Voice Your Support for the Recreational Trails Program

Every few years Congress passes a multiyear national surface transportation bill. This bill funds transportation projects and programs such as the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) which provides money for state and local trail projects.

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has announced a series of field hearings that will take place in February on the next multiyear national surface transportation bill. The Committee will seek input on priorities for the bill.

If you live near one of the scheduled hearings this is an opportunity to voice support of the RTP Program and the benefit it provides to equestrians.

Scheduled Hearings
2/17    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2/18    Scranton, Pennsylvania and Rochester, New York
2/19   Columbus, Ohio – Ohio State House, Senate Finance Hearing Room, 1 Capitol Square – This field hearing of the Full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
2/19    Indianapolis, Indiana
2/20    Chicago, Illinois
2/21    Vancouver, Washington
2/22    Fresno, California
2/23    Los Angeles, California
2/24    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2/24    Jonesboro, Arkansas
2/25    Memphis, Tennessee

Contact your Representative’s local office to get times and exact locations. Find your Representative HERE.

About the Recreational Trails Program

• The RTP provides funding directly to the states for recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized and motorized recreational trail uses. The RTP will have to be re-authorized in the next national surface transportation program bill if it is to continue.

• Since its inception the RTP has provided approximately $700 million for thousands of state and local trail projects across the country, including many that benefit equestrians. RTP projects consist of construction, maintenance and restoration of trails and trail related facilities as well as the acquisition of easements or property for trails.

• Although each state manages its own program, 30% of RTP funds must be spent on non-motorized projects like equestrian trails, 30% on motorized, and 40% percent on multiuse projects.

• The RTP is one of the few sources for federal funding of trail projects that are not on federal land.  The program is a great resource for equestrians to fund projects in their state and local parks.

• The AHC in conjunction with a broad coalition of recreational users has been working to ensure RTP is included in any national highway bill passed by Congress.

Montgomery County Parks Are Under Attack! Your Action Is Needed Before Monday, February 14.

Legislation just proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett threatens Montgomery County’s Park funding and safety.

1. Allow funds, now guaranteed to the Parks Department for acquisition, development, maintenance and recreational facilities, to be siphoned by the Executive and Council at their discretion.
2. Transfer management of all park lands and facilities from the independent Park and Planning Commission to the Montgomery County government. Under Mr. Leggett’s scenario, the County’s vast acres of parkland would become subject to the political whims of elected officials. Pressures to use parkland for housing or transportation projects would likely increase under politicized management.
3. Negatively impact public safety and park use by merging the Park Police, now directed by the Planning Commission, to the County Police with allegiance to the County Executive. The assertion that the merger of the two forces would save money was debunked in the 2010 budget hearings.  Park police pay and retirement benefits are lower than county police. This merger may actually cost money. Park Police are trained to routinely monitor park use, safety concerns and more. Under County Police authority, in-depth park monitoring would not likely be a priority.

What can YOU do to stop this dangerous legislation?

Write and/or call your councilmembers BEFORE next Monday, February 14, when they will vote. Tell them to oppose Bill MC/PG112-11. An individual e-mail copied to each one is most effective.

Just a few sentences in your own words are more powerful than form letters. We have included some key talking points below for your convenience.

1. Continue to guarantee funding for parks. Provision for optional funding is an invitation to disaster to the long term health of the County’s park system and to the public’s safety and welfare.
2. Montgomery’s residents rate their park system as a primary reason to live and locate businesses here. This action will negatively affect all residents.
3. Park Police are best in charge of our parks! Their presence keeps parks safe for all!
4. Our county runs strong because of the independent nature of the Park and Planning Commission! Politics must not play a role in the public’s quality of life.
5. The county’s long-term fiscal health depends on long-term, prudent, collegial planning and decision making. This legislation is counter to this basic premise.
6. This is a power and land grab that has no fiscal benefits and will not improve efficiency of either county government or parks operation.
7. In your own words, tell them how much you value Montgomery County’s parks.
8. Please vote “No” on Bill MC/PG112-11!

Sunday Hunting Bill Introduced Into House–Your Voice Needed!

Two weeks ago we contacted you about a bill (S.B. 45) introduced into the state legislature that, if passed, would allow Sunday deer hunting on private land from October through January throughout most of the state.

Historically, Maryland has prohibited hunting on Sundays, but the legislature has chipped away at these protections over the past few years. You’ve expressed your opinion that outdoor enthusiasts, such as horseback riders, birders, campers, hikers, wildlife watchers and bikers, deserve one day per week to enjoy their recreation in relative quiet and safety.

