The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is now fighting to kill the multi-year transportation bill being considered in the U.S. House of Representatives because its is “beyond possibility of repair” from a trails, walking and bicycling perspective.


“'ll be doing everything in my power to ensure this bill is defeated in the House,” wrote Kevin Mills, vice president of policy and trail development in an e-mail to Conservancy members Thursday. “I truly the hope you'll join me.”


The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012 (H.R. 7) as  currently written would:

 


  • Eliminate dedicated funding for trails, walking and bicycling; 
  • Destroy long-term dedicated funding for transit created by the Reagan Administration; 
  • Do away with the rail-trail eligibility category in the Transportation Enhancements (TE) program; 
  • Put our children in harm's way by eliminating the Safe Routes to School program; 
  • Fail to maximize its job creation potential, since trail, walking and bicycling projects create substantially more jobs per dollar than do highway projects; 
  • Increase America's dependence on foreign oil; and 
  • Contribute to our growing health and obesity crises.

 


The bill could come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in the next few days. Supporters of the threatened programs are encouraged to contact their U.S. representative via the Rails to Trails Conservancy website