Recreational Trails Program (20.219)
Program
20.219 Recreational Trails Program
Federal Agency
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Authorization
23 U.S.C. 104, 206.
Program Number
20.219
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To provide funds to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses.
Types of Assistance
Formula Grants; Project Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Funds from this program may be used for: (1) Maintenance and restoration of existing trails; (2)development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages; (3) purchase and lease of trail construction and maintenance equipment; (4) construction of new trails (with restrictions for new trails on Federal lands); (5) acquisition of easements or property for trails; (6) State administrative costs related to this program (limited to 7 percent of a State's funds); and (7) operation of educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection related to trails (limited to 5 percent of a State's funds). Funds may not be used for: property condemnation; constructing new trails for motorized use on National Forest or Bureau of Land Management lands unless the project is consistent with resource management plans; or facilitating motorized access on otherwise nonmotorized trails.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
The Governor of each State must designate the State agency or agencies responsible for administering this program. The State must have a State recreational trail advisory committee that represents both motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail users, which shall meet not less than once per fiscal year. The State agency may accept project proposals from private organizations, or from municipal, county, State, or Federal government entities, and other government entities. The projects must satisfy one or more of the permissible uses.
Beneficiary Eligibility
The State agency designated by the Governor.
Credentials/Documentation
Allowable costs will be determined in accordance with applicable cost principles listed in 49 CFR Part 18.22 for the kind of organization receiving the grant or subgrant.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Trail and trail-related projects must be planned and developed under the laws, policies, and administrative procedures within each State, and be identified in, or further a specific goal of, a recreational trail plan, or a statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan required by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l 4 et seq.), that is in effect. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
The States must submit project proposals to the FHWA division office located in each State for approval. The State may submit individual projects or consolidate similar projects for the purposes of program approval. FHWA approval constitutes a commitment to pay the Federal share of the project's cost. The State's projects also must be included in State transportation improvement programs and applicable metropolitan transportation improvement programs.
Award Procedure
The State agency or agencies designated by the Governors decide which projects will be developed within funding levels, but the FHWA division office located in each State makes the final decision on the eligibility of specific projects for funding.
Deadlines
There are no Federal deadlines for funding requests. An individual State may establish deadlines for projects within that State.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Appeals
None.
Renewals
None.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Funds are distributed to the States by statutory formula: 50 percent of the funds are apportioned equally among all States, and 50 percent are apportioned in proportion to the estimated amount of nonhighway recreational fuel use in each State. In general, the maximum Federal share for each project from Recreational Trails Program funds is 80 percent. A Federal agency project sponsor may provide additional Federal funds, provided the total Federal share does not exceed 95 percent. The nonfederal match must come from project sponsors or other fund sources. Funds from any other Federal program may be used for the nonFederal match if the project also is eligible under the other program. States also may allow a programmatic match: if some project sponsors in a State provide more match funds than required, other sponsors in the State may provide less. Some in-kind materials and services may be credited toward the project match.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Funds generally become available at the beginning of the fiscal year for which they are authorized, and must be obligated within 3 years after the close of that fiscal year.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Generally, the FHWA division office in each State monitors and reviews State projects and programs.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of State, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations", nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 in a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
Project records and documents must be retained by the State for 3 years following the final submission for Federal payment in accordance with 49 CFR 18.41.
Program Accomplishments
States selected projects located on Federal, State, local, and private lands for all kinds of recreational trail uses including projects such as: grooming snowmobile trails, constructing nature trails on school properties, constructing urban multiple use trails, repairing motorized and nonmotorized trails in National Forests and Bureau of Land Management lands, providing bridges on rail-trails, developing trailside and trailhead facilities, etc. Many projects enhanced trail use for people with disabilities.
Financial Information
Account Identification
69-8083-0-7-401.
Obligations
(Grants) Obligations are shown within Federal-aid Highway program totals.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Apportionments to the States are based on statutory formula. All 50 States and the District of Columbia are eligible to receive apportionments. For fiscal year 2002, funds ranged from $482,843 to approximately $3,300,000; the average was $965,686. For fiscal year 2003 funds ranged fron $479,705 to $3.4 million; the average was $959,409.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
23 CFR, Highways and 49 CFR, Transportation. There are no regulations specifically for this program. Interim program guidance was completed on April 1, 1999; it is current as of May 2003.
Related Programs
20.205, Highway Planning and Construction.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
State-level offices of the Federal Highway Administration (as listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog) or the State agency designated by the Governor to administer this program.
Headquarters Office
Christopher B. Douwes, Office of Planning and Environment (HEAN-50), Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Room 3240, Washington DC 20590. Telephone: 202-366-5013. Fax: 202-366-3409. Email: christopher.douwes@fhwa.dot.gov.
Web Site Address
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrail.htm
Examples of Funded Projects
Trail projects to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses. Examples include maintenance and construction of trails for hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles; development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities; operation of educational projects and programs to promote safety and environmental protection related to recreational trails; State administrative costs related to this program.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
To be eligible, projects must be selected on the basis of State priorities within the limit of the funds apportioned to each State.
