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November 08, 2006
The Morning After - Election Day 2006
With Election Day 2006 behind us, the forecast for the 110th United States Congress is.... Partly Cloudy.
As of 9:30 AM Eastern Time on November 8, the Democrats have taken over the US House of Representatives. Control of the Senate remains in question with races in Montana and Virginia too close to call.
Swept out of office this year are two former Congressman who have a lengthy history of not supporting trails and protection for public lands. In North Carolina, Conservative Democrat Heath Shuler unseated incumbent Charles Taylor from the 11th District. The 11th Congressional District includes much of Western North Carolina including lands bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Pisgah National Forest, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Taylor served as the Chairman of the House Appropriations SubCommittee on the Interior and Environment, and supported the construction of the Road to Nowhere in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Shuler, the incoming Congressman does not support construction of the road, and instead, supports a financial settlement with Swain County, North Carolina. It is not clear what impact, if any, the 2006 election will have on the decision regarding the Road to Nowhere. But, according to an article that appeared in the Asheville Citizen Times on October 28, if Taylor isn't reelected, "the road’s probably dead." Lets hope so!
In California, Republican Congressman Richard Pombo has apparently lost in his bid for reelection to represent California's 11th Congressional District. Pombo was a member of the House SubCommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. Pombo had advocated for selling off 15 of our National Parks, repeatedly held up legislation related to trails, and suggested offering corporate naming rights to trails. Pombo is being replaced by Jerry McNerney
In New York State, Republican Congresswoman Sue Kelly lost in her bid for reelection to represent the 19th Congressional District. Congresswoman Kelly was a stalwart supporter of the Appalachian Trail (AT), and attended an American Hiking Society reception held on Capitol Hill in February 2006. Hopefully her successor, John Hall, will continue to support the AT in his district, as well as trails across the nation.
In Tennessee, Republican Bob Corker was elected to fill the seat of the retiring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Corker, the former Mayor of Chattanooga, is a big supporter of trails. During his tenure as Chattanooga's Mayor, Corker started the Outdoor Chattanooga initiative. He also regularly takes backpacking trips along the Appalachian Trail.
Time will tell how the incoming Congress will deal with legislation and funding related to trails and our public lands. To receive regular Action Alerts about Trail Conservation & Policy issues, please take a moment and subscribe to American Hiking Society's Capitol Trails Broadcast.
Conservation | By Jeffrey Hunter | 10:38 AM
