U.S. House bill includes trails funding

Renewed funding for motorized trails is included in a major federal transportation bill approved by a key U.S. House committee.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Feb. 2 approved a transportation funding authorization bill -- H.R. 7, the "American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012." The measure now goes to the full House for a vote before moving to the Senate for consideration.

Since the Senate has its own version of the bill, the spending plan would eventually end up in a House-Senate conference committee where differences would be worked out before going back to both chambers for final approval.

The House measure includes $85 million a year through fiscal year 2016 for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which provides money to states to develop and maintain trails. Federal lawmakers had been looking at eliminating the dedicated funding for the program, which threatened to end the RTP.

"Motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle riders by the thousands spoke, and federal lawmakers listened," said Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations. "We want to thank the members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their hard work in putting together this massive transportation bill, and for including provisions that benefit our members."

Funds for the RTP come from the federal Highway Trust Fund and represent a portion of the federal motor fuel excise tax collected from non-highway recreational fuel use. In other words, taxes generated by fuel used for off-highway vehicle recreation -- by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-highway light trucks -- fund the RTP.

The RTP provides funds to the states to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized and motorized recreational trail uses. The RTP is an assistance program of the U.S. Transportation Department's Federal Highway Administration. The RTP program benefits hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, ATV riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.