Forest Access in Rural Communities Act

To stop implementation and enforcement of the Forest Service travel management rule and to require the Forest Service to incorporate the needs, uses, and input of affected communities before taking any travel management action affecting access to units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Forest Access in Rural Communities Act 2. Conditions on Forest Service access travel management actions for units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain (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 of the unit, including any change in access using motorized vehicles or nonmotorized means resulting from— (i) the 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 forest 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 county The term affected county (A) a political subdivision of a State whose boundaries contain National Forest System lands of a unit of the National Forest System affected by an access travel management action; or (B) a political subdivision of a State adjacent to a political subdivision of a State described in subparagraph (A). (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Travel management rule The term travel management rule (5) Unit of the National Forest System The terms unit of the National Forest System unit (b) Prohibition on implementation or enforcement of travel management rule Immediately upon the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall cease all implementation and enforcement of the travel management rule for units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain. (c) Consultation with and concurrence of affected counties (1) Consultation 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.) for a proposed access travel management action, the Secretary shall consult with each affected county for the purpose of incorporating the needs, uses, and input of affected counties. (2) Concurrence The Secretary may not implement an access travel management action unless and until the Secretary— (A) complies with the consultation requirement imposed by paragraph (1); and (B) obtains the concurrence of each affected county for implementation of the access travel management action.

Summary: Forest Access in Rural Communities Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), through the Forest Service, to cease all implementation and enforcement of the travel management rule for units of the National Forest System derived from the public domain to the extent that it will, or can reasonably be expected to, alter public access to such lands. Requires the Secretary, as a condition on the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for a proposed access travel management action, to consult with affected counties for the purpose of incorporating their needs, uses, and input. Bars the Secretary from implementing an access travel management action unless and until the Secretary: (1) complies with the consultation requirement imposed by this Act, and (2) obtains the concurrence of each affected county for the implementation of such action.