This arrived today from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy:
RAILBANKING ACTION ALERT
Tuesday, March 10, 1998
Despite previous failed attempts to win a vote on a bill amending the
nation's national corridor preservation policy by changing the
railbanking process, Kansas Representative Jim Ryun is now putting forth
a new version of his bill which simply repeals the railbanking statute.
A subcommittee mark-up has been scheduled for Thursday morning at 10 am
to vote on an amended version of H.R. 2438 that completely eliminates
the national interest of corridor preservation and renders the
railbanking process useless.
Railbanking has been instrumental in the development of our country's
rail-trail network because it allows railroad companies to "bank"
inactive rail corridors for use as trails until future necessity
dictates that these corridors be reactivated for rail use. Railbanking
has enabled some of our country's longest and most scenic rail-trails to
be preserved, including the Katy Trail in Missouri, the George S.
Mickelson Trail in South Dakota and the cowboy Trail in Nebraska (AND THE
BILL CHIPMAN TRAIL IN WASHINGTON AND IDAHO)
Representative Ryun tried to win a subcommittee vote on HR 2438 last
fall, but was forced to withdraw the bill when expected support did not
materialize. In the interim, he and his staff have been pressuring both
Republican and Democratic members of the House Resources Subcommittee on
National Parks, Forests and Lands to support an amended version of his
bill which was withheld from the public until this week.
It is vital that activists with Representatives on the Subcommittee
listed below call the capital switchboard at 202/224-3121, ask for your
member's office, ask for the staff person who covers the House Resources
Committee, and then
As a rail-trail supporter, tell them to vote "NO" on Congressman Ryun's
bill, HR 2438!
Republicans
James Hansen, UT-1, Chair
Elton Gallegly, CA-23
John Duncan, TN-2
Joel Hefley, CO-5
Wayne Gilchrest, MD-1
Richard Pombo, CA-11
HELEN CHENOWETH, ID-1 <<<------
Linda Smith, WA-3
George Radanovich, CA-19
Walter Jones, NC-3
John Shadegg, AZ-4
John Ensign, NV-1
Bob Smith, OR-2
Rick Hill, MT-At Large
Jim Gibbons, NV-2
Democrats
Eni Faleomavaega, American Somoa, RM
Edward Markey, MA-7
Bruce Vento, MN-4
Dale Kildee, MI-9
Carlos Romero-Barcelo, PR
Maurice Hinchey, NY-26
Robert Underwood, Guam
Patrick Kennedy, RI-1
William Delahunt, MA-10
Donna Christian-Green, Virgin Islands
Ron Kind, WI-3
Lloyd Doggett, TX-10
Apparently, George Nethercutt (R, Spokane) has expressed support for this,
he needs to hear from people in eastern Washington.