Bill > SJR31

This Joint Resolution directs the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)—the state agency responsible for protecting natural and recreational resources—to study whether it is practical to establish a new state park in Washington County around the Mendota Trail and Abrams Falls, which are located in the Holston River watershed. Given that tourism is a major economic driver for Virginia and that the nearest state park is currently nearly an hour's drive away from the area, the legislation aims to evaluate how a new park could benefit local communities in Southwest Virginia, which have previously relied on a historic railway converted into the 12.5-mile "rails-to-trails" greenway used for hiking and biking. As part of this process, the DCR is required to gather input from local residents, governments, and regional groups, receive assistance from other state agencies if needed, and officially report its findings, recommendations, and an executive summary to the Governor and the General Assembly by the start of the 2027 legislative session.