Recognizing Maine Appalachian Trail Club for White Cap Mountain Project

Floor Speech

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to be from a state that features some of the most beautiful and diverse natural landscapes in the country. From the mountains to the sea, with deep woods in between, Maine has many places that inspire a sense of wonder for the world around us.
That said, they are not always easy to reach. For that reason, I'm grateful for organizations and volunteers in our state who work so hard to protect these special places while building trails and other accommodations so the public can enjoy them.
I would like to recognize one of these groups in particular for recently restoring a key section of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. With partner organizations and dedicated volunteers, the Maine Appalachian Trail Club rebuilt the trail up White Cap Mountain, whose summit boasts some of the most spectacular views in the state. Support from the Federal Recreational Trails Program--an absolutely critical source of funding that has helped build thousands of miles of public trails across the country--was also critical to the project's success.
The difficulty of the rebuilding should not be understated. The trail is in a remote location on very rugged terrain. But the club's care and hard work have resulted in a path that will last for many years, accommodate more hikers, and limit environmental impacts on the mountain. Thousands of hikers have already used the newly refurbished trail.
Mr. Speaker, projects like this that benefit our community and deepen our appreciation of nature should not go unrecognized. My sincere congratulations go to the Maine Appalachian Trail Club on a job well done.

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