribal governments;
            (C) nongovernmental organizations; and
            (D) volunteers organized by entities described in 
 subparagraphs
        (A) through
            (C) .

    (5) Covered trail.--The term ``covered trail'' means a 
 national historic trail or national scenic trail designated by 
 

section 5

    (a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 
 1244

    (a) ).

    (6) Designated operational partner.--The term ``Designated 
 Operational Partner'', with respect to a covered trail, means 
 the 1 or more entities designated for the covered trail under 
 subparagraph
        (A) or
        (B) of 

section 4

    (b)

    (1) .

    (7) Gateway community.--The term ``gateway community'' 
 means a municipality or unincorporated settlement in the 
 vicinity of a covered trail.

    (8) Management.--The term ``management'', with respect to a 
 covered trail, means the roles and responsibilities under 
 applicable law of the owner of the land, or any interest in 
 land, on which the covered trail is located with respect to the 
 covered trail.

    (9) Operation.--
        (A) In general.--The term ``operation'', with 
 respect to a covered trail, means any activity 
 permissible under law that--
            (i) is carried out pursuant to a 
 cooperative agreement on land on which the 
 covered trail is located;
            (ii) is not an activity of administration; 
 and
            (iii) does not infringe on any management 
 or ownership authority of the applicable land 
 manager, if the land manager is not the 
 individual or entity carrying out the activity.
        (B) Inclusions.--The term ``operation'' includes--
            (i) the identification and acquisition of 
 land for a covered trail;
            (ii) the planning, construction, and 
 maintenance of a facility or other improvement 
 on, across, or along a covered trail;
            (iii) the provision of services for a 
 covered trail;
            (iv) the conceptual development of a 
 covered trail;
            (v) the maintenance of the treadway of a 
 covered trail;
            (vi) conducting a research project relating 
 to a covered trail;
            (vii) the provision to volunteers of 
 education and training relating to methods of 
 planning for, construction of, and maintenance 
 of a covered trail; and
            (viii) the conservation of natural, 
 cultural, or other resources associated with a 
 covered trail.

    (10) Proposed priority list.--The term ``proposed priority 
 list'' means a proposed priority list for a covered trail 
 developed under 

section 4

    (b)

    (3) .

    (11) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of the Interior.

    (12) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
 means--
        (A) the Secretary, with respect to a covered trail 
 administered by the Secretary; and
        (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to a 
 covered trail administered by the Secretary of 
 Agriculture.

    (13) Visitor capacity.--The term ``visitor capacity'' 
 means, with respect to a covered trail, the maximum number and 
 types of visitor use that the covered trail can accommodate 
 while achieving and maintaining the desired resource conditions 
 and visitor experiences that are consistent with the purposes 
 for which the covered trail was established, which may vary for 
 different segments of a covered trail.

    (14) Volunteer organization.--The term ``volunteer 
 organization'' means any organization providing operation or 
 management support to a covered trail administrator or land 
 manager, including by organizing volunteers.

SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATION FOR 
 NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AND NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILS.

    (a) Status.--Each covered trail shall be--

    (1) a unit of the National Trails System; and

    (2) a unit of the federally administered area to which the 
 Secretary concerned assigns the covered trail.

    (b) Operation.--

    (1) Designated operational partners.--
        (A) Appalachian trail conservancy.--Not later than 
 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
 Secretary concerned shall designate the Appalachian 
 Trail Conservancy as the Designated Operational Partner 
 for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
        (B) Additional designations.--
            (i) In general.--In addition to the 
 designation under subparagraph
        (A) , the 
 Secretary concerned may designate to serve as 
 the Designated Operational Partner for any 
 other covered trail 1 or more eligible entities 
 described in clause
            (ii) that the Secretary 
 concerned determines--
            (I) are capable of supporting the 
 partnership nature of the covered trail 
 as a mechanism for conservation, 
 volunteer mobilization, and land and 
 facility management; and
            (II) would be successful partners 
 for the applicable covered trail.
            (ii) Description of eligible entities.--An 
 eligible entity referred to in clause
            (i) is an 
 organization, institution, corporation, or 
 other entity that, as determined by the 
 Secretary concerned--
            (I) is described in 

