**Sustaining Partnership for the National Trails System**

**Our Trail** 122 West Washington Ave., Suite 830, Madison, WI 53703 •
(608) 249-7870

**Resources**

**Through Partnership**

April 26, 2007

STATEMENT BY GARY WERNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,

PARTNERSHIP FOR THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM

ON

S. 169 ‑ WILLING SELLER AUTHORITY FOR NATIONAL TRAILS AND

S. 580 - PIONEER NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS STUDIES ACT

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee on National Parks:

**SENATE BILL 169**

**WILLING SELLER AUTHORITY FOR NATIONAL TRAILS**

The Partnership for the National Trails System strongly supports
**Senate Bill 169**, the "National Trails System Willing Seller Act,"
introduced by Senators Allard and Levin. Senate Bill 169 is identical to
legislation passed by the Senate by unanimous consent during the 108^th^
Congress.

**Senate Bill 169** provides authority to Federal agencies to purchase
land and interests in land from willing sellers for **[all nine
trails]{.underline}** for which Federal agencies currently are
prohibited from buying land: the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, Lewis and
Clark, Iditarod and Nez Perce National Historic Trails and the
Continental Divide, Ice Age, North Country and Potomac Heritage National
Scenic Trails authorized by Congress 20 or more years ago. **The
Partnership urges you to promptly recommend S. 169 for passage by the
Senate.**

The Partnership for the National Trails System is a nonprofit federation
of 29 citizen organizations with 70,000 members that directly support
and help manage national scenic and historic trails in partnership with
the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land
Management.

**S. 169** is an important remedial bill that corrects a gross disparity
and inconsistency in the National Trails System Act. While Congress
created the Act in 1968 to foster and sustain a nationwide system of
trails with a full array of authority necessary for Federal agencies to
administer them, nine scenic or historic trails have been authorized
without any Federal land acquisition authority. Federal administering
agencies lack the fundamental and often essential

means for protecting the integrity of the resources and the continuity
of the footpaths for more than one‑third of the National Trails System,
while Congress has provided those agencies with such willing seller or
greater land acquisition authority for the rest of the System, including
the Old Spanish National Historic Trail authorized in 2002 and the
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail authorized in
2006.

This inconsistency of land acquisition authority severely hampers
appropriate administration of more than one‑third of the National Trails
System. Perhaps the most striking example of this inconsistency and
disparity is the four national historic trails administered by the
National Park Service in Salt Lake City, Utah. Currently the Park
Service has authority to buy land from willing sellers along the
California and Pony Express National Historic Trails, but is prohibited
from doing so along the Oregon and Mormon Pioneer National Historic
Trails.

This inconsistency seems highly ironic since the four trails share the
same route across most of

Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah. If a landowner offers to sell land to the
Federal government containing historic traces of these four trails it is
unclear what authority the Park Service has to act upon. With authority
to buy land for two of the trails but not for the other two, would the
conflicting authorities cancel each other or would the land be able to
be purchased for the two trails and the other two left unrecognized on
the site? Perhaps this is an odd situation, but it illustrates a
peculiar and frustrating inconsistency in the Trails Act with important
consequences for the day‑to‑day management and protection of these
trails.

To restore consistency and parity to the National Trails System Act it
is critical that willing seller land acquisition authority be provided
for **[all nine trails]{.underline}** for which Federal agencies
currently are prohibited from buying land.

**S. 169 does just that.** This bill provides willing seller land
acquisition authority for the **Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, Lewis and Clark,
Iditarod and Nez Perce National Historic Trails and the Continental
Divide, Ice Age, North Country and Potomac Heritage National Scenic
Trails**.

There is real need for Federal agencies to be able to help protect the
resources and continuity of these trails by acquiring land from willing
sellers. Of the three trails in the eastern half of the country affected
by S. 169, the **Ice Age, North Country and Potomac Heritage Trails**,
which lie primarily across private land, **slightly more than one‑third,
about 2522 miles,** of their projected 6115 mile length **is permanently
protected for public use**. The other national scenic trail without
Federal land acquisition authority, the Continental Divide Trail, mostly
crosses public land and is nearly complete. Only about 113 miles of
right-of-way for the Continental Divide Trail remain to be acquired. In
total these four national scenic trails are projected to be more than
9300 miles long when completed, yet 25 years after their authorization
only about 5600 miles, slightly more than half their length, are
permanently protected for public benefit. **Without the ability for
Federal agencies to purchase permanent rights‑of‑way from willing
sellers it is unlikely that these trails will ever be the continuous
pathways intended by Congress**.

