An important trails program, the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA), is facing significant funding cuts in next year’s federal budget. RTCA supports 300 projects around the country each year, and is the primary federal program that provides assistance with water trails and public access to rivers. AW has partnered with RTCA on projects across the country for more than a decade and specific recent projects have focused on these great rivers:
- Middle Fork Snoqualmie, WA: RTCA facilitated a design planning process to develop a site plan for access points along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River and assisted in building partnerships for planning and maintenance of the sites.
- Sandy River Gorge, OR: RTCA is facilitating a planning effort to develop a vision for public access to the river following decommissioning of the Bull Run hydro project and the transfer of PGE’s lands along the river to public ownership.
- Menominee River, MI/WI: As an outcome of relicensing on the Menominee River, RTCA has coordinated a community effort to develop a water trail which incorporates recreational, environmental, economic, and historical resources in the area while providing educational and economic opportunities.
- Big Sandy/Cheat, WV: RTCA assisted local groups to protect public access and address resource degradation issues on these rivers.
- Russell Fork, VA: RTCA worked with the community to develop a vision for a hiking trail and water trail along this classic river.
To help save RTCA, AW and a coalition of partner organizations is requesting that Congress appropriate $10.1 million in their Interior Appropriations bill. This amount will restore RTCA’s effectiveness by compensating for several years of flat and decreased funding. We’re very close to gaining the necessary support for this proposal, but your help is needed to ensure Congress approves the $10.1 million budget.
Ask Your Senator to Sign on to the "Dear Colleague" Letter to Save RTCA
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) are circulating a "Dear Colleague" letter, an internal Senate petition to show support for funding RTCA at $10.1 million. AW is trying to get as many senators as possible to sign the letter by the end of the week – time is critical. We need at least 30 senators to have a chance to restore funding.
Times are tight for the federal budget, but our request represents a drop in the bucket compared to other programs. Better yet, RTCA is one of our government’s most efficient and effictive programs with a much greater impact than its current budget would suggest. It leverages an additional $50 million annually in local community investment to improve public access to rivers, expand trail networks, and conserve critical open space.
Communities depend on RTCA staff to continue to facilitate hundreds of programs and the proposed budget cuts would stop dozens of projects and lead to serious job losses. By calling your U.S. Senator, we can save RTCA and the valuable work it makes possible.
How to Help
To call your two U.S. Senators, use the U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or go to the Senate website.
What to Say
- Ask for the congressional staffer that works on public lands issues or on the Interior Appropriations Bill.
- Tell them who you are, your address, phone number and if you work with an affiliated bike club or trails organization. Leave a message if you get voice mail.
- Thank them for their time and tell them you are calling about increasing the budget for a program of the National Park Service called Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance.
- Ask them to sign the "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated by Senators Levin (D-MI) and Collins (R-ME) to restore RTCA’s funding to $10.1 million in the Interior Appropriations bill.
- Site specific trail projects that RTCA works on in your state. Additional background and lists of past projects can be found on the RTCA website.
- Tell them this program has remained flat funded for several years, was cut by $200,000 last year and another cut will mean many more community trails projects won’t get their assistance.
- Personalize your message. If you are familiar with some of the RTCA projects in your state, let the staffer know what they mean to you and why trails are important to your areas.
Photo: Paddlers enjoying the new access trail on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie made possible with planning assistance from the RTCA program’s Seattle office.