I got this email from the ATC:
"On
December 9, 2019, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) submitted a
brief to the Supreme Court providing its unique and historically based
perspective on Cowpasture River Reservation Association, et al. v. United States Forest Service, an important case involving the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). This brief highlights the importance of preserving the cooperative management system,
which maintains and conserves the Trail. Confirmed by the National
Trail System Act of 1968 (NTSA), this system is essential for protecting
not only the Trail itself, but also the realm of surrounding lands,
environments and hiking experiences that have characterized the A.T. for
nearly a century.
In this case, the
Court will determine whether the U.S. Forest Service — or any land
management agency aside from the National Park Service — can issue
Mineral Leasing Act permits for pipelines to cross the A.T. Regardless
of the final ruling, the ATC urges the Court to make a decision that
ensures the cooperative management system remains intact, and that
pipelines and other infrastructure are permitted in a way that preserves
the A.T. realm. The ATC’s primary concern is the protection and enhancement of the Trail.
The
A.T. cooperative management system is comprised of individual
governmental agencies, Trail Maintaining Clubs, communities along the
Trail and the Conservancy itself all united by a common purpose: to use
their areas of expertise to ensure that the A.T. is protected for future
generations. It is imperative that all members of this system are able
to work together to achieve this goal.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the Cowpasture
decision in early 2020. We will continue to inform our members,
volunteers and A.T. lovers worldwide whenever there are important
updates."
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