MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers have introduced a bill that seeks to elevate the status of two trails, therefore providing access to more funding to expand and maintain the routes.
Wisconsin Public Radio reports that the legislation would designate the Ice Age and North Country national scenic trails as units of the National Park Service. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner are sponsoring the bill.
The trails are administered by the National Park Service in cooperation with other local, state and federal partners. But Baldwin says they don’t have full trail status.
Supporters say the bill would allow the group to access funding that’s only available to trails designated units of the National Park Service.
The North Country National Scenic Trail runs across seven states; New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota.