The degree of protection of the five national historic trails without
Federal land acquisition authority is comparable to the condition of the
four national scenic trails. **Only 194 of the 730 significant sites and
segments** documented to date along the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, Lewis
and Clark, Nez Perce and Iditarod National Historic Trails **are
permanently protected**. This amounts to **only 26%** of the recognized
places along these trails that can provide visitors first hand
experience of where important events of our Nation's history occurred.
The attached table documents the degree of protection of the resources
and rights‑of‑way for each of the nine trails without Federal land
acquisition authority.

Without the ability for Federal agencies to acquire sites and segments
along these nine trails from willing sellers, irreplaceable resources
and experiences of our Nation=s heritage will be lost forever. An
example of this loss occurred several years ago on the Ice Age National
Scenic Trail in Dane County, Wisconsin. Several properties in the Towns
of Middleton and Verona, totaling about two miles of trail in a rapidly
urbanizing area, were put up for sale over the past several years. Their
purchase for the Ice Age Trail would have protected a nationally
significant portion of the terminal moraine of the most recent
continental glaciation, providing a stunning opportunity for the public
to appreciate and enjoy the contrast of two startlingly dissimilar
landscapes. Lacking buyers able to purchase and protect these properties
they were subdivided for rural residential development. Local government
zoning authority was used to preserve a narrow corridor for the Ice Age
Trail to weave among the luxury homes.

The chance to permanently protect a critical link in the North Country
National Scenic Trail in New York was lost in a similar manner. At the
west end of Watkins Glen State Park, New York there is roughly a
half‑mile of private woods, a thin strip along the creek that tumbles
into the Glen previously belonging to an adjacent farm. To the west of
the private strip is a long stretch of mostly state forest, protecting a
days\' worth of walking on the North Country Trail. The Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) had been negotiating with the farmer
over that strip along the creek for years, and he was willing to sell,
but the DEC was waiting for funding. A willing seller who also seemed
willing to wait held the property, which would consolidate many miles of
North Country Trail and protect the border of a park potentially
beleaguered by development along its edges.

However, the state waited too long. When they finally had the money to
buy the land they found that he had sold out, unannounced, to a new
party who, while he has not thrown out the trail, is not interested in
selling to the state.

The willing seller land acquisition authority provided for the nine
trails included in S.169 and subsequent appropriations from the Land &
Water Conservation Fund will enable the Federal agencies administering
them to respond to such conservation opportunities as they arise. Each
year willing sellers offer for sale many parcels along critical segments
of these trails.

The State of Wisconsin has been purchasing land from willing sellers to
protect segments of the Ice Age and North Country Trails for the past
ten years, matching Land & Water Conservation Fund money with Wisconsin
Stewardship Fund money. Four fee title acquisitions, from 40 acres to
339 acres in size, have been completed by the State to protect segments
of the North Country Trail over the past four years. The State also has
acquired two easements for the trail.

The State of Wisconsin and several counties have spent more than \$13
million in purchasing land for the Ice Age Trail over the past 15 years.
More than 50 willing sellers have sold their parcels of land, ranging in
size from 5 acres to 1200 acres, for the Ice Age Trail. Negotiations are
underway with more than three dozen additional willing sellers. State
and county land agents have mostly been responding to landowners who
have contacted them offering to sell their land. Dealing with these
offers from willing sellers has left little time to contact others of
the hundreds of landowners along the Ice Age Trail about their interest
in selling land.

S. 169 provides the authority for Federal administering agencies to
respond to these and similar opportunities provided by willing sellers
to acquire land for recreation and education that will be appreciated
for generations to come. Federal assistance will be a necessary
complement to all the efforts of private organizations and state and
local agencies to help protect the nine national scenic and historic
trails aided by S. 169.

