Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail

Into the 21st Century

In 2008, Congressman Norm Dicks and Senator Maria Cantwell introduced Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail legislation to Congress. The marked up version of the legislation for the designation passed the full Natural Resource Committee of the US Senate on September 11, 2008, after the committee heard testimony from representatives of the PNTA and federal land management agencies who testified that concerns raised in the feasibility study had been adequately addressed. Original cost estimates and concerns over environmental impacts were based primarily on the construction of a new trail across the three states. In the time since the feasibility study had been conducted however, the route that would become designated as the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail had been connected utilizing pre-existing infrastructure, resulting in a great reduction in cost, and minimized environmental impact. The committee-approved legislation was then inserted into the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act. Congress passed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 on March 25 of that year, and the Pacific Northwest Trail became the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail with President Obama's signature on March 30, 2009.