Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is praising Senate passage of an effort he supported that will help complete two national trails in Wisconsin.  The Public Lands bill passed by the Senate today includes a provision based on a Feingold-backed bill to allow the federal government to purchase land from willing sellers to complete nine trail systems within the National Trail System.  Currently sixteen trail systems have willing seller authority while nine, including the North Country National Scenic Trail, which runs through several states including Wisconsin, and the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, which is totally within Wisconsin, lack the power to do so.  The legislation, which passed the Senate today, would make the willing seller authority the uniform policy for the National Trail System. 

“The national trails that run through Wisconsin are enjoyed by many people each year who love the outdoors,” Feingold said. “With the entire National Trail System able to purchase land from willing sellers in order to strengthen and preserve its trails, hikers, cross-country skiers and other recreationalists will have more to enjoy year-round and more of these wonderful outdoor areas will be protected.”

Feingold has been a strong supporter of assisting the National Trail System as an original cosponsor of the National Trails System Willing Seller Act in 2007.  The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is 1200 miles long and spans from Potawatomi State Park in Door County to Interstate State Park on the St. Croix River in Polk County.  The North Country National Scenic Trail spans seven states including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.  More information on the trails is available on the National Park Service website at http://www.nps.gov/nts/index.htm, or from the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation, North Country Trail Association, Partnership for the National Trail System, or The Conservation Fund.