16 U.S.C. § 8425 — Motorized and nonmotorized access

submitted 1 year ago by Pub. L. 118-234 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 316 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This section directs the Forest Service and BLM to publish maps showing where motorized and over-snow vehicle use is allowed, on set deadlines, and to update them periodically. It also asks them to look for new motorized and nonmotorized access opportunities, without taking away any existing lawful use if a deadline is missed.

(a) Within 5 years after January 4, 2025, the Secretary in charge should try to publish, in print and in a mapping-software-compatible format, a map for each BLM district showing roads and trails open for public or administrative travel, and a motor vehicle use map for each National Forest System unit, following existing law. (b) Within 10 years after January 4, 2025, the Secretary should also try to publish an over-snow vehicle-use map, in the same format, for every unit of Forest Service or BLM land where snowmobiling or similar use happens. (c) Within 20 years after any of these maps was last adopted or reviewed through public notice and comment, the Secretary should try to review and update it again the same way. (d) The Secretaries should try to create more opportunities for both motorized and nonmotorized access, consistent with existing law. (e) If the Secretary misses one of these deadlines, that doesn't take away anyone's existing lawful use — motorized or nonmotorized — of the land.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

(a) In general

The Secretary concerned shall seek to have, not later than 5 years after January 4, 2025, in a printed and publicly available format that is compliant with the format for geographic information systems—

(1)

for each district administered by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, a ground transportation linear feature map authorized for public use or administrative use; and

(2)

for each unit of the National Forest System, a motor vehicle use map, in accordance with existing law.

(b) Over-snow vehicle-use maps

The Secretary concerned shall seek to have, not later than 10 years after January 4, 2025, in a printed and publicly available format that is compliant with the format for geographic information systems, an over-snow vehicle-use map for each unit of Federal recreational lands and waters administered by the Chief of the Forest Service or Director of the Bureau of Land Management on which over-snow vehicle-use occurs, in accordance with existing law.

Not later than 20 years after the date on which the Secretary concerned adopted or reviewed, through public notice and comment, a map described in subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary concerned shall seek to review, through public notice and comment, and update, as necessary, the applicable map.

(d) Motorized and nonmotorized access

The Secretaries shall seek to create additional opportunities, as appropriate, and in accordance with existing law, for motorized and nonmotorized access and opportunities on Federal recreational lands and waters administered by the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

(e) Savings clause

Nothing in this section prohibits a lawful use, including authorized motorized or nonmotorized uses, on Federal recreational lands and waters administered by the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, if the Secretary concerned fails to meet a timeline established under this section.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 118–234, title I, § 127, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2855.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

2025Enacted · Pub. L. 118-234 · 138 Stat. 2855

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 118-234 on 2025-01-04.

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