(June 14, 2019) – Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct an updated study on the total amount of non-highway recreational fuel taxes collected on an annual basis. The data from this study, a study to be conducted every five years thereafter, can then be used to determine how much funding should go towards the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).
The current annual funding for RTP is about $84 million. We believe that the amount of non-highway recreational fuel taxes collected on an annual basis could be upwards to four times that amount. Hence, the need for a new study.
Even with the new information, Congress will still need to make the final decision on how much money should go towards RTP. But having this up to date information will help them as they make this decision and hopefully, increase the RTP budget.
Please write your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1527. Also ask them to write to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to express their support for this legislation.
Senators Klobuchar, Risch, Shaheen, Burr and Van Hollen are the current sponsors of this legislation. If one of them happens to be your Senator, please write and express your appreciation for their leadership on the RTP legislation. Click here to take action.
