Reps. Kennedy and Crank Co-Lead Bill to Protect Access for Public Land Recreation

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Kennedy (UT-03) and Congressman Jeff Crank (CO-05) introduced the Public Lands Access Restoration Act (PLARA) to restore broad access to public lands for recreation.

Before 2005, public lands generally operated under an "open unless posted closed" policy, meaning roads and trails were available for uses consistent with existing land use plans, including hiking, biking, and motorized access for hunting, angling, and other recreation. This approach provided broad and predictable access across public lands.

Since the policy was reversed in 2005 through agency action and not at the direction of Congress, many previously used roads and trails were not included in agency inventories during travel management planning, resulting in an immediate loss of access for the motorized community. Access has continued to decline as agencies have designated fewer routes as open.

"Utahns have watched 1,500 miles of trails be restricted under a federal rule that was designed without us in mind," said Congressman Mike Kennedy . "Public lands should be open to the public; it is that simple. PLARA restores this common-sense standard, giving Utahns recreational access to the landscapes that have defined us for generations."

"America's public lands support a wide range of recreational uses," said Congressman Crank. "The Public Lands Access Restoration Act will limit restrictions of motorized access to concerns over resource protection and public safety. This bill expands opportunities for Coloradans and all Americans to access and enjoy our public lands. Thank you to Rep. Kennedy for co-leading this bill, and to the Trails Preservation Alliance, headquartered in Colorado's Fifth Congressional District, for bringing this issue to our attention."

"Colorado's population is larger than ever and still growing while opportunities for motorized recreation on roads and trails continue to shrink," said Chad Hixon, Executive Director of TPA . This isn't an issue of overuse, it's an issue of over-concentration driven not by a lack of trails, but by a lack of access to them. We are grateful to Rep. Crank and Rep. Kennedy for recognizing this problem and introducing a bill to solve the problem and open access to responsible riders."

"Public lands work best when they serve a wide range of users ," said Becky Leinweber, Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance. "By improving the process for maintaining and designating routes, this bill supports responsible motorized access while ensuring decisions remain grounded in resource protection and public input-benefiting all who recreate on our public lands."

"On behalf of motorized recreational businesses and the millions of off-road enthusiasts who support the industry, SEMA and ORBA thank Reps. Crank and Kennedy for introducing the Public Lands Access Restoration Act," said Karen Bailey-Chapman, the Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) . This bill offers an important policy shift to ensure that BLM- and Forest Service-managed lands are open to motorized vehicles unless there is a justifiable resource protection or public safety need to prohibit motorized access. We strongly support the return to an 'open unless posted closed' policy on public lands."

Background:

The Public Lands Access Restoration Act (PLARA) would restore motorized access on public lands while improving transparency in land management.

• Codifies the policy of "open unless posted close" in the U.S. Forest service and Bureau of Land Management trails and roads.
• Limits restrictions of motorized access to concerns over resource protection and public safety
• Any restrictions are subject to a 30-day comment period and apply to the smallest area for the least amount of time;
• Must be clearly identifiable with signage and included on updated official maps in both digital and printed form;
• Reviewed on a 5-year basis to redetermine justification.

Read the full bill text here.