This bill proposes the transfer of ownership and management responsibilities for four specific rail corridors—the Presidential (Pondicherry Section), Ammonoosuc Rail Trail, New Littleton-Bethlehem Segment, and Cheshire Rail Trail—from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). It establishes a four-year pilot program aimed at rehabilitating, maintaining, and improving a total of 83 miles of rail corridors and associated trails, which will be managed by the Bureau of Trails in consultation with the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition. The program will be funded through federal grants, private contributions, and state general obligation bonds, with a bonded appropriation of $3.6 million for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027, totaling $7.2 million.

The bill also creates two new nonlapsing funds: the Rail Trails Project Fund, which will be used for staffing, equipment, and materials necessary for the pilot project, and the Emergency Trail Repair Fund, dedicated to repairing trail damage caused by severe weather or unforeseen emergencies. It authorizes the issuance of $7.2 million in state general obligation bonds to support the project, with 6% of the funding expected to come from private contributions and potential fee increases for hike safe cards. However, the Fish and Game Department has clarified that it does not plan to use hike safe card revenue for this pilot project. The legislation aims to address the lack of dedicated funding for the maintenance and improvement of recreational rail trails, alleviating some financial burdens on state agencies and municipalities, although the exact impact remains uncertain.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 215-A:3, 6:12