Appalachian Mountain Club - Delaware Valley Chapter

Chapter Conservation Award

AMC Celebrates Efforts to Protect Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania
November 17, 2008

Local Representative among those honored by Delaware Valley Chapter

(Kulpsville, PA) The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) on Saturday, November 15 presented its Chapter Conservation Award to Pennsylvania State Representative Robert Freeman (D-Northampton), Easton attorney Mr. Charles Elliott (Elliott and Elliott), and Mr. James Miles (Attorney-Advisor, Environmental Protection Agency) in recognition of their work to pass Act 24 with bipartisan support. Known as the "Appalachian Trail Protection Act," this law offers greater protection to the Pennsylvania section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The award was presented at the Chapter’s Annual Dinner.

"The AMC’s Delaware Valley Chapter applauds the leadership of Representative Freeman and legal advice provided by Mr. Elliott and Mr. Miles, resulting in the successful passage of this bill," said Paul Davis, Chapter Chair, AMC-Delaware Valley Chapter. "Our chapter volunteers log hundreds of hours each year maintaining part of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania, and we will continue enjoying this recreational treasure knowing that it is adequately protected for future generations of hikers."

Signed into law in June, Act 24 is a revision of the 1978 Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Protection Act. It requires the state’s trailside municipalities "to preserve the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the Trail" by enacting zoning ordinances within one year that provide a buffer corridor on land adjacent to the Trail. The Act also allocates state financial and technical resources to assist the 55 local communities bordering the Trail from the Delaware Water Gap to Pen Mar on the Maryland border.

Pennsylvania State Representative Robert Freeman introduced this revision to strengthen the original Act, after a developer planned construction of a raceway on land abutting the Trail in Monroe County. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) led a legal battle opposing the raceway with Charles Elliott’s representation, but was ultimately unsuccessful because the township lacked zoning to protect the area surrounding the Trail. The existing law did not mandate the zoning ordinances required in Representative Freeman's bill, which are critical to safeguarding the Trail from inappropriate development.

"I am very honored to receive this award," said Pennsylvania State Representative Robert Freeman (D-Northampton). "I don't think we can underestimate the importance of the trail, both from a historical perspective and from an environmental perspective. A lot of people worked very hard to make sure this bill was enacted so we could preserve the beauty of a true natural treasure. It was important to pass this measure now, so that future generations would able to enjoy the trail in its pristine nature as we know it today."

The legal expertise of award recipients Charles Elliott and James Miles, both AMC members, helped to initiate and advise the Act’s revisions, and AMC worked closely with Representative Freeman and the ATC to secure support for the updated law. AMC members also participated in an advocacy campaign to adopt, implement, and enforce zoning ordinances as a part of the state’s responsibility to protect the Trail.

The AMC is a member of the ATC and maintains 350 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Through its Delaware Valley Chapter, the AMC maintains the 16-mile section of the Trail between Wind Gap and Little Gap in Pennsylvania, the Leroy Smith Shelter, and two side-trails. The AMC-Delaware Valley Chapter has more than 5,000 members in Pennsylvania, central and southern New Jersey, and northern Delaware.

"It is a privilege to personally present this award on behalf of the Delaware Valley Chapter," said Susan Arnold, Director of Conservation, Appalachian Mountain Club. "The AMC has a long history of trail protection and stewardship, and this bill is testament to the many local, state, and regional partnerships that contribute to landscape-level conservation efforts such as the Appalachian Trail."

Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club (www.outdoors.org) is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the nation. With 90,000 members in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment.

This award was also reported on by the Northampton County News. Read their article online: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/northampton-county/index.ssf/2008/11/post_4.html