Providing willing seller land acquisition authority for the six national
scenic and historic trails in the West without it will have little
potential impact on the amount of land owned by the Federal government.
More than 95% of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is already
on public land. Federal land acquisition for the national historic
trails is limited by Section 7(a)(2)(g) of the National Trails System
Act to the identified Ahigh potential sites and segments@: *\"For
national historic trails, direct Federal acquisition for trail purposes
shall be limited to those areas indicated by the study report or by the
comprehensive plan as high potential route segments or high potential
historic sites.\"* These "high potential sites and segments" are very
specific, documented locations along these trails.

In Wyoming, for instance, which is crossed by four of these trails, the
sites that could be acquired by the Federal government if Congress
provides willing seller authority are limited to a few areas:

● [Continental Divide National Scenic Trail]{.underline}: The route of
this trail in Wyoming is on public land through Yellowstone National
Park, several national forests, and Bureau of Land Management land
except for a stretch of 20 miles or so in the Acheckerboard area@ north
and south of Interstate 80 near Rawlins. This section of the Continental
Divide Trail currently follows highways, but can be moved Aoff-road@ by
acquiring a right-of-way across the Sections of private land in the
checkerboard between the Sections of public land administered by the
Bureau of Land Management. The Continental Divide Trail Alliance has
recently received confirmation of the donation of an 18 mile easement in
the Great Divide Basin north and south of Rawlins thanks to the
generosity of Anadarko. A signing ceremony with Senator Thomas and
former Assistant Secretary of Interior and current CDTA board chair
Rebecca Watson will occur on May 31 as an early celebration of National
Trails Day. Although this donation nearly closes this significant gap in
the CDT more right-of-way will need to be acquired to eliminate the
trail route on highways. Acquisition of a trail right-of-way via an
easement will add [no acres]{.underline} to the fee title holdings of
the Federal government in Wyoming.

● The AComprehensive Management and Use Plan for the
[Oregon]{.underline}, California, [Mormon Pioneer]{.underline} and Pony
Express National Historic Trails@ identifies 37 Ahigh potential sites@
along the Oregon and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails in Wyoming.
Of these sites, 12 are on private land. Although a precise survey of
each site has not been made, National Park Service staff estimate that
purchase of either fee title or a conservation easement to 1 to 10 or
possibly 20 acres from willing sellers would be sufficient to protect
the critical historic resources at each site. The other 25 Ahigh
potential sites@ are on public land or a combination of public and
private land.

Of the 6 Ahigh potential segments@ of the Oregon and Mormon Pioneer
National Historic Trails identified in Wyoming, one 15 mile long segment
is on private land. The other 5 segments, some 268 miles of the historic
trails, cross a mixture of public and private land.

● [Nez Perce National Historic Trail]{.underline}: Approximately 99% of
the route of this trail in Wyoming is already on public land through
Yellowstone National Park, Shoshone National Forest and State of Wyoming
land. Of the 137 miles of the one "high potential segment" in Wyoming,
135 miles are on public land and 2 miles are on private land.

In summary, the main impact of willing seller land acquisition authority
for these trails on Federal and private land ownership in Wyoming would
be along the one section of the Continental Divide National Scenic
Trail, one 15 mile long Ahigh potential segment@ and 12 Ahigh potential
sites@ along the Oregon and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails and
2 miles of one "high potential segment" of the Nez Perce National
Historic Trail.

The need and opportunity to use willing seller land acquisition
authority will arise at different times for the various trails. For
some, the authority may not be used for many years or only infrequently.
For others the need for this authority is more acute and it is likely to
be used as soon as Congress makes it available and to be used often.
Although the National Park Service has had authority to buy land from
willing sellers for more than a decade for the California and Pony
Express National Historic Trails, no land has been purchased to protect
sites along these trails. On the other hand, there is a very urgent need
for the National Park Service to join State and local agencies and
private land trusts in buying land to provide continuous rights-of-way
for the Ice Age and North Country National Scenic Trails.

The Partnership for the National Trails System is very grateful to
Senators Allard and Levin for introducing S.169 to provide willing
seller authority for the nine national scenic and historic trails
lacking it. **We ask that you recommend S. 169 for passage to the
Senate,** so that progress can be made toward restoring parity and
consistency within the National Trails System.

