Act Would Designate MMM Trails Under National Care
TRAILS
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Jason Millman
Boston University Washington News Service
January 30, 2008
WASHINGTON – A plan to unite almost 200 miles of hiking trails extending from northern Massachusetts to the Long Island Sound in Connecticut has come one step closer to approval with the House vote in favor of it.
The bill calls for the Metacomet-Monadnock-Mattabesett Trail System, a combined 190 miles of hiking paths that reaches as far north as Royalston and touches parts of Worcester, to be united under the new name of the New England National Scenic Trail in the care of the National Park Service.
The bill would authorize the creation of an additional 30 miles of trails to connect the 190-mile route of existing trails that run through 39 Massachusetts communities. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst, was cosponsored by representatives whose districts are included in the trail system.
Mr. Olver, speaking on the floor of the House before Tuesday’s 261-122 vote, said the trails provided a “unique recreational opportunity within urban areas.” More than 2 million people live within 10 miles of the trails.
After almost seven years of research, public meetings, mailings to landowners and a National Park Service report, planning agencies have developed proposed locations for the trail extensions. Landowners must give their consent to have their land included into the National Trail System, but some landowners have raised concerns that having federal land in their backyard could raise problems in the future.
Cinda Jones, president of Cowls Land and Lumber Company in North Amherst, owns eight miles of timberland in the MMM Trails. Ms. Jones, who has been one of the most vocal opponents of the bill because she does not want her land to fall under federal regulations, has requested that the MMM Trails be rerouted before they are designated for the Park Service. Even though the Park Service proposal calls for a reroute around Ms. Jones’ property, the exact route for what would become the New England National Scenic Trail cannot be finalized until the act becomes official.
“Until they reroute it, it’s going through landowners’ property who don’t want it,” Ms. Jones said in a telephone interview.
Ms. Jones also expressed concern that the government may take land by eminent domain even though the bill explicitly states that the Park Service has no authority to take land without consent from the owners. The same sentiment was echoed by representatives opposed to the federal designation before Tuesday’s House vote.
“Whatever they say today is well and good, but anyone in the future can change it,” Ms. Jones said.
Mr. Olver acknowledged concerns about eminent domain in his remarks before Tuesday’s vote. He said landowners are not in danger of losing their property.
“Protection of private property has been of utmost concern,” Mr. Olver said.
Heather Clish, deputy director of conservation for the Appalachian Mountain Club , which currently oversees maintenance of the Massachusetts portion of the MMM Trails, said putting the trails under the Park Service would help conserve the land.
“Once it’s designated, it would benefit the trail by giving it the recognition and the potential for additional financial resources that would help things like maintain communication with landowners and protect trails through partnership with local owners,” Ms. Clish said.
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