Sponsors (2)
The bill favors preserving and expanding motorized public access with clearer rules and more public input—benefiting recreation, local economies, and emergency access—while raising risks to sensitive environments, public safety, and agency resources by limiting how and when access can be restricted.
Motorized recreationists, local residents, and visitors keep and can expand presumptive access to many federal roads and trails, with clearer rules about which routes are covered.
Land managers and local communities gain faster and prioritized ability to improve or convert routes for fuels reduction, wildfire response, emergency access, and maintenance.
The bill increases transparency and local public input by requiring formal notice, a comment period, and ongoing opportunities to nominate roads/trails, giving communities more say over access decisions.
Expanding presumptive motorized access and constraining closures risks long-term harm to wildlife, habitats, and sensitive public lands by making it harder to protect or restore those areas.
Procedural requirements and higher evidentiary standards may delay urgent safety or environmental protections, and expanded motorized use can increase noise, air pollution, and user conflicts for non-motorized recreationists and nearby residents.
New deadlines, faster decision timelines, mapping and rulemaking requirements, and likely litigation create added administrative burdens and legal costs for federal and local agencies and could divert staff and funds from other priorities.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Presumes motorized access open on most BLM and Forest Service roads/trails unless narrowly restricted, and creates a public nomination process to add or convert routes to motorized use.
Official title: To restore the presumption of access on lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Introduced March 18, 2026 by Jeff Crank · Last progress March 18, 2026
Presumes many Forest Service and BLM roads and trails are open to motorized use unless the appropriate Secretary shows clear and convincing evidence that a restriction is needed for resource protection or public safety. It requires agencies to adopt implementing regulations, put any closures or restrictions on official maps and in public notices with a comment period, and review restrictions at least every five years. The bill also creates a continuous public nomination process for adding or converting roads and trails to designated motorized use, with expedited timelines for certain conversions and priorities for connectivity, land management, wildfire response, and motorized recreation.