section 501
            (c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
 and exempt from tax under 

section 501

    (a) of that Code;
            (II) has demonstrated experience in 
 the operation, maintenance, and 
 preservation of the resources of the 
 covered trail, regardless of whether 
 the experience was before or after the 
 designation of the covered trail under 
 the National Trails System Act (16 
 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.);
            (III) has a plan for providing, 
 facilitating, and coordinating the 
 services of volunteers to contribute to 
 the stewardship of the covered trail;
            (IV) has a record, including 
 through a predecessor organization, of 
 engagement with the establishment, 
 management, maintenance, or operation 
 of the covered trail;
            (V) adheres to reasonable 
 financial, accounting, and risk 
 management practices;
            (VI) adheres to applicable 
 requirements of Federal agreements, 
 grants, and contracts; and
            (VII) would not supplant an 
 organization already serving a 
 substantial operational role trail-wide 
 for the covered trail or across a 
 significant portion of the covered 
 trail, unless the Secretary concerned 
 has determined that the organization 
 being supplanted has failed to perform 
 the responsibilities of the 
 organization under a management 
 agreement with respect to the covered 
 trail.
            (iii) Qualifications.--
            (I) In general.--An eligible entity 
 designated as a Designated Operational 
 Partner under clause
            (i) shall be 
 considered to possesses unique 
 expertise, location capacity, cost-
 sharing ability, or other unique 
 qualities relevant to the designation 
 as a Designated Operational Partner for 
 the covered trail.
            (II) No competitive process.--An 
 eligible entity designated as a 
 Designated Operational Partner under 
 clause
            (i) may be a direct beneficiary 
 or recipient of appropriated funds 
 without competition.
            (III) Present-funded activity.--
 Designation of a Designated Operational 
 Partner for a covered trail shall be 
 considered to be a continuation or 
 completion of a present-funded 
 activity.
            (C) Rescission.--The Secretary concerned may 
 rescind the designation of an eligible entity as a 
 Designated Operational Partner under subparagraph
        (B) if the Secretary concerned determines that the eligible 
 entity has ceased to meet 1 or more of the criteria 
 described in clause
            (ii) of that subparagraph.

    (2) Protection of property rights.--
        (A) In general.--If the Designated Operational 
 Partner for a covered trail becomes aware of an 
 allegation of trespass or other infringement or 
 violation of a property right held by the Federal 
 Government that adversely affects the identified 
 cultural, natural, scenic, recreational, or historical 
 resources of the covered trail, the Designated 
 Operational Partner may submit to the Secretary 
 concerned and the United States Attorney for the 
 Federal district court in which the alleged violation 
 occurred a written request--
            (i) to investigate the allegation; and
            (ii) to enforce the rights of the United 
 States by preventing, reducing, mitigating, or 
 remediating the adverse effects of the alleged 
 violation.
        (B) Notice.--
            (i) In general.--A request under 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall include, to the maximum 
 extent practicable, detailed information 
 relating to the alleged trespass, infringement, 
 or violation, including--
            (I) the nature, location, duration, 
 and known identity of any alleged 
 offender;
            (II) any efforts carried out to 
 address the alleged violation;
            (III) any impacts of the alleged 
 violation on the applicable covered 
 trail or resources of the covered 
 trail; and
            (IV) any requested remedy.
            (ii) Submission requirements.--A request 
 under subparagraph
        (A) shall be--
            (I) submitted to the Secretary 
 concerned and appropriate United States 
 Attorney by--

