SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS CALLS ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO SUPPORT THE EAST COAST GREENWAY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Susan Collins today called on President Bush to support the East Coast Greenway by directing the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, Transportation, Defense, Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Homeland Security Administration to work together to make the East Coast Greenway a priority for discretionary funding and technical assistance programs administered by each agency.

"The East Coast Greenway is considered the urban equivalent of the Appalachian Trail," said Senator Collins. "When completed it will contribute to advancing a number of goals: increasing transportation options, improving air quality, reducing roadway congestion, encouraging eco-tourism, and advancing travel, local economic development, improving the health of our citizens and helping connect people and communities.

"Volunteers, and local agencies are currently hard at work on all parts of the route. More than 20% of the East Coast Greenway is currently in use and another 40% is in various stages of planning, design or construction. Additional help is needed however to ensure that the vision of completing this trail by 2010 is fulfilled."

The Senator also invited President Bush to officially launch the East Coast Greenway at the Inaugural event in June 2003 in Washington, D.C.

The East Coast Greenway is a 2600 mile multi-use trail, running through 15 states, that will stretch from Calais, Maine to Key West Florida. The East Coast Greenway is the nation's first long-distance urban trail and one of 16 Milennium Trails.