I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5118 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize the completion of the 
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 27, 2021 
Mr. NEGUSE (for himself and Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize the com-
pletion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Continental Divide 
Trail Completion Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CONTINENTAL DIVIDE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL. 
(a) COMPLETION OF TRAIL.—Not later than Novem-
ber 10, 2028, the Secretary shall substantially complete 
the land acquisition program necessary to ensure the com-
pletion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, 
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consistent with sections 3(a)(2) and 5(a)(5) of the Na-
tional Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1242(a)(2) and 16 
U.S.C. 1244(a)(5)). The Secretaries of Agriculture and 
the Interior shall take necessary actions to achieve this 
goal, including the following steps, listed in order of pri-
ority: 
(1) Complete the Continental Divide National 
Scenic Trail by acquiring land as necessary to elimi-
nate gaps between sections of the Trail and secure 
corridors compatible with the nature and purposes of 
the Trail. 
(2) Optimize the Trail by relocating existing 
portions of the Trail on Federal land as necessary 
to maximize conservation and enjoyment of the na-
tionally significant scenic, historic, natural, and cul-
tural qualities of the Trail corridor. 
(3) Publish maps of the completed trail cor-
ridor. 
(b) LAND ACQUISITION TEAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination 
with the Secretary of the Interior, shall establish a 
joint Forest Service and Bureau of Land Manage-
ment land acquisition team to work in coordination 
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with the Trail Administrator to facilitate the comple-
tion and optimization of the Trail, pursuant to the 
purposes of section 3(a)(2) of the National Trails 
System Act (16 U.S.C. 1242(a)(2)). 
(2) DUTIES OF THE TEAM.—The Team shall 
carry out the following: 
(A) Conduct Optimal Location Reviews to 
identify land that— 
(i) eliminates gaps between sections of 
the Trail; 
(ii) may be acquired by the Secretary 
or the Secretary of the Interior by pur-
chase from a willing seller, donation, or ex-
change; and 
(iii) is best suited for inclusion in the 
Trail in accordance with the purposes and 
policy of the National Trails System Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.). 
(B) Provide the necessary administrative 
support to complete conveyances of land identi-
fied under subparagraph (A). 
(C) Consistent with the priorities described 
in subsection (a), conduct Optimal Location Re-
views to identify— 
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(i) portions of the Trail on Federal 
land that should be relocated to maximize 
the conservation and enjoyment of the na-
tionally significant scenic, historic, natural, 
or cultural qualities of the Trail corridor; 
and 
(ii) where to relocate such portions of 
the Trail. 
(D) Provide the necessary administrative 
support to relocate portions of the Trail identi-
fied under subparagraph (C). 
(c) ACQUISITION PLAN.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, 
after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, Gov-
ernors of the affected States, Indian Tribes, and the Con-
tinental Divide Trail Coalition, submit to the Committee 
on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
Senate a comprehensive acquisition or protection plan. 
This plan should identify any incomplete segments or gaps 
where the respective agencies have not been able to acquire 
access, right-of-ways, easements, or acquisitions to date 
from willing sellers, donations, or exchanges, and a plan 
for all lands to be acquired by fee title or lesser interest, 
along with detailed explanation of anticipated necessary 
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cooperative agreements for any lands not to be acquired; 
and general and site-specific development plans, including 
anticipated costs. 
(d) METHOD OF ACQUISITION.—In carrying out this 
section, the Team— 
(1) may acquire land only by purchase from a 
willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, 
donation, or exchange; and 
(2) may not acquire land by eminent domain. 
(e) MAINTAINING
EXISTING
PARTNERSHIPS.—In 
carrying out this section, the Secretary and the Team shall 
continue to maintain and develop working partnerships 
with volunteer and nonprofit organizations that assist in 
the development, maintenance, and management of the 
Trail. 
(f) REPORTS.— 
(1) SECRETARY.—Not later than 1 year after 
the creation of the Team, and at the close of each 
fiscal year until the acquisition program is com-
pleted, the Secretary shall transmit, in writing, the 
following information to the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
Senate: 
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(A) The amount of land acquired during 
the fiscal year and the amount expended for 
such land. 
(B) The amount of land planned for acqui-
sition in the ensuing fiscal year and the esti-
mated cost of such land. 
(C) The estimated amount of land remain-
ing to be acquired. 
(2) CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COALITION.— 
Not later than 1 year after the creation of the 
Team, and until the entire acquisition program is 
completed, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition 
shall transmit a report at the close of each fiscal 
year to the Committee of Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate, which 
shall include the following: 
(A) The progress of the Secretary in mak-
ing the necessary acquisitions to complete and 
optimize the Trail. 
(B) The manner in which negotiations for 
the acquisition program are being conducted for 
every section of the Trail. 
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(C) Whether in any case larger interests in 
land are being acquired than are necessary to 
carry out the purposes of this Act. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) OPTIMAL
LOCATION
REVIEW.—The term 
‘‘Optimal Location Review’’ means the procedures 
described in the Continental Divide National Scenic 
Trail Optimal Location Review Guide, dated Novem-
ber 2017. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service. 
(3) TEAM.—The term ‘‘Team’’ means the land 
acquisition team established under subsection (b). 
(4) TRAIL.—The term ‘‘Trail’’ means the Con-
tinental Divide National Scenic Trail established by 
section 5 of the National Trails System Act (16 
U.S.C. 1244). 
Æ 
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