S1470-119

What This Bill Does

Requires Agriculture and Interior to create a joint Forest Service-BLM Trail Completion Team within one year, consult affected governments, landowners, land-grant merced owners and users, acequias, and interested parties, complete a Continental Divide National Scenic Trail development plan within three years, identify gaps and willing-seller easements, estimate costs, and seek volunteer or nonprofit partnership agreements.

Who Benefits and How

Continental Divide Trail users benefit from a dedicated completion team and comprehensive plan aimed at finishing and optimizing the national scenic trail. Volunteer trail organizations and nonprofit trail partners benefit from agreement opportunities to help complete and administer the trail. Willing landowners benefit because the plan must identify easement opportunities acquired from willing sellers rather than assuming compulsory acquisition. Affected state, Tribal, and local governments, land-grant merced owners and users, and acequias benefit from consultation during completion and planning.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Forest Service trail staff and BLM trail staff must stand up the joint team within one year, coordinate with the trail administrator, consult affected parties, and assist with the comprehensive plan. The Agriculture Secretary must complete the comprehensive development plan within three years of team establishment and include gap identification, willing-seller easements, general and site-specific development plans, and anticipated costs. Interior staff must participate in team creation and partnership work. Landowners and local communities along unfinished segments may need to engage in consultation or easement negotiations.

Key Provisions

• Defines the Secretary, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, and the Trail Completion Team.
• Requires Agriculture and Interior to establish a joint Forest Service-BLM Trail Completion Team within one year.
• Directs consultation with federal agencies, state governments, Tribal governments, local governments, landowners, land-grant merced owners and users, acequias, and interested parties.
• Requires a comprehensive development plan within three years of team establishment.
• Requires the plan to identify trail gaps, willing-seller easement opportunities, general and site-specific plans, and anticipated costs.
• Directs Agriculture and Interior to seek volunteer and nonprofit partnership agreements for trail completion and administration.