69–006 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 110–502 

NEW ENGLAND NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL DESIGNATION 

ACT 

DECEMBER 19, 2007.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 

of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. RAHALL, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1528] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 1528) to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the New England National Scenic Trail, 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 all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘New England National Scenic Trail Designation 

Act’’. 

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION. 

Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) is amended by 

adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(ll) NEW ENGLAND NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.—The New England National 

Scenic Trail, a continuous trail extending approximately 220 miles from the border of New Hampshire in the town of Royalston, Massachusetts to Long Island 

Sound in the town of Guilford, Connecticut, as generally depicted on the map 

titled ‘New England National Scenic Trail Proposed Route’, numbered T06- 

80,000, and dated October 2007. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service. The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with Federal, State, tribal, regional, and 

local agencies, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Connecticut Forest and 

Park Association, and other organizations, shall administer the trail consistent 

with the recommendations of the draft report titled the ‘Metacomet Monadnock 

Mattabesset Trail System National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment’, prepared by the National Park Service, and dated Spring 

2006. The United States shall not acquire for the trail any land or interest in 

land without the consent of the owner.’’. 


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SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT. 

The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 

shall use the Trail Management Blueprint described in the draft report titled the 

‘‘Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesett Trail System National Scenic Trail Feasibility 

Study and Environmental Assessment’’, prepared by the National Park Service, and 

dated Spring 2006, as the framework for management and administration of the 

New England National Scenic Trail. Additional or more detailed plans for administration, management, protection, access, maintenance, or development of the trail 

may be developed consistent with the Trail Management Blueprint, and as approved 

by the Secretary. 

SEC. 4. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. 

The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (and its political subdivisions), the State of Connecticut (and its political subdivisions), the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and other regional, local, and private organizations deemed necessary and desirable to accomplish cooperative trail administrative, management, and protection objectives consistent with the Trail Management 

Blueprint. An agreement under this section may include provisions for limited financial assistance to encourage participation in the planning, acquisition, protection, operation, development, or maintenance of the trail. 

SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL TRAIL SEGMENTS. 

Pursuant to section 6 of the National Trails System Act, the Secretary is encouraged to work with the State of New Hampshire and appropriate local and private 

organizations to include that portion of the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in New 

Hampshire (which lies between Royalston, Massachusetts and Jaffrey, New Hampshire) as a component of the New England National Scenic Trail. Inclusion of this 

segment, as well as other potential side or connecting trails, is contingent upon written application to the Secretary by appropriate State and local jurisdictions and a 

finding by the Secretary that trail management and administration is consistent 

with the Trail Management Blueprint. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 1528 is to amend the National Trails System 

Act to designate the New England National Scenic Trail. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 1528 amends the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 

1241–1251) to designate most of the Metacomet-MonadnockMattabesett (MMM) Trail System as the New England National 

Scenic Trail. The MMM Trail System is a 190-mile trail route, in 

existence for over half a century, which extends from the Massachusetts border with New Hampshire through western Massachusetts and Connecticut toward Long Island Sound. 

The National Trails System Act of 1968 instituted a national system of historic, scenic, and recreation trails. National Scenic Trails 

are extended trails ‘‘so located as to provide maximum outdoor 

recreation potential, and for the conservation and enjoyment of nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of 

areas through which such trails may pass.’’

The Metacomet-Monadnock-Mattabesset Trail Study Act of 2002 

(Public Law 107–338) directed the Secretary of the Interior to 

study this trail system for potential addition to the National Trails 

System. A Draft National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment were completed in Spring 2006, and are currently under final review by the Department of the Interior. No 

major changes in the study are anticipated. 

The draft study found that the MMM Trail System hosts an 

array of scenic features, classic New England landscapes, and historic sites. The preferred alternative of the study calls for the esVerDate Aug 31 2005 01:11 Dec 22, 2007 Jkt 069006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR502.XXX HR502

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tablishment of the New England National Scenic Trail to incorporate most of the MMM Trail system, adjusted by some reroutes 

and proposed extensions, for a total proposed length of approximately 220 miles. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 1528 was introduced on March 14, 2007 by Representative 

John Olver (D–MA). The bill was referred to the Committee on 

Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee 

on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. On May 15, 2007, 

the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On October 10, 2007, 

the Subcommittee was discharged from further consideration of the 

legislation and the Full Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. Representative Raul Grijalva (D–AZ) offered an 

amendment to provide a new map for the series of maps referred 

to in the bill. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. Representative Rob Bishop (R–UT) offered an amendment that would 

make all designated and future designated lands within the New 

England National Scenic Trail, including all federal lands, exclusively governed by relevant state and local laws regarding hunting, 

fishing and the possession or use of a weapon, trap or net. The 

amendment was not adopted by a rollcall vote of 10 to 16, as follows: 


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The bill as amended was then ordered favorably reported to the 

House of Representatives by voice vote. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 entitles the bill the ‘‘New England National Scenic 

Trail Designation Act.’’

