This bill establishes a 4-year pilot program to enhance the management and maintenance of rail trails in New Hampshire by transferring ownership of four specific rail corridors from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). The corridors included in this transfer are the Presidential, Pondicherry Section, Ammonoosuc Rail Trail, New Littleton-Bethlehem Segment, and Cheshire Rail Trail. The bill introduces new legal provisions that assign DNCR the responsibility for the safety, maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair of these rail trails, as well as the establishment of two funds: the Rail Trails Program Fund and the Emergency Trail Repair Fund. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the general fund for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027, for the Rail Trails Program Fund, and $1 for the Emergency Trail Repair Fund.

The bill aims to streamline oversight and funding for state-owned rail trails, designating DNCR as the primary management authority and preventing DOT from accessing the Emergency Trail Repair Fund. It also outlines a framework for enforcement against illegal activities on these trails, with funding allocated to the Fish and Game Department for Conservation Officers to patrol them. While the bill is based on recommendations from the 2022 NH State Rail Trails Plan, which called for increased funding and unified management, DNCR has expressed concerns that the appropriations may be insufficient to meet its responsibilities, estimating a need for $3.6 million in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, along with additional staffing. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 215-A:3, 6:12
As Amended by the Senate: 215-A:3, 6:12