    (aa) electronic means; or

    (bb) delivery to the 
 address on file for official 
 correspondence; and
            (II) clearly identified as a 
 ``Designated Operational Partner 
 Request for Redress''.
            (iii) Signatures.--A request under 
 subparagraph
        (A) may be signed by--
            (I) the applicable Designated 
 Operational Partner; and
            (II) any other individual or entity 
 that is a part of the cooperative 
 management system of the applicable 
 covered trail.
            (C) Response.--
            (i) Assessment.--Not later than 60 days 
 after the date on which a request is submitted 
 under subparagraph
        (A) , the Secretary shall 
 submit to the United States Attorney for the 
 Federal district court in which the applicable 
 alleged trespass, infringement, or violation 
 occurred and the Designated Operational Partner 
 an assessment of the alleged violation.
            (ii) Additional information from designated 
 operational partner.--Not later than 30 days 
 after the date on which the Designated 
 Operational Partner receives an assessment 
 under clause
            (i) , the Designated Operational 
 Partner may provide to the Secretary concerned 
 and the relevant United States Attorney 
 additional information relating to the alleged 
 violation.
            (iii) Response from united states 
 attorney.--Not later than 150 days after the 
 date on which a request is submitted to a 
 United States Attorney under subparagraph
        (A) , 
 and not later than 60 days after the date on 
 which a Designated Operational Partner provides 
 additional information under clause
            (ii) to the 
 United States Attorney, if applicable, the 
 United States Attorney shall submit to the 
 Secretary concerned and the Designated 
 Operational Partner information regarding 
 whether the United States Attorney is pursuing 
 redress for the alleged violation.
            (D) Litigation costs.--In issuing any final order 
 with respect to a petition brought under this 
 subsection, the relevant Federal district court may 
 award to a Designated Operational Partner the costs of 
 petitioning (including reasonable attorney and expert 
 witness fees) if the Secretary or United States 
 Attorney takes action to address the alleged violation 
 of the rights of the United States.
        (E) Effect.--Nothing in this paragraph--
            (i) limits any cause of action that the 
 Federal Government may have under any other 
 law;
            (ii) obligates--
            (I) a Designated Operational 
 Partner to participate, or to present 
 claims or defenses, in any civil action 
 relating to the property rights of the 
 Federal Government; or
            (II) the Federal Government to 
 participate, or to present claims or 
 defenses, in any civil action relating 
 to the property rights of the 
 Designated Operational Partner; or
            (iii) makes--
            (I) a Designated Operational 
 Partner a necessary party in any action 
 relating to the property rights of the 
 Federal Government; or
            (II) the Federal Government a 
 necessary party in any action relating 
 to the property rights of the 
 Designated Operational Partner.

    (3) Land and resource protection proposed priority lists.--
        (A) In general.--Each Designated Operational 
 Partner shall periodically develop and submit to the 
 Secretary concerned and the heads of any other 
 appropriate Federal land management agencies a proposed 
 priority list for land and resource protection for the 
 applicable covered trail.
        (B) Applicable law.--
            (i) In general.--A proposed priority list 
 shall be considered to advance the planning and 
 development of the applicable covered trail in 
 accordance with 

section 2
            (c) of the National 
 Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241
            (c) ).
            (ii) Effect.--Nothing in this Act--
            (I) conveys any land protection 
 authority not included in the National 
 Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et 
 seq.); or
            (II) prioritizes the use of funds 
 for land protection projects on covered 
 trails over funds for other land 
 protection projects.
            (C) Contents.--A Designated Operational Partner 
 shall include on a proposed priority list--
            (i) the location and current ownership of 
 each parcel of land identified for inclusion in 
 the applicable covered trail;
            (ii) the desired nature of ownership of 
 each parcel of land identified for inclusion in 
 the covered trail, including a partial or fee 
 ownership;
            (iii) the name of the owner of each 
 identified parcel of land;
            (iv) a description of the benefit to the 
 covered trail in the preservation of scenic, 
 recreational, historical, natural, or cultural 
 values for which the covered trail was 
 designated; and
            (v) the name of any nongovernmental partner 
 committed to advancing the protection of 
 parcels of land identified on the proposed 
 priority list for inclusion in the covered 
 trail.
            (D) Input; criteria.--In developing a proposed 
 priority list, a Designated Operational Partner shall--
            (i) solicit input from a variety of 
 governmental, nongovernmental, Federal, and 
 State partners, the scope of which shall be 
 limited to a landscape or physiographic region 
 agreed to by the Designated Operational Partner 
 and the Secretary concerned; and
            (ii) establish criteria to prioritize land 
 and resource protection recommendations 
 included on the proposed priority list.
        (E) Use of federal funds.--
            (i) In general.--In using Federal funds to 
 protect land for a covered trail--
            (I) the Secretary concerned shall 
 prioritize the use of funds for land 
 identified for Federal protection in 
 the applicable proposed priority list, 
 except to the extent that the Secretary 
 concerned determines, based on 
 considerations set forth in the 
 National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 
 1241 et seq.) and the comprehensive 
 plan for the covered trail, and subject 
 to clause
            (ii) , that--