A companion bill (H.B. 129) has been introduced in the House. This bill is scheduled for a hearing this Wednesday, February 9, at 1 p.m. The Humane Society of the United States has kindly offered to present EPIC President David Tobin’s testimony in opposition to the bill on our behalf. You can read a copy of the testimony here.

If you don’t want to share private trails with hunters on Sundays, please call your three Maryland state delegates TODAY and politely urge them to oppose efforts to expand Sunday hunting. Click here to enter your zip code and find out who represents you. Then please forward this information to your friends and family in Maryland, and consider posting the alert on your Facebook or Twitter page.

EPIC is doing our part, but we can’t do it without your help. Your calls will really make a difference—please call today!

Your Action Needed — Say “NO” to Sunday Hunting

JANUARY 26, 2011 — We heard you loud and clear: You don’t want to share private horse trails with hunters on Sundays (85% of voters in our recent survey said they oppose Senate Bill 45). Therefore, EPIC will oppose the bill at today’s hearing. President David Tobin will submit testimony on behalf of EPIC members. You can read the content of the testimony below.

TAKE ACTION
This hearing is only the beginning. Your state senator is a critical vote on the committee that will be considering this bill. Please make a brief, polite phone call to your state senator and express your opposition to Sunday hunting in Maryland. Click here to find your state senator’s phone number. You can simply say, “I am a constituent and I oppose efforts to expand hunting on Sundays in Maryland.”

After making your phone calls (please do not skip that crucial step!), send a follow-up message to your state legislators. Elected officials receive a lot of e-mail, so be sure to edit your message so it stands out. You can send your own message by filling out this helpful form from the Humane Society of the United States or using it as the basis for your own letter.

We need YOUR voice to keep Maryland’s riding trails safe. Thanks for your help!

Sunday Hunting in Maryland–Yes or No?

Bill SP45 (click bill name to view) was just introduced into the Maryland State Legislature. If passed, this bill would allow Sunday hunting on private property in Montgomery County from October through January. Please complete this simple poll to let us know YOUR view.

There will be a hearing January 26, 2011. We encourage you to convey your view to the Montgomery County delegation: www.mdarchives.us/msa/mdmanual/07leg/html/gacomo.html. (Find your legislative district HERE.)

[polldaddy poll=4422540]

How the Enhanced Tax Incentive for Conservation Easements Benefits You

By Rand Wentworth, President, Land Trust Alliance

After a year-long lapse that left many important conservation donations in limbo, Congress has renewed the enhanced tax incentive for conservation easements! As soon as President Obama signs H.R. 4853 (http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/111_satohr4853_txt.pdf), the incentive will be in effect through December 31, 2011 and be retroactive to January 1, 2010.

We’d like to say a big “Thank you!” to each and every person who made a phone call, visited their member of Congress, financially supported our work, or otherwise played their part at the local, state or national level. This has been a true community effort which would not have been possible without our national coalition and the help of many land trusts. Your hard work made renewal of the incentive possible and has laid the groundwork for bipartisan legislation to make it permanent.

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Let’s Make the Most of This News!

We must act quickly to ensure that landowners in your land trust’s priority areas hear about this incentive. Here are 4 steps you can take immediately:

- Alert local media using our sample press release (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/documents/9-Press%20Release%20Template.doc) or letter to the editor (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/documents/2-ltr-to-editor)

- Spread the word to landowners with the Grassroots Toolkit (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/policy-toolkit)
- Thank Congress – and urge them to make this incentive permanent! (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/policy-toolkit)

- Forward this alert to your board, staff, members and supporters

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Details on What Was Extended

The incentive, which now applies to donations in 2010 and 2011:

- Raises the income tax deduction a landowner can take for donating a conservation easement from 30% of their income in any year to 50%;

- Allows farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income; and

- Increases the number of years over which a donor can take deductions from 6 to 16 years.

This package also extends the S Corporation donation incentive (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/tax-matters/conservation-donation-rules) and the IRA Charitable Rollover (http://independentsector.org/ira_rollover) through 2011.

Although the estate tax incentives (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/tax-matters/estate-tax-reform-and-land-conservation) for land conservation we championed did not make it in, this package does extend the 2001 law that removed the geographic limitations from the section 2031(c) estate tax exclusion for land protected by a conservation easement, through December 31, 2012. That means, even with a $5 million unified credit and 35% rate, landowners may still realize up to a $175,000 estate tax benefit for donating a conservation easement.