**SENATE BILL 580 - PIONEER NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS STUDIES ACT**

The Partnership for the National Trails System strongly supports **S.
580, to update the Feasibility Studies of the Oregon, California, Mormon
Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails,** introduced by
Senator Hatch, and requests that you request the Senate Energy and
Natural Resources Committee to recommend adoption of **S. 580** to the
full Senate. This bill authorizes the National Park Service to update
the Feasibility Studies for these four National Historic Trails by
examining additional routes and cutoffs of these trails for possible
inclusion in the National Trails System. The bill also authorizes the
Secretary of Interior, upon completion of those studies, to recommend to
Congress which of those routes and cutoffs qualifies under the National
Trails System Act for addition to the National Trails System. Congress
would then decide whether to add the recommended routes and cut-offs to
the National Trails System.

Considerable research, much of it done by volunteers of the
Oregon-California Trails Association, Mormon Trails Association and
National Pony Express Association, has documented important routes and
cutoffs used by the 19^th^ Century travelers of these trails that were
not recognized in the original feasibility studies. Although those
feasibility studies and the authorization as national historic trails by
Congress based upon them recognized the main routes of the four trails,
many of the Afeeder trails@ at the eastern ends and Adispersal routes@
at the western ends of them were not recognized. To preserve to the
fullest extent all the historic and cultural resources associated with
these important routes of development of the United States and to
present the richness of their stories as completely as possible, it is
essential and right that the National Park Service should be authorized
to evaluate [all]{.underline} their routes and cutoffs for possible
inclusion in the National Trails System.

Several important Amain routes@ were not included in the original
feasibility studies. The Cherokee Trail, for instance, included in S.
580, was an important route used by Native Americans to travel from
Indian Territory to the gold fields of California. To overlook this
significant, but probably not widely appreciated, chapter of our history
would be a very unfortunate oversight. Examination of the Cherokee Trail
for possible national recognition will allow the opportunity for many
more Americans to more fully understand the range of aspirations of some
19^th^ Century Native Americans.

The understanding of our history and the diverse cultures it has
produced is not static. Rather, like a living organism it is dynamic and
grows with new discoveries and re-interpretations of previous
information. As a Nation we are much richer and stronger because of such
advances in the understanding of our history that enable us to more
fully appreciate both the contributions of the many peoples and cultures
that have inhabited our land before us and the injustices brought upon
them through ignorance, prejudice and greed.

Our National Trails System should be in the forefront of recognizing the
full stories of our past, as we are best able to understand them and to
preserve the physical reminders of those stories to the fullest extent
possible.

**S. 580** provides the opportunity to update the Feasibility Studies
for these four trails to reflect significant new research since the
original studies were completed. The bill is a necessary opportunity to
assure that significant components of our history are recognized and
preserved to enrich our understanding of our past and to allow future
generations to do so, too.

The Partnership urges you to recommend adoption of **S. 580** to your
colleagues on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and to the full
Senate.

The Partnership for the National Trails System appreciates the prompt
consideration you have given to **S. 169** and **S. 580** and the
opportunity to provide these comments in support of them for the hearing
record. We urge you to promptly recommend passage of this legislation
important for restoring consistency to the National Trails System Act
and for authorizing a study of the feasibility of adding important
components to existing national historic trails.

**STATUS OF**

**NINE NATIONAL SCENIC AND HISTORIC TRAILS**

**WITHOUT FEDERAL LAND ACQUISITION AUTHORITY**

  ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  **NATIONAL SCENIC  PROJECTED LENGTH  PROTECTED LENGTH  UNPROTECTED
  TRAIL**                                                LENGTH

  Continental Divide 3200 miles        3087 miles        113 miles
  Trail                                                  

  Ice Age Trail      1200 miles        511 miles         689 miles

  North Country      4200 miles        1546 miles        2654 miles
  Trail                                                  

  Potomac Heritage   715 miles         465 miles         250 miles
  Trail                                                  

  **TOTAL**          **9315 miles**    **5609 miles**    **3706 miles**

                                                         