    (aa) a parcel of land 
 included on the proposed 
 priority list should not be 
 prioritized; or

    (bb) a parcel of land not 
 included on the proposed 
 priority list should be 
 prioritized; and
            (II) a State is encouraged to 
 incorporate land identified for State 
 protection in the applicable land and 
 resource conservation plan of the 
 State, as appropriate, in accordance 
 with State law.
            (ii) Notice.--If the Secretary concerned 
 determines under clause
            (i) 
            (I) that a parcel of 
 land included on the proposed priority list 
 should not be prioritized or that a parcel of 
 land not included on the proposed priority list 
 should be prioritized instead of a parcel of 
 land included on the proposed priority list, 
 the Secretary concerned shall submit to the 
 Designated Operational Partner notice of the 
 determination, including a detailed explanation 
 of the reason for the determination.
        (F) Reports.--Not less frequently than once every 5 
 years, the Secretaries concerned shall submit to 
 Congress a report that describes any progress or lack 
 of progress of the Secretaries concerned with respect 
 to advancing land and resource conservation objectives 
 under proposed priority lists.
        (G) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
 authorized to be appropriated to each of the Secretary 
 and the Secretary of Agriculture such sums as are 
 necessary to carry out planning activities relating to 
 the development, updating, and implementation of 
 proposed priority lists under this paragraph.

    (4) Acceptance or rejection of comprehensive plans.--
        (A) In general.--Notwithstanding subsections

    (e) and

    (f) of 

section 5 of the National Trails System Act 
 (16 U.S.C. 1244), a Designated Operational Partner may 
 accept or reject--
            (i) a proposed comprehensive plan for the 
 applicable covered trail; and
            (ii) any amendments or revisions to the 
 comprehensive plan for the applicable covered 
 trail (other than an addendum to a 
 comprehensive plan for the applicable covered 
 trail prepared in accordance with the process 
 established under subsection

    (g)

    (3) ).
        (B) Report.--If a comprehensive plan or amendment 
 or revision to a comprehensive plan rejected by a 
 Designated Operational Partner under subparagraph
        (A) is subsequently submitted to Congress, the Secretary 
 concerned shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
 Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on 
 Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a 
 report that describes the basis for the submission of 
 the rejected comprehensive plan or amendment or 
 revision to the comprehensive plan by the Secretary 
 concerned.

    (5) Surplus personal property.--
        (A) In general.--Notwithstanding subchapter III of 
 chapter 5 of title 40, United States Code, a Federal 
 agency may dispose of surplus personal property by 
 transferring the property to a Designated Operational 
 Partner, to be used by the Designated Operational 
 Partner for purposes of carrying out a cooperative 
 agreement entered into under 

section 7

    (h) of the 
 National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1246

    (h) ).
        (B) Prohibition.--A transfer of surplus personal 
 property under subparagraph
        (A) shall be subject to the 
 condition that the Designated Operational Partner to 
 whom the property is transferred (including any 
 subsidiary or subdivision of the Designated Operational 
 Partner) may not--
            (i) use the transferred property for 
 purposes other than carrying out the duties and 
 authorities of the Designated Operational 
 Partner under the cooperative agreement; or
            (ii) transfer the transferred property to a 
 recipient that is not a part of the cooperative 
 management system of the covered trail.
            (c) Management.--Nothing in this Act or the National Trails System 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.)--

    (1) provides any authority to a Designated Operational 
 Partner, other volunteer organization, volunteer, or other 
 individual or entity any authority to issue, amend, or revoke 
 any land use authorization unless provided for explicitly by 
 statute;

