I 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Restoring Our Un5 opened Trails for Enjoyment and Safety Act’’ or the 

6 ‘‘ROUTES Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REOPENING OF COVERED RECREATION SITES 

2 CLOSED DUE TO NATURAL DISASTERS. 

3 (a) REOPENING REQUIRED.—In the case of a covered 

4 recreation site that is fully or partially closed due to dam5 age caused by a natural disaster (including hazard trees), 

6 the Secretary concerned shall reopen such covered recre7 ation site not later than 2 years after the date on which 

8 such natural disaster ends, as determined by the Secretary 

9 concerned. 

10 (b) CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR COVERED RECRE11 ATION SITE RESTORATION.— 

12 (1) CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION ESTABLISHED.— 

13 Activities described in paragraph (2) are a category 

14 of actions hereby designated as being categorically 

15 excluded from the preparation of an environmental 

16 assessment or an environmental impact statement 

17 under section 102 of the National Environmental 

18 Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332). 

19 (2) ACTIVITIES DESIGNATED FOR CATEGORICAL

20 EXCLUSION.—The activities designated under this 

21 section for a categorical exclusion are activities car22 ried out by the Secretary concerned on Interior rec23 reational lands or National Forest System lands 

24 where the primary purpose of such activity is, con25 sistent with the management plan applicable to such 

26 lands, to— 


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1 (A) repair and restore covered recreation 

2 sites damaged by a natural disaster; 

3 (B) remove hazard trees for the purpose of 

4 public safety or improving access to a covered 

5 recreation site; 

6 (C) mitigate and reduce soil erosion im7 pacting a covered recreation site; 

8 (D) restore drainage patterns to support a 

9 covered recreation site; or 

10 (E) any combination of the purposes speci11 fied in subparagraphs (A) through (D). 

12 (3) AVAILABILITY OF CATEGORICAL EXCLU13 SION.—On and after the date of the enactment of 

14 this Act, the Secretary concerned may use the cat15 egorical exclusion established under paragraph (1) in 

16 accordance with this subsection. 

17 (4) EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES.—The 

18 activities categorically excluded under paragraph (1) 

19 shall be subject to the extraordinary circumstances 

20 procedures established pursuant to section 1501.4 of 

21 title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or any suc22 cessor regulation). 

23 (c) EMERGENCY HAZARD TREE REMOVAL.— 

24 (1) NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS.—With 

25 respect to hazard trees located on a parcel of NaVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:21 Jan 18, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6994.IH H6994

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1 tional Forest System lands, during the 2-year period 

2 after a natural disaster on such parcel ends, as de3 termined by the Secretary of Agriculture, section 

4 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as 

5 in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act) 

6 shall have the force and effect of law with respect 

7 to such parcel. 

8 (2) INTERIOR RECREATIONAL LANDS.—With re9 spect to hazard trees located on Interior recreational 

10 lands, during the 2-year period after a natural dis11 aster on such parcel ends, as determined by the Sec12 retary of the Interior, section 46.150 of title 43, 

13 Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act) shall have the 

15 force and effect of law with respect to such parcel. 

16 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

17 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall 

18 submit to Congress, and make publicly available on the 

19 website of the Department of the Interior and the Depart20 ment of Agriculture, a report that includes the number 

21 of covered recreation sites— 

22 (1) that have been reopened pursuant to sub23 section (a); and 

24 (2) that, as of the date of such report, are 

25 closed due to damage caused by a natural disaster 


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1 and the date such natural disaster ended, as deter2 mined by the Secretary concerned. 

3 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) COVERED RECREATION SITE.—The term 

5 ‘‘covered recreation site’’ means a trail, campground, 

6 developed day-use recreation site, or road that is— 

7 (A) located on Interior recreational lands 

8 or National Forest System lands; and 

9 (B) operated by the Secretary concerned. 

10 (2) HAZARD TREE.—The term ‘‘hazard tree’’ 

11 means a standing tree that presents a visible hazard 

12 to people or property due to conditions such as the 

13 deterioration of, or damage to— 

14 (A) the root system, trunk, stem, or limbs 

15 of the tree; or 

16 (B) the direction or lean of the tree. 

17 (3) INTERIOR RECREATIONAL LANDS.—The 

18 term ‘‘Interior recreational lands’’ means lands man19 aged by the National Park Service, the United 

20 States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of 

21 Land Management, or the Bureau of Reclamation. 

22 (4) NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM.—The term 

23 ‘‘National Forest System’’ has the meaning given 

24 that term in section 11(a) of the Forest and RangeVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:21 Jan 18, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6994.IH H6994

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1 land Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 

2 U.S.C. 1609(a)). 

3 (5) NATURAL DISASTER.—The term ‘‘natural 

4 disaster’’ includes a wildfire, flood, erosion, and tor5 nado. 

6 (6) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘‘Sec7 retary concerned’’ means— 

8 (A) the Secretary of the Interior, with re9 spect to Interior recreational lands; or 

10 (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re11 spect to National Forest System lands. 

Æ 


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