Section 2. Authorization and administration 

Section 2 amends Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) by adding the New England National Scenic 

Trail to the list of designated National Scenic Trails. Section 2 includes a description of the trail to be designated as well as a reference to the map of the proposed route. Section 2 also requires 

that the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with federal, 

state, tribal, regional, and local agencies, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and other 

organizations, administer the trail consistent with the recommendations of the draft report titled ‘‘Metacomet Monadnock 

Mattabesset Trail System National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study 

and Environmental Assessment,’’ prepared by the National Park 

Service and dated Spring 2006. Finally, Section 2 prohibits the 

United States from acquiring for the trail any land or interest in 

land without the consent of the owner. 

Section 3. Management 

This section requires that the Secretary of the Interior use the 

Trail Management Blueprint described in the draft report titled 

‘‘Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesset Trail System National Scenic 

Trail Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment,’’ prepared 

by the National Park Service and dated Spring 2006, as the framework for management and administration of the New England National Scenic Trail. 

Section 4. Cooperative agreements 

Section 4 provides authorization, which is also included in the 

National Trails System Act, for the Secretary of the Interior to 

enter into cooperative agreements to accomplish cooperative trail 

administrative, management, and protection objectives consistent 

with the Trail Management Blueprint. Cooperative agreements 

under this section may include provisions for limited financial assistance. 

Section 5. Additional trail segments 

Section 5 encourages the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to 

Section 6 of the National Trails System Act, to work with the State 

of New Hampshire and others to include that portion of the 

Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in New Hampshire as a component of 

the New England National Scenic Trail. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 


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Natural Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States 

grants Congress the authority to enact this bill. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII 

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) 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 this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 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 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule 

XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 

308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not 

contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 

3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. This bill does not 

authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the 

Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply. 

4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 

3(c)(3) of rule XIII 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 this bill from the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office: 

H.R. 1528—New England National Scenic Trail Designation Act 

H.R. 1528 would amend the National Trails System Act to designate approximately 220 miles of trail from Long Island Sound in 

Connecticut to the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border as a scenic trail in the National Trails System. The route would include 

portions of the existing Mattabesett, Metacomet, and MetacometMonadnock trails. There are no federal lands associated with the 

proposed route. The National Park Service (NPS) would administer 

the trail and coordinate the efforts of public and private entities on 

trail administration, planning, development, and maintenance. All 

activities would be carried out in accordance with the Trail Management Blueprint, prepared as part of the feasibility study for the 

trail. 

Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming the 

availability of appropriated funds, CBO estimates that establishing 

and administering the proposed scenic trail would cost about $2 

million over the 2008–2012 period. Of this amount, we estimate 

that the NPS would spend about $300,000 annually for administrative and maintenance costs, including additional personnel. 

H.R. 1528 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 


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The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The 

estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4 

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

EARMARK STATEMENT

H.R. 1528 does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e) 

or 9(f) of rule XXI. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is printed in italic 

and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 

roman): 

NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT 

* * * * * * * 

NATIONAL SCENIC AND NATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAILS

SEC. 5. (a) National scenic and national historic trails shall be 

authorized and designated only by Act of Congress. There are hereby established the following National Scenic and National Historic 

Trails: 

(1) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(——) NEW ENGLAND NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.—The New England 

National Scenic Trail, a continuous trail extending approximately 

220 miles from the border of New Hampshire in the town of 

Royalston, Massachusetts to Long Island Sound in the town of Guilford, Connecticut, as generally depicted on the map titled ‘‘New 

England National Scenic Trail Proposed Route’’, numbered T06- 

80,000, and dated October 2007. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National 

Park Service. The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with Federal, State, tribal, regional, and local agencies, the Appalachian 

Mountain Club, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and 

other organizations, shall administer the trail consistent with the 

recommendations of the draft report titled the ‘‘Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesset Trail System National Scenic Trail Feasibility 

Study and Environmental Assessment’’, prepared by the National 

Park Service, and dated Spring 2006. The United States shall not 


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acquire for the trail any land or interest in land without the consent 

of the owner. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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