    (2) except as specifically provided in this Act or the 
 National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.), removes or 
 transfers any authority otherwise provided by law; or

    (3) except as authorized by the processes established under 
 this Act or the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et 
 seq.), provides any Designated Operational Partner, other 
 volunteer organization, volunteer, or any other individual or 
 entity authority over the property, holdings, or possessory or 
 other interest of any other partner to a covered trail.
            (d) Administration.--

    (1) In general.--In making administration, management, or 
 operational decisions that would impact the ability of 
 volunteers or a volunteer organization to serve a substantial 
 role on covered trails, the Secretary concerned shall--
        (A) rather than presuming absolute control over the 
 covered trail by the Federal Government, encourage the 
 participation of volunteers and volunteer 
 organizations; and
        (B) to the extent practicable, remedy constraints 
 on supporting the role of volunteers and volunteer 
 organizations on covered trails.

    (2) Regulations.--The Secretary and the Secretary of 
 Agriculture shall use the rulemaking authority of 

section 7
            (i) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1246
            (i) ), the 
 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801 et 
 seq.), and any other applicable law to establish, by 
 regulation, a fee collection and distribution system under 
 which the administrator of a covered trail may collect all 
 permits and fees levied by federally administered areas and 
 State-administered areas traversed by a covered trail, to be 
 remitted to the applicable federally administered area or 
 State-administered area levying the permits and fees.

    (3) Applicable law.--Chapter 10 of title 5, United States 
 Code, shall not apply to the cooperative management of a 
 covered trail.

    (e) Availability of Funds.--

    (1) In general.--A covered trail shall be eligible for 
 funds made available for--
        (A) a unit of the National Trails System;
        (B) any federally administered area to which the 
 covered trail is assigned; and
            (C) any federally administered area traversed by 
 the covered trail.

    (2) Multiple agencies.--The location of a covered trail on 
 land managed by 1 Federal agency shall have no impact on the 
 eligibility of the covered trail for funding for any project, 
 planning, volunteer or visitor support effort, or any other 
 component of administering a covered trail by any other Federal 
 agency.

    (3) Land and water conservation fund.--A covered trail 
 shall be eligible for amounts made available from the Land and 
 Water Conservation Fund established under chapter 2003 of title 
 54, United States Code.

    (4) Partnerships.--The Secretary concerned shall use 
 interagency and intergovernmental partnerships to ensure the 
 maximum recreational and conservation potential of a covered 
 trail is achieved.

    (f) Cooperative Agreements.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
administrator of a covered trail shall enter into a cooperative 
agreement under the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244 et 
seq.), for a term of not longer than 20 years, with a volunteer 
organization partner, under which--

    (1) the administrator of the covered trail shall delegate 
 to the volunteer organization partner the authority to operate 
 the covered trail (including the provision of financial 
 assistance for such purpose);

    (2) operational and management responsibilities with 
 respect to the covered trail shall be shared between the 
 administrator of the covered trail and volunteer organization 
 partner, including subsidiaries or delegees of the volunteer 
 organization partner; or

    (3) any other appropriate arrangement between the 
 administrator of the covered trail and the volunteer 
 organization partner authorized by the National Trails System 
 Act (16 U.S.C. 1244 et seq.) shall be carried out.

    (g) Comprehensive Plans.--

    (1) In general.--The applicable comprehensive plan--
        (A) shall be incorporated into the management of 
 each federally administered area traversed by the 
 covered trail; and
        (B) should be appropriately considered by State-
 administered areas that are traversed by a covered 
 trail.

    (2) Incorporation.--In updating a general management plan 
 or similar unit-level plan applicable to a federally 
 administered area traversed by a covered trail, the Secretary 
 concerned shall incorporate the requirements of any applicable 
 comprehensive plan.

    (3) Rulemaking.--
        (A) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall use 
 the rulemaking authority of 

section 7
            (i) of the 
 National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1246
            (i) ) to 
 establish, by regulation, a process for addenda to 
 comprehensive plans, as appropriate, to address 
 location-or topic-specific administration, management, 
 or operation issues.
        (B) Requirement.--The process established under 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall require that any addendum to a 
 comprehensive plan shall be developed after 
 consultation with the applicable land manager and 
 Designated Operational Partner, as applicable.