For complete details please see our Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/tax-matters/incentive-faqs) and Conservation Donation Rules (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/tax-matters/conservation-donation-rules) pages.

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Working to Make the Incentive Permanent Next Year

While this extension is good news, it’s also important to convey the message that land conservation projects can take many years to put together and the uncertainty that comes from renewing the enhanced incentive year to year prevents it from reaching its full potential. Working together with land trusts across the country, and our coalition of 65 agricultural, sporting and conservation organizations, we’ll be working hard to make the incentive permanent next year.

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Get a Head Start Today

You can help lay the ground work for next year by thanking your members of Congress for providing this extension today! Regardless of how your Senators and Representatives came down on H.R. 4853 (http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/111_satohr4853_txt.pdf) , the important thing for us is to thank the 274 House and 41 Senate co-sponsors of H.R. 1831 and S. 812 (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/tax-matters/cosponsors) — bills to make this incentive permanent. Their support helped ensure that our extension was included today and your thanks will remind them that we’ll need their help next year.

The updated Grassroots toolkit includes a sample thank you letter (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/documents/11-Sample%20Thank%20You%20Letter%20to%20Your%20Representatives.doc) , but it’s even more important to thank them publicly! All press materials in the toolkit include sample language for thanking your delegation and you might also consider inviting your Rep. and the media to visit a conserved property in the spring (http://www.landtrustalliance.org/policy/advocacy-tips/meet) .

By helping modest income landowners deduct the full value of their contributions, this enhanced tax incentive has increased the pace of private, voluntary land conservation by about 250,000 acres a year nationwide, and is especially important now that the latest reports show that America is losing land to development at the rate of 1.5 million acres per year. Today’s renewal will create a permanent legacy of conserved land across America, and your work made it possible.

Foxhunters’ Focus on the Future: Land

By The Equiery Staff

Open land is disappearing at a rate of 6,000 acres per day, according to the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource.

There is no greater threat to the equestrian community than the loss of land. We need land for pasture and hay, for raising foals, and for our horse sports, including (but not limited to) trail riding, eventing, foxhunting, driving, and that most Maryland of all equestrian sports, steeplechase.

In Maryland, no single equestrian group has done more to preserve open space than foxhunters. Perhaps because foxhunters were traditionally landowners and farmers themselves, they seem to have understood – better than any other sporting group – that in order to preserve agriculture, it is critical to preserve contiguous productive land. It is not enough to save a patch here, or ensure a trail through there…one farm here with another farm three or five miles away. In order for farmers to farm, they must be surrounded by ag land. In order for farmers to have farm services (such as tractor repairs), there must be enough farm business for the support businesses to remain. Too many farmers these days in central Maryland must travel the distance of two or three counties in order to have their tractors repaired. This is not sustainable agriculture.

But foxhunters do seem to understand that contiguous farmland – while crucial for open space – is critical for the preservation of sustainable agriculture. For almost 100 years, foxhunters have been the driving force behind almost every large swath of open land in Maryland.

Read the rest of the article by clicking HERE.

Is Hunting Allowed on EPIC Trails?

We recently received the following e-mail:

“I want to take my new horse out this weekend on the Breezy Loop and Little Bucklodge Branch Creek Trail. I know deer hunting season is opening, and I am wondering if hunters are allowed there.”

The short answer is, yes. During hunting season, hunters are allowed in the areas through which the EPIC trails run.

Fall 2010 EPIC Newsletter

Read the Fall 2010 EPIC Newsletter here.

Free Equine-Related Webinars Offered

The Rutgers Equine Science Center is pleased to offer two upcoming free equine webinars. A webinar is a seminar, presentation or lecture transmitted over the Internet. Webinars are designed to be interactive with the ability to give, receive, and discuss information. The webinar series is open to the public and registration is simple. Best of all, there is no fee to participate.

Each webinar is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET and lasts an hour. Click on the link below 15–20 minutes prior to the session to participate.

The webinar series schedule:

* Tuesday, October 5
“Rotational Grazing for Happier, Healthier Horses and Pastures”
presented by Dr. Amy Burk, University of Maryland
http://tinyurl.com/38egtvh

* Tuesday, October 19th
“Winter Care for Your Horse”
presented by Dr. Carey Williams, Rutgers University
http://tinyurl.com/2vy9a2v [Read more]

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