[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6994 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6994
To require the reopening of covered recreation sites closed due to a
natural disaster, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 16, 2024
Mrs. Kim of California (for herself, Mr. LaMalfa, and Mr. Tiffany)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the reopening of covered recreation sites closed due to a
natural disaster, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Restoring Our Unopened Trails for
Enjoyment and Safety Act'' or the ``ROUTES Act''.
SEC. 2. REOPENING OF COVERED RECREATION SITES CLOSED DUE TO NATURAL
DISASTERS.
(a) Reopening Required.--In the case of a covered recreation site
that is fully or partially closed due to damage caused by a natural
disaster (including hazard trees), the Secretary concerned shall reopen
such covered recreation site not later than 2 years after the date on
which such natural disaster ends, as determined by the Secretary
concerned.
(b) Categorical Exclusion for Covered Recreation Site
Restoration.--
(1) Categorical exclusion established.--Activities
described in paragraph (2) are a category of actions hereby
designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation
of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact
statement under section 102 of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332).
(2) Activities designated for categorical exclusion.--The
activities designated under this section for a categorical
exclusion are activities carried out by the Secretary concerned
on Interior recreational lands or National Forest System lands
where the primary purpose of such activity is, consistent with
the management plan applicable to such lands, to--
(A) repair and restore covered recreation sites
damaged by a natural disaster;
(B) remove hazard trees for the purpose of public
safety or improving access to a covered recreation
site;
(C) mitigate and reduce soil erosion impacting a
covered recreation site;
(D) restore drainage patterns to support a covered
recreation site; or
(E) any combination of the purposes specified in
subparagraphs (A) through (D).
(3) Availability of categorical exclusion.--On and after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned
may use the categorical exclusion established under paragraph
(1) in accordance with this subsection.
(4) Extraordinary circumstances.--The activities
categorically excluded under paragraph (1) shall be subject to
the extraordinary circumstances procedures established pursuant
to section 1501.4 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or
any successor regulation).
(c) Emergency Hazard Tree Removal.--
(1) National forest system lands.--With respect to hazard
trees located on a parcel of National Forest System lands,
during the 2-year period after a natural disaster on such
parcel ends, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture,
section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as
in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act) shall have
the force and effect of law with respect to such parcel.
(2) Interior recreational lands.--With respect to hazard
trees located on Interior recreational lands, during the 2-year
period after a natural disaster on such parcel ends, as
determined by the Secretary of the Interior, section 46.150 of
title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date
of the enactment of this Act) shall have the force and effect
of law with respect to such parcel.
(d) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall submit to Congress, and make
publicly available on the website of the Department of the Interior and
the Department of Agriculture, a report that includes the number of
covered recreation sites--
(1) that have been reopened pursuant to subsection (a); and
(2) that, as of the date of such report, are closed due to
damage caused by a natural disaster and the date such natural
disaster ended, as determined by the Secretary concerned.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered recreation site.--The term ``covered recreation
site'' means a trail, campground, developed day-use recreation
site, or road that is--
(A) located on Interior recreational lands or
National Forest System lands; and
(B) operated by the Secretary concerned.
(2) Hazard tree.--The term ``hazard tree'' means a standing
tree that presents a visible hazard to people or property due
to conditions such as the deterioration of, or damage to--
(A) the root system, trunk, stem, or limbs of the
tree; or
(B) the direction or lean of the tree.
(3) Interior recreational lands.--The term ``Interior
recreational lands'' means lands managed by the National Park
Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Bureau of Land Management, or the Bureau of Reclamation.
(4) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(5) Natural disaster.--The term ``natural disaster''
includes a wildfire, flood, erosion, and tornado.
(6) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
Interior recreational lands; or
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
National Forest System lands.
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