Congress passes Captain John Smith Chesapeake Trail Bill

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Jena Thompson
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Arlington, VA (December 8, 2006) - The U.S. Senate last night passed a bipartisan bill to create the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, H.R. 5466 as amended. The House approved the measure Tuesday to create the nation’s first all-water National Historic Trail, which will trace John Smith’s monumental 1607-1609 voyages of exploration in the Chesapeake Bay region. By sending the bill to the President, today’s Senate action marks the final step in the legislative process. President Bush is expected to sign the bill.

“This is a great day for the Chesapeake region,” said Patrick Noonan, Chairman Emeritus of The Conservation Fund. “The Senate’s action means the bill could be on President Bush’s desk this month. Thanks to the bipartisan leadership of the region’s Congressional delegation, the trail will be established in time for the Jamestown settlement’s 400th anniversary next year.”

Noonan said the trail will provide “excellent opportunities to educate the general public about geography, English settlement and Native American history and culture. The trail also expands opportunities for recreation, up-close observations of efforts to protect and restore the bay, and economic development, particularly in recreation and heritage tourism. Lastly, the trail is a fitting tribute to Smith’s exploration, which began a vital chapter in our nation’s history.”

Noonan praised Senator Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, “who authored the initial bill to create the trail and deserves great credit for his vision and for leading this effort. Sarbanes had vital support from Senators John Warner and George Allen of Virginia and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland and other members of the Senate.”

Senator Sarbanes said, “With the 400th anniversary of John Smith’s travels approaching next year, I am extremely pleased that we were able to move this legislation through both the House and the Senate during this short time period. This trail will bring history to life and will help educate visitors about the new colony at Jamestown, John Smith’s journeys, the history of the 17th century Chesapeake region, and the vital importance of the Native Americans that inhabited the Bay area. It will also provide new opportunities for recreation and heritage tourism not only for the more than 16 million Americans living in the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed, but for visitors to this area from throughout the country and abroad.”

Senator Warner said, “This visionary legislation brings to life the voyages of John Smith in 1608 and his encounters with Native American tribes, and traces his descriptions of the living resources in the Bay. It will also strengthen our efforts to stimulate heritage tourism for Chesapeake communities, and to restore the health of the Bay.”

Senator Mikulski said, "The Chesapeake Bay is part of who we are as Marylanders. It's part of our heritage and it's part of our culture. You can't know Maryland without knowing the Bay and its rich traditions. The John Smith Trail will help keep our maritime history alive and teach future generations of Marylanders about our greatest natural resource."

The measure to create the trail had very strong bi-partisan, regional support, Noonan said. He noted that Representative Jo Ann Davis, who sponsored HR 5466, the House companion to the Senate bill, had the support of twenty-three members of the Chesapeake delegation. He also pointed out that the measure had the active support of the Chesapeake Executive Council chaired by Governor Robert Ehrlich of Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, state legislators and many county and local governments. The trail has received strong support from the Virginia Council on Indians and other tribes. The trail is also supported by business groups, tourism officials and non-profit organizations, including the National Geographic Society, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Izaak Walton League of America, Garden Club of America, the Maryland Watermen’s Association and the Boone and Crockett Club.

William C. Baker, President and CEO of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, said, “The passage of this act is a landmark decision for the Bay and the nation. We thank all of the sponsors who worked so hard to make it happen, especially Senators Mikulski, Sarbanes, and Warner, and in the House, Representatives Jo Ann Davis, who sponsored the measure, and Steny Hoyer. The Captain John Smith trail creates an exciting way for people to connect to the Chesapeake Bay. It provides an up-close view of the Bay’s rich ecosystem and the efforts to protect and restore the Bay. The trail opens a path to recreation and provides for environmental education. It puts us in touch with the Chesapeake’s rich culture: the watermen, the Native Americans who have lived here for so long, and the many wonderful places along its shoreline.”

Earlier this year, the National Park Service recommended establishing the trail, after finding that Smith’s routes of travel are nationally significant and that the trail would promote recreation and tourism in the Bay region. The National Park Service also testified in support of the bill at a hearing before the House Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on National Parks.

The Conservation Fund is the nation’s foremost environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting America’s land and water legacy for current and future generations. Seeking innovative conservation solutions for the 21st century, the Fund works to integrate economic and environmental goals. Since its founding in 1985, the Fund has helped its partners safeguard wildlife habitat, working landscapes, community “greenspace,” and historic sites totaling more than 5.5 million acres nationwide. With 1 percent fundraising costs and 96 percent program allocation, The Conservation Fund is recognized as the nation’s top rated conservation nonprofit by both the American Institute of Philanthropy and Charity Navigator.

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