  **NATIONAL         NO. SIGNIFICANT   PROTECTED         UNPROTECTED
  HISTORIC TRAIL**   SITES/SEGMENTS    SITES/SEGMENTS    SITES/SEGMENTS

  Iditarod Trail     approx. 75        11                approx. 64

  Lewis & Clark      approx. 270       123               approx. 147
  Trail                                                  

  Mormon Pioneer     88                6                 82
  Trail                                                  

  Nez Perce Trail    80                40                40

  Oregon Trail       217               14                203

  **TOTAL**          **730**           **194**           **536**
  ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

The figures given are the most accurate available; however they are
approximate for all of these trails. Improvements in mapping techniques
and historic research are increasing understanding of the full nature of
these trails and the resources upon which they are based.

**S. 169** provides AWilling Seller@ land acquisition authority to
Federal agencies for all of these nine trails.

April 26, 2007

**OREGON - CALIFORNIA TRAILS ASSOCIATION**

**524 South Osage St. Independence, MO 60451**

**BILL and JEANNE WATSON, TRAILS LIAISON CO-CHAIRS**

**Statement to the**

**U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE on ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES**

**SUBCOMMITTEE on NATIONAL PARKS**

April 26, 2007

Chairman Akaka and members of the subcommittee:

Thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony to you in
support of the noncontroversial bill **S-580 to update the feasibility &
suitability studies for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer & Pony
Express National Historic Trails** on behalf of OCTA and the Partnership
for the National Trails System.

We greatly appreciate the action that this Subcommittee and the full
Senate took to pass a similar trails studies authorizations bill during
the 108^th^ Congress and regret that there was not time left to resolve
the minor wording differences between it and the House version. Also, we
greatly appreciate your action and Senate passage of bill S-54 during
the 109^th^ Congress and regret that the House Resources Committee
Chairman refused to act upon it. Today, we ask this Subcommittee to act
promptly and favorably to markup and recommend passage of S-580.

Prior to 1978 all trails authorized under the National Trails Act were
National Scenic Trails designed to be hiked from end to end. In 1978
Congress authorized the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer and Lewis & Clark
National Historic Trails. This new category of trail can not be hiked
from end to end but consists of significant sites and segments which are
connected by using adjacent public roads or highways.

The Mormon Trail authorizing legislation recognized the original route
of Brigham Young on an end to end route basis. It did not recognize
significant routes/cutoffs used by those that followed him. The Oregon
Trail legislation recognized that some wagon parties rafted their wagons
down the Columbia River Route while others payed a toll and used the
Barlow Road. The authorizing legislation omitted other significant
historic trail segments such as the Whitman Mission Route, the Upper
Columbia River route and the southern route into Oregon over the
Applegate Trail.

The National Park Service Team that developed the original California
Trail Feasibility Study did not have sufficient historic data in hand to
justify the inclusion of other routes/cutoffs in that study. In 1999,
the Four Trails Feasability Study recommended each of the routes/cutoffs
now listed in bill S-580 for future study to determine which ones meet
the National Trails System Act criteria for addition to these four
trails.

When the California and Pony Express Trails were authorized in 1992, it
was agreed that no condemnation of private lands or public land leases
was needed to complete these National Historic Trails. When a subsequent
Congress authorizes the addition of any of these study routes/cutoffs,
no condemnation of private lands or public land leases is contemplated.

Page 2 of 4

During 2006, OCTA volunteers contributed over 60,000 hours to our trails
plus volunteered expenses. OCTA developed our Mapping the Emigrant Trail
Manual which has become the recognized standard for the evaluation of
the condition of historic trail segments. Under Challenge Cost Share
projects, this Manual has been expanded into a two day trail Mapping,
Marking and Monitoring training course for OCTA chapter members. Last
year, federal funding covered the travel expenses of our three volunteer
member training team plus the cost of handout material and they trained
a class of Trail Of Tears Association volunteers along their trail. As
fiscal year 2007 federal funds become available, we plan to train more
OCTA members and also to run three training classes for other volunteers
along their National Historic Trails.

