Action Items
TIME SENSATIVE MATTER Please contact your representatives! 2-10-12 RTP is a user-pay, user-benefit. The money is generated when we fill our snowmobiles and the money is used for trail building, maintenance and other trail-related projects. Even though the program is 100% funded by the motorized users, RTP is split 30% to non-motorized uses, 30% to motorized uses and 40% for mixed-use trails. Many different recreation interests strongly support the RTP as evidenced by a Coalition for Recreational Trails letter earlier this year with more than 400 international, national, state and local recreation organizations. The broad support for the program is a testament to its success. We are very hopeful Senators Johnson and Thune can be supportive of the Klobuchar amendment. Background: The Recreational Trails Program (RTP), arguably the most important government program ever created to benefit motorized recreation (as well as non-motorized recreation) faces a big hurdle in transportation reauthorization legislation. As you know the RTP funds the development and maintenance of thousands of miles of motorized and non-motorized trails, but without your action the RTP may be eliminated. Transportation reauthorization legislation, known as MAP-21, that passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee late last year is being brought up for a vote soon, possibly as early as next week! MAP-21 threatens the very existence of RTP by eliminating the program’s dedicated funding. Senator Klobuchar’s amendment would restore the necessary dedicated funding! Contact information is: johnson.senate.gov 202-224-5842 thune.senate.gov 202-224-2321 As you know, we were fortunate to get dedicated funding for RTP in the House Transportation Bill last week. While RTP was included in the Senate version, it did not include dedicated funding. RTP has always had dedicated funding -- without it, each and every program must compete against each other in a free for all. Many of those groups competing would be groups that do not contribute by means of the federal gas tax. As it is now, every time we gas up our sleds (not trucks!), a portion of that federal gas tax goes toward RTP. That language was once again included in the House legislation. The Senate has accelerated their timetable to debate/vote on the legislation -- sometime in the next couple of weeks. We have been working to find a champion in the Senate to sponsor an amendment to restore the dedicated funding to RTP. Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) intends to file this amendment. This is great news. Now we need to be sure we have support from other Senators to help Senator Klobuchar. I think they should hear from South Dakota snowmobilers asking that they be supportive of restoring the dedicated funding for RTP. Hopefully if they hear from enough snowmobilers, they will vote to support Senator Klobuchar's amendment. |
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