Forest Access in Rural Communities Act of 2015

To stop implementation and enforcement of the Forest Service travel management rule and require the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to incorporate the needs, uses, and input of affected communities, and to obtain their consent, before taking any travel management action affecting access to National Forest System lands derived from the public domain or public lands, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Forest Access in Rural Communities Act of 2015 2. Prohibition on implementation or enforcement of travel management rule Effective upon the enactment of this Act, in all units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain, the Secretary of Agriculture shall cease all implementation and enforcement of the travel management rule under subparts A, B, and C of part 212 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, and subparts A and B of part 261 of such title. 3. Conditions on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management access travel management actions for National Forest System lands derived from the public domain and public lands (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Access travel management action The term access travel management action (A) will, or can reasonably be expected to, alter public access to National Forest System lands or public lands, including any change in access to mining claims or access using motorized vehicles or nonmotorized means, resulting from— (i) decommissioning, in whole or in part, of a road, trail, or combination road and trail system; (ii) a change in the status of a road as open or closed; or (iii) a change in road densities; and (B) requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq. (2) Affected community The term affected community (A) a political subdivision whose boundaries contain National Forest System lands or public lands affected by an access travel management action; or (B) a political subdivision adjacent to a political subdivision described in subparagraph (A). (3) Political subdivision The term political subdivision (4) National forest system lands The term National Forest System lands 16 U.S.C. 1609(a) (5) Public lands The term public lands 43 U.S.C. 1702(e) (6) Secretary The term Secretary concerned (A) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, with respect to public lands; and (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to National Forest System lands. (b) Consultation with affected communities required As a condition on the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq. (c) Concurrence of affected communities required The Secretary concerned may not implement an access travel management action unless and until the Secretary concerned— (1) complies with the consultation requirement imposed by subsection (b); and (2) obtains the concurrence of each affected community for implementation of the access travel management action.

Summary: Forest Access in Rural Communities Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to cease all implementation and enforcement of the travel management rule (an action that will, or can reasonably be expected to, alter public access to such lands) in all units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain. In preparing an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for a proposed access travel management action, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service must consult with affected communities for the purpose of incorporating their needs, uses, and input. The BLM and the Forest Service may not implement an access travel management action unless and until they: (1) comply with the consultation requirement imposed by this bill, and (2) obtain the concurrence of each affected community.