16 U.S.C. § 1241 - Congressional statement of policy and declaration of purpose

• Cite as: 16 U.S.C. § 1241

(a) Considerations for determining establishment of trails

In order to provide for the ever-increasing outdoor recreation needs of an expanding population and in order to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation, trails should be established (i) primarily, near the urban areas of the Nation, and (ii) secondarily, within scenic areas and along historic travel routes of the Nation, which are often more remotely located.

(b) Initial components

The purpose of this chapter is to provide the means for attaining these objectives by instituting a national system of recreation, scenic and historic trails, by designating the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail as the initial components of that system, and by prescribing the methods by which, and standards according to which, additional components may be added to the system.

(c) Volunteer citizen involvement

The Congress recognizes the valuable contributions that volunteers and private, nonprofit trail groups have made to the development and maintenance of the Nation's trails. In recognition of these contributions, it is further the purpose of this chapter to encourage and assist volunteer citizen involvement in the planning, development, maintenance, and management, where appropriate, of trails.

Cite as 16 U.S.C. § 1241

Source: Pub. L. 90-543, §2, Oct. 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 919; Pub. L. 95-625, title V, §551(1)-(3), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3511; Pub. L. 98-11, title II, §202, Mar. 28, 1983, 97 Stat. 42.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS

1983-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98-11, §202(1), substituted "The" for "the" before "purpose".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98-11, §202(2), added subsec. (c).

1978-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95-625, §551(1), (2), inserted "the preservation of," and "and historic resources" after "promote" and "outdoor areas" and substituted "within scenic areas and along historic travel routes of the Nation, which are often more remotely located" for "within established scenic areas more remotely located".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95-625, §551(3), substituted ", scenic and historic" for "and scenic".

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

SHORT TITLE OF 2023 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 117-345, §1, Jan. 5, 2023, 136 Stat. 6196, provided that: "This Act [amending section 1244 of this title] may be cited as the 'Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail Designation Act'."

SHORT TITLE OF 2020 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 116-111, §1, Jan. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 8, provided that: "This Act [amending section 1244 of this title] may be cited as the 'Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act'."