Protect Pennsylvania's Appalachian Trail

What's New

On June 11th, Governor Rendell took the last step to protect Pennsylvania's portion of the Appalachian Trail when he signed HB1281 into law (PA Act 24, 2008).  This legislation will take much-needed action to preserve the state's section of this important national treasure from encroaching development and other threats. To see news coverage of PennEnvironment's work on this legislation, click here.  To see our letter supporting HB1281, click here. 

How you can help

Send an e-mail your state senator and ask them to support House Bill 1281, the Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act.

Overview

One of Pennsylvania’s best known and most cherished historic and natural places is the Commonwealth’s portion of the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail includes 229 miles of trails in Pennsylvania alone, and is home to dozens of threatened and endangered species, and may contain the greatest biodiversity of any unit of the National Park System.

Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania portion of the Appalachian Trail is being threatened by encroaching overdevelopment. For example, Reading, PA-based developer Richard Muller, Jr.  has been pushing to build a $25 million auto racetrack and road course adjacent to the Appalachian Trail in Smith Gap Township, in the Poconos, since the township was lacking appropriate zoning laws and protection for the Trail. This is just one extreme example of many proposals where overdevelopment and extensive construction projects are encroaching on Pennsylvania’s section of the Appalachian Trail.

PennEnvironment helped achieve a great victory for the Appalachian Trail when Governor Rendell signed HB1281, the Appalachian Trail Protection Act, into law on June 11th. This legislation will take much-needed action to preserve the state's section of this important national treasure from encroaching development and other threats, and was made possible with the ongoing advocacy and activism of PennEnvironment's members and staff.