    (4) Visitor capacity.--For a covered trail that is subject 
 to subsection

    (e) or

    (f) of 

section 5 of the National Trails 
 System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244), the applicable comprehensive plan 
 shall ensure that the visitor capacity requirement for the 
 covered trail is determined based on visitor capacities for 
 targeted sites, trail segments, or areas of the covered trail.

SEC. 5. IMPROVING COVERED TRAIL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) Visitor Capacity.--The Secretary concerned shall determine the 
visitor capacity of a covered trail that is subject to subsection

    (e) or

    (f) of 

section 5 of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 
1244)--

    (1) based on the desired conditions of the specific portion 
 or segment of a covered trail rather than the entire covered 
 trail; and

    (2) in accordance with applicable laws and agency policies, 
 including the applicable comprehensive plan.

    (b) Economic Impact Assessment.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once every 
 5 years thereafter, the Secretary and the Secretary of 
 Agriculture shall identify 1 or more methods to assess the 
 economic impact of covered trails on gateway communities.

    (2) Requirements.--In identifying methods under paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture shall, to 
 the maximum extent practicable--
        (A) aggregate and extrapolate economic impact 
 information from existing data, such as data from land 
 units on which covered trails are located;
        (B) use State and county economic impact 
 information;
            (C) partner with State and local governments; and
            (D) leverage the cooperative management systems of 
 the covered trails and local and landscape-wide 
 partnerships to obtain and process relevant information 
 and report any relevant findings.
            (c) Advancing Covered Trail Planning.--

    (1) === Findings ===
-Congress finds that--
        (A) the designation of a covered trail is the onset 
 of the long-term development and planning for the 
 covered trail, rather than the conclusion of those 
 activities; and
        (B) the cultivation of partnerships, the 
 acquisition of land, including interests in land and 
 land use agreements, the conduct of accessible and 
 inclusive interpretation, and the development of 
 recreational facilities, as appropriate for covered 
 trails, are needed to advance the purposes of the 
 National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.) to 
 meet the ever-expanding outdoor recreation needs of the 
 United States.

    (2) Reports.--The Secretary and the Secretary of 
 Agriculture, acting jointly, shall submit to the Committee on 
 Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on 
 Natural Resources of the House of Representatives--
        (A) not later than 3 years after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, a report that describes the 
 successes and challenges in developing and planning 
 covered trails; and
        (B) not later than 5 years after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, a report that assesses the 
 desired conditions and use of facilities on each 
 covered trail with respect to--
            (i) visitor usage of specific segments or 
 sites of the covered trail, including the 
 extent to which visitors use the covered trail 
 in groups of not fewer than 10 individuals;
            (ii) proposed priority segments or sites 
 for additional facilities or protection of 
 additional land or resources identified by 
 relevant cooperative management partners; and
            (iii) any activities that the Secretary and 
 the Secretary of Agriculture determine are 
 necessary to advance the development of and 
 planning for the covered trail consistent with 
 the partnership nature of covered trails.

    (3) Community engagement.--In preparing the reports under 
 paragraph

    (2) , the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture 
 shall consult with--
        (A) communities located in the vicinity of the 
 proposed segments and sites described in paragraph

    (2)
        (B)
            (ii) ;
        (B) federally recognized Indian Tribes;
            (C) any Federal and State agencies that manage land 
 traversed by covered trails; and
            (D) Designated Operational Partners and other 
 cooperative management partners of covered trails.
            (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture--

    (1) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031, such sums 
 as are necessary--
        (A) to carry out subsection

    (a) ;
        (B) to identify the methods under subsection

    (b) ; 
 and
            (C) to prepare the reports required under 
 subsection
            (c) ; and

    (2) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031, through 
 programs determined to be appropriate by the Secretary and the 
 Secretary, such sums as are necessary for the acquisition, 
 construction, and development of facilities (including the 
 acquisition of land or interests in land) for covered trails.
 <all>