Many private land owners along our trails take family pride in
preserving emigrant graves, trail ruts, creek crossings, etc on their
land. To encourage their trail protection activities, OCTA has presented
64 Friend of the Trail Awards to these families/managers. Under
Challenge Cost Share Program projects, our chapters have worked with
enthusiastic landowners and our federal partners to make side-scan radar
examinations of emigrant graves without disturbing the surface.

The National Pony Express Association, our trails route partner, makes
an annual re-ride along their trail from east to west in even numbered
years and west to east in odd numbered years. They have a history of
riding over the original route on private land with the landowners
handshake permission. Some of these landowners actually ride with the
NPEA over their land while other families turn out two and three
generations to watch at whatever hour the riders cross their land.

OCTA works actively with public land leaseholders along the length of
our trails in accord with federal public lands policy that encourages
multiple use of these lands for history, recreation and minerals. During
the 2005 Senate hearings on the trails studies authorization bill, we
were asked to cooperate with the energy industry and Bureau of Land
Management in Wyoming which we continue to do. Please read the report
from Dave Welch, our National Preservation Officer, on the next page
that summarizes the depth of OCTA=s cooperation and involvement with
public land leaseholders and private landowners.

On behalf of OCTA, its officers and board and the Partnership for the
National Trails System, we thank you for your time and urge your prompt
markup and approval of bill S-580.

Sincerely,

Bill and Jeanne Watson

Trails Liaison Committee Ch-Chairs

28 Warford Terrace

Orinda, CA 94563

Tel: 925 254 - 2416

E-mail: BillJeanneWatson@aol.com

(more testimony - see page 3 of 4)

> OCTA testimony - pg. 3 of 4

Historic Trails and Other Land Uses in Wyoming

David J. Welch

National Preservation Officer, Oregon-California Trails Association

The extensive energy development activities in Wyoming result in
inevitable conflicts with the preservation of cultural resources like
the historic emigrant trails. While the Oregon-California Trails
Association=s (OCTA) mission is the preservation of the historic Oregon
and California National Historic Trails, we have taken a
non-confrontational approach to preservation from our founding in 1982.
We prefer to work with developers (and holders of other rights on public
lands) to find solutions that recognize the interests of all involved.

OCTA works within the outlines of the National Historic Preservation
Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR 800, the implementing regulation. Foremost,
we seek to insure that the procedures defined by the act and regulation
are followed. In Wyoming, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages
most public lands. We are consulted by them on adverse impacts to
historic trails and have helped develop mitigation plans as required by
the act. We work similarly with the State Historic Preservation Officer
(SHPO).

Our activities in Wyoming over the past six years, which has been a
period of intense energy development, have included the following:

1.  Reviewed and concurred on over one-thousand permit applications for
    energy development on public lands. We have supported the BLM=s
    findings of Ano adverse impact@ as well as recommendations for
    mitigation when there is a negative impact.

2.  Agreed to three memoranda of understanding that permit stream-lined
    permitting processes in areas of previous intense development. These
    include the Blue Forest, Monell and Bridger MOAs.

3.  Signed a programmatic agreement in the Pinedale Anticline/Jonah gas
    field agreeing to extensive development in an area adjacent to a
    California National Historic Trail alternate route, the Lander Road.
    This development has an adverse impact, but appropriate mitigation
    was defined. OCTA participates in two working groups resulting from
    this agreement.

4.  Worked with a major petroleum and coal company to document the
    location and status of the Cherokee and Overland Trails in southern
    Wyoming. This work will permit the company and others to proceed
    with development in areas not impacting the trail and it will permit
    us to focus our efforts on the highest quality remaining segments.

OCTA also conducts special programs to support the preservation and
appreciation of historic trails. These include trail marking (a
cooperative effort with the BLM and the National Park Service), trail
mapping and trail tours. We recognize the efforts of individuals like
the late Leonard Hay and corporations like Shell, Ultra and Anadarko for
their support of the trails. The aforementioned have received national
awards from OCTA. We also work with and recognize ranchers like Norman
and Gaynell Park (Independence Rock) and Rob and Nancy Hellyer (Burnt
Ranch) for their efforts to protect the trail on their properties.

The success of our efforts has been based upon the willingness of all
involved to consider the interests of others and to bend to accommodate
those interests when necessary. OCTA will continue to do its part.