Sponsor
Mike Bost
Representative · R-IL
Representative · R-IL
The bill expands access for e-bike and motorized recreation and may boost local tourism income, but does so at the cost of greater environmental impacts, ongoing maintenance expenses, and potential safety or congestion problems unless monitoring and management are strongly enforced.
Visitors and recreational riders in and near the Shawnee National Forest gain guaranteed access because at least 20% of trails must be open to e-bikes and off-highway vehicles, expanding recreation options.
Local businesses and nearby communities may see increased recreation tourism and spending from motorized and e-bike users, potentially boosting local economies.
The law requires monitoring to minimize natural-resource impacts, creating a pathway to protect sensitive areas if monitoring and enforcement are effectively carried out.
Nearby residents and wildlife face increased noise, erosion, and habitat disturbance from designated motorized trails, degrading local environmental quality.
Taxpayers and local governments could face higher management and maintenance costs for additional designated trails, potentially diverting Forest Service resources from other projects.
Prohibiting the Secretary from restricting covered-vehicle use on paved roads could create safety and congestion issues for non-motorized trail users and other visitors on shared routes.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires at least 20% of Shawnee National Forest trails be designated and managed for use by e-bikes and off-highway vehicles, and bars bans on covered-vehicle use on paved forest roads.
Official title: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to designate and maintain at least 20 percent of the total number of trails in the Shawnee National Forest for trail riding by covered vehicles, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 19, 2025 by Mike Bost · Last progress May 19, 2025
Requires the Department of Agriculture to set aside and manage at least 20% of all trails in Shawnee National Forest for use by specified "covered vehicles" (including e-bikes and off-highway vehicles like ATVs and ORVs). It directs ongoing maintenance and monitoring to limit natural-resource harm, keeps at least one such trail open at all times, and forbids banning covered-vehicle use on paved roads inside the forest.