Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2551 is a commonsense piece of legislation, sponsored by Representative John Curtis of Utah, that would improve access along a popular bike trail in Utah known as the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

Approximately 326 acres of the trail are currently inaccessible for bikers due to overlapping wilderness designations. Representative Curtis' bill simply swaps these 326 acres out of the Mount Olympus Wilderness Area and adds in equal acreage in separate areas to ensure access to outdoor recreational activities.

This is a great example of commonsense types of bills that the House should be considering. It is locally supported. It is a solution that will allow for more outdoor recreation and enjoyment of our public lands.

During a hearing on the bill, the Biden administration testified in support of this legislation. The bill also enjoys the support of more than 30 diverse stakeholders, including the Governor of Utah, The Trust for Public Land, the Outdoor Alliance, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee, PeopleforBikes, American Trails, the International Mountain Biking Association, and several others.

Letters from these organizations state, in part, that the bill will help create opportunities for new extracurricular activities for students at a local high school, provide equitable access to the outdoors, and support local small businesses.

The Outdoor Alliance also wrote a letter supporting the bill, which states that: ``Common sense, modest adjustments, offset by new wilderness additions, can be an important tool for ensuring that existing boundaries do not create insurmountable obstacles to sustainable recreation in places where relatively minor adjustments can be made without undercutting the values that animate the Wilderness Act. We believe that these conditions are met here.''

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis).

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Mr. OBERNOLTE. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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