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  WASHINGTON, DC—During Great Outdoors Month, Congressman Paul D. Tonko today cheered the announcement by Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior Deb Haaland of the designation of nine new national recreation trails, including the Capital Region’s own Erie Canalway water trail.

“I have long fought to protect our nation’s and our region’s cherished cultural and natural heritage sites,” Congressman Tonko said, “and I’m thrilled to see our Erie Canalway Water Trail added to the National Trails System.  This new designation will help expand opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the canalway’s recreational activities and historic sites, all while boosting our local economies.  Trails like this one help connect our communities to green spaces and nurture love and appreciation for the outdoors, and I’m proud to represent a portion of the beautiful and historic Canalway Water Trail.”

Congressman Tonko, who serves as co-chair of the National Heritage Areas Caucus, has long fought to support the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect visitors from near and far with the canal’s unique history and recreational opportunities. Earlier this year, Tonko cheered the passage of his legislation, H.R. 4192, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission Reauthorization Act to reauthorize the Commission for 15 years and ensure that this staple of the Capital Region’s history will remain an economic driver for years to come.

The New York State Canalway Water Trail is made up of over 450 miles of land-cut canals and interconnected lakes and rivers with more than 150 public access points for paddlers, stretching across the full expanse of upstate New York.  The waterway provides a tour through time and history, connecting magnificent scenery to hundreds of upstate communities, many of which have welcomed canal travelers for nearly two centuries.

National recreation trails are jointly coordinated and administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with a number of federal and nonprofit partners.  A trail’s managing agency or organization must apply for designation as part of the National Trails System, and the application period for new national recreational trails is currently open until November 1, 2022.

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