Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act

The Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act would reshape how interim recreational use of abandoned railroad rights-of-way is handled under the National Trails System Act. It requires extra steps and protections for landowners and local stakeholders before an abandoned rail corridor can be used temporarily as a trail (e.g., for walking, biking). Key features include mandatory owner notice and consent, explicit compensation for landowners for interim-use costs, assurances of financial resources, and maintenance obligations for trail sponsors. The bill also mandates a public-information portal, a formal cost-benefit analysis focusing on health, safety, privacy, biosecurity, food security, and economic impacts, and a 90-day public notice/comment period before any interim-use certification. It creates an advisory committee (with landowners, rail carriers, and trail sponsors) to guide maintenance and agreement terms, and requires periodic oversight by the Surface Transportation Board (STB to review corridors and consider narrowing easements). Overall, the bill tightens protections for property owners and public scrutiny of interim trail projects, while adding new administration and funding requirements for trail sponsors and the federal board.