RTP Advisory Committee Compliance to Receive FY 2012 Apportionments

Attachment 1

States must provide documentation about their FY 2010 Recreational Trail Advisory Committee meeting to be eligible for FY 2011 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) apportionments.

States listed in bold with the date the meeting was held in FY 2011 (between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2011) have provided sufficient documentation to be eligible for FY 2011 RTP apportionments. The RTP requirement is for at least one meeting with both motorized and nonmotorized user representation. If a State has already provided sufficient documentation for one meeting, it is not required to provide documentation for subsequent meetings within the same Federal fiscal year (although FHWA staff likes to have complete information).

As of September 21, 2011, all 50 States and the District of Columbia have provided sufficient documentation to meet the RTP Advisory Committee requirement in FY 2011, to be eligible to receive FY 2012 RTP apportionments. Only the States in bold have provided sufficient documentation for FY 2011. Additional information is appreciated.

Alabama: May 17, 2011
Alaska: Jan 20-21, August 5, 2011
Arizona: May 20, 2011
Arkansas: August 23, 2011
California: June 21, 2011
Colorado: Dec 10, 2010; Feb 25, 2011, more.
Connecticut: May 5, 2011
Delaware: May 12, 2011
District of Columbia: September 21, 2011
Florida: April 4, July 14, 2011 teleconferences
Georgia: Feb 16, 2011
Hawaii: July 28, 2011
Idaho: March 16-17, 2011
Illinois: Oct 20, 2010; April 20, July 20, 2011
Indiana: Dec 2, 2010; Mar 3, June 23, Sep 1, 2011
Iowa: Oct 29, 2010
Kansas: Nov 30, 2010
Kentucky: August 9, 2011
Louisiana: August 4, 2011
Maine: Nov 9, 2010
Maryland: August 15, 2011
Massachusetts: Dec 7, 2010; March 9, 2011, plus teleconferences.
Michigan: August 31, 2011
Minnesota: Oct 10, 2010; March 27, 2011
Mississippi: June 8, 2011
Missouri: December 4, 2010

Montana: Oct 9, 2010
Nebraska: Nov 10, 2010
Nevada: August 15, 2011
New Hampshire: Jan 11, 2011; April 12, 2011
New Jersey: May 17, 2011
New Mexico: September 2, 2011
New York: March 19, 2011; plans Sept 17, 2011
North Carolina: Oct 22, 2010; April 8, 2011
North Dakota: April 28, 2011
Ohio: August 18, 2011
Oklahoma: April 20, 2011
Oregon: March 8-9, 2011
Pennsylvania: June 21, 2011
Rhode Island: Nov 16, 2010; Feb 15, June 21, Aug 16, 2011
South Carolina: May 25, 2011
South Dakota: March 1, 2011 telecon; May 26, 2011
Tennessee: Nov 17, 2010; Jan 27, April 14, June 23, Sept 21-22, 2011
Texas: March 28, 2011
Utah: nonmot May 18; motor June 21; joint August 3, 2011
Vermont: Nov 10, 2010; Feb 10, Apr 19; Aug 31, 2011
Virginia: May 18, 2011
Washington: October 5, 2010
West Virginia: May 14, 2011
Wisconsin: Oct 29, 2010; Jan 20, Apr 5, July 8, 2011
Wyoming: Nov 29, 2010; March 23 call, May 18, 2011

The committee meeting must have both motorized and nonmotorized user representation in the meeting.
Puerto Rico has not been eligible for RTP funds since 1998.
American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands never have been eligible for RTP funds.
Some States documented public teleconferences in compliance with State public meeting laws: FL, MA, SD, WY.

Attachment 2: Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee Requirements

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) legislation specifies in 23 U.S.C. 206(c):

the Governor of the State shall designate the State agency or agencies that will be responsible for administering apportionments to the State under this section; and
the State shall establish a State recreational trail advisory committee that represents both motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail users, which shall meet not less often than once per fiscal year.

To meet this legislation, a State's committee must:

Have at least one combined meeting where the motorized and nonmotorized users discuss how the RTP should operate in the State. It is not sufficient to have two independent committees (one motorized, one nonmotorized) even if the FHWA division office approved that in the past. The clear Congressional intent was to have at least one committee meeting with motorized and nonmotorized users together.
Meet not less than once per Federal fiscal year (October 1 through September 30). A September meeting to plan for the next fiscal year does not qualify as a meeting in the next fiscal year beginning in October.
Meet in an open public meeting. The meeting must be held in accordance with State laws and policies regarding public involvement. Closed planning meetings, meetings of partial groups of the committee, meetings called on such short notice that many members cannot attend, conference calls, and email conversation do not qualify as open public meetings. However, a teleconference may qualify as a public meeting if each teleconference site is interconnected with all others, is open to the public, and meets State laws and policies regarding public involvement.
NOTE for CT, DE, DC, RI: The Small State Exemption in §206(d)(3)(B) does not apply to the committee. CT, DE, DC, and RI still must have both motorized and nonmotorized representation.

Further details on the RTP's Advisory Committee requirement are available in the RTP Guidance at www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/guidance/.