US Federal House Bill HB2768

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 6/3/26
• Introduced: 4/9/25
• Refer: 4/9/25
• Report Pass: 3/5/26

Caption

Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026

Summary

HB2768, the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026, would amend the National Trails System Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture to study whether the Benton MacKaye Trail should be designated as a national scenic trail. The bill identifies the trail as a scenic, nonmotorized route of approximately 287 miles running through Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The measure does not itself create the national scenic trail designation. Instead, it directs the Secretary, in consultation with interested organizations including the Benton MacKaye Trail Association, to complete and submit a feasibility study to Congress within two years of enactment. The bill is a procedural step toward possible future designation and would add the Benton MacKaye Trail to the list of trails for which Congress has requested feasibility review under the National Trails System Act.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would amend 16 U.S.C. 1244(c) of the National Trails System Act by adding the Benton MacKaye Trail to the statute’s list of trails subject to feasibility study. Its immediate legal effect would be limited to requiring a federal study and report, rather than changing land management, trail status, or access rights. The principal affected parties would be the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Congress, and trail stakeholders in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, especially the Benton MacKaye Trail Association and other interested organizations.

Sentiment

The available context suggests generally favorable or noncontroversial support. The bill was introduced by members from both parties and advanced through the House with an amendment, indicating bipartisan interest in evaluating the trail for possible national scenic trail status. No committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of organized opposition in the supplied materials.

Contention

The main point of contention, to the extent one exists, is likely the distinction between authorizing a study and conferring the national scenic trail designation itself. Supporters appear to favor a feasibility review as a low-risk step toward recognition, while any skeptics would likely focus on whether federal resources should be spent on a study before Congress decides on designation. Because no hearing transcript or vote record is included, no specific objections or named opponents are identified in the available context.