Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - [MSAR] Highways act- need input

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: pennbo@bbv.net
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Highways act- need input
  • Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 08:37:41 -0700

Hi, this came across another equine list so I thought I would post it here and see if anyone had any comments or inside knowledge. It seems to be the way of the government that if they give us something they take something away. I am looking for the "take away" part of this proposal. Anyone have anything to share?
Thanks,
Chris
Federal highway law to include provision for equestrian activity 
May 29, 2003-- from the American Horse Council Washington, DC ---
President Bush's proposal for new surface transportation programs
contains a section which protects equine access to federal paths.

Many recreational riders have experienced difficulties in maintaining
access to federal paths as federal highway law specifically alluded to
access for hikers and bikers but not other forms of recreation. Federal
law does not exclude equestrians from these walkways, but some federal
managers restricted access because they claimed that equestrians were
not allowed since they were not specifically named in the law.

The American Horse Council has worked very closely with the Federal
Highway Administration to clarify this situation.
We heard from many members across the United States that horses
were not being allowed because they were not specifically mentioned in
the law, said Jay Hickey, president of the American Horse Council. 
 
We spoke to representatives of the Federal Highway Administration and
discovered that this is not what they intended when they wrote the
original legislation. They then agreed to try to resolve this problem.

The Bush Administration has just released its proposal for the
reauthorization of TEA-21, a federal law which authorizes the federal
surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and
transit. The new legislation is referred to as TEA-3 or SAFETEA, which
stands for Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation
Equity Act of 2003.

Included in this proposal is language that would clarify that a Shared
Use Path is open to multiple uses, including equestrian use.
It is important to note that this is only the President's proposal; the
final language must still be developed by Congress in the next few
months.

It is vital to the $28 billion equine recreation industry that this
language be included in the final bill passed by Congress, Hickey
said. We encourage everyone to contact their Representatives and
Senators to request that the definition of Shared Use Path found in the
President's proposal be included in the final legislation. If any riders
need help in identifying their Representatives, they are welcome to
contact the American Horse Council.  http://www.horsecouncil.org






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page