SAMPLE LETTER IF YOU LIVE IN AN ADT STATE OR DISTRICT
Dear ________
As your constituent, I am writing to ask that you co-sponsor the National Discovery Trails Act, H.R. 74. Introduced by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland, this legislation amends the National Trails System Act to create a new category of long-distance trails called national discovery trails and designates the American Discovery Trail as the first trail under that category.
This legislation has passed the Senate unanimously three times. Recently, similar legislation attracted 40 House co-sponsors spanning the ideological spectrum.
The American Discovery Trail is our nation's first coast-to-coast, multi-use trail. Its 6,800-mile route stretches across 15 states. The National Park Service performed a feasibility study for inclusion of the trail in the national trails system and recommended that this new national trail category be created.
American Discovery Trail
I believe that you should co-sponsor this bill because:
It will be benefit our area. The American Discovery Trail passes through _____, and its designation as a national discovery trail will attract tourist dollars and bring national visibility. Trails benefit local economies. Many studies have found that trails and greenways positively affect property values, small business revenues, tourism, and even corporate relocations.
It benefits the country: as the first coast-to-coast trail, it supplies the missing links in the national trails system. The ADT connects five national scenic, 10 national historic, and 34 national recreation trails; passes through urban centers like Cincinnati and San Francisco; leads to 14 national parks and 16 national forests; and visits 10,000 sites of historic, cultural, and natural significance. It is truly the backbone of the national trails system.
It benefits our citizens' health. Walking and bicycle riding are great ways to keep fit and burn calories-and help fight the obesity epidemic. The ADT brings a national trail to the people. It is within 20 miles of 32 million people.
It is cost-effective and benefits local trails. The ADT has always been a public-private partnership, with the vast majority of the work being done by volunteers, and official designation will enhance our ability to increase this leverage. The presence of the ADT has resulted in many local trails being developed across the country.
For these and many more reasons, I ask that you sign on as a co-sponsor of the National Discovery Trails Act, H.R. 74. The member of Rep. Bartlett's staff who is coordinating the bill is Charlie Johnson, (202) 225-2721 or Charlie.Johnson@mail.house.gov
