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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Senate Bill Called Threat to PA Wilderness Areas

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Wednesday, October 12, 2016   

WARREN, Pa. - Pennsylvania has two federally designated wilderness areas, where human intrusion on nature is limited to hiking trails, but a bill in the U.S. Senate could change that.

Called the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act, Senate Bill 3205 would direct forest rangers to designate trails to be opened for use by cyclists, who currently are not allowed. Kirk Johnson, executive director of Friends of Allegheny Wilderness, said he fears the introduction of mountain biking could ruin the wilderness experience for everyone else.

"Mountain biking is an adrenaline sport," he said. "The demographic is weighted heavily toward 20-something and 30-something males, who are interested in bombing down these trails as fast as they can go."

Proponents of the legislation say it represents the original intent of Congress when it passed the Wilderness Act, and would improve recreational opportunities and trail maintenance. However, Johnson said biking in wilderness areas actually would do considerable harm.

"It does cause problems with erosion, and damaging streams and riparian areas," he said, "and the safety concerns are just too much to make it a viable use of hiking trails."

Johnson said many trails in Pennsylvania already are open to mountain bikes, including the new Jake's Rocks Epic Mountain Bike Trail, a 46-mile network of trails in the Allegheny National Forest.

"Our group supports that trail complex," he said, "because it's a good place to go mountain biking and it's outside any of our designated or proposed wilderness areas."

SB 3205 was introduced in July and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill text is online at congress.gov.


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