ROUTES Act

Bill: 118-hr-6994
Sponsor: Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]
Introduced: 2024-01-16 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Forests, forestry, trees
Government information and archives
Natural disasters
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2024-01-16
text:  

Restoring Our Unopened Trails for Enjoyment and Safety Act or the ROUTES Act

 
This bill requires the reopening of certain recreation sites closed due to a natural disaster.
 
In the case of a recreation site that is fully or partially closed due to damage caused by a natural disaster (including certain standing trees that present a visible hazard), the Department of the Interior (with respect to Interior recreational lands) or the Department of Agriculture (with respect to National Forest System lands) must reopen the site not later than two years after the date on which the disaster ends.
 
The bill categorically excludes specified activities from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement where the primary purpose of the activity is, consistent with the applicable management plan, to
 
 
repair and restore recreation sites damaged by a natural disaster,
 
remove hazard trees for the purpose of public safety or improving access,
 
mitigate and reduce soil erosion impacting a recreation site,
 
restore drainage patterns to support a recreation site, or
 
any combination of these purposes.
 
 
The bill provides for emergency hazard tree removal. 
 
Interior or Agriculture must report to Congress and make the report publicly available.

 

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 753.
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Committee on Agriculture discharged.
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Committee on Agriculture discharged.
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-921, Part I.
action_date: 2024-12-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-921, Part I.
action_date: 2024-11-20
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2024-11-20
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
action_date: 2024-11-20
text: Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged
action_date: 2024-08-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry.
action_date: 2024-01-31
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held
action_date: 2024-01-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2024-01-16
text: 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.
action_date: 2024-01-16
text: 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.
action_date: 2024-01-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2024-01-16
text: Introduced in House