Making Public Lands Public Act

Bill: 115-hr-2950
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2]
Introduced: 2017-06-20
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Appropriations

Hunting and fishing

Land transfers

Land use and conservation

Outdoor recreation
Latest action: action_date: 2017-06-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-06-20
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Making Public Lands Public Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure that a specified portion of the Land and Water Conservation Fund is made available each fiscal year for projects to: (1) maintain or increase public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting through the acquisition of rights-of-way or the acquisition of land through equal value land exchanges from willing owners; or (2) enhance, maintain, or restore access on existing roads, trails, or rights-of-way. </p> <p>Interior and USDA must develop a priority list of such projects each year. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2950 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 20, 2017 Mr. Pearce introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend section 200303 of title 54, United States Code, to ensure that amounts are made available for projects to provide recreational public access, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Making Public Lands Public Act . 2. Availability of land and water conservation fund for certain public access projects (a) In general Section 200303 of title 54, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 200303. Availability of funds for certain priority projects (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that, of the amounts appropriated for the fund for each fiscal year, not less than the greater of 3 percent of the amounts or $20,000,000 shall be made available for projects identified on the priority list developed under subsection (b). (b) Priority list The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the head of each affected Federal agency, shall annually develop a priority list for projects related to Federal land under the jurisdiction of the applicable Secretary. (c) Criteria Projects identified on the priority list developed under subsection (b) shall— (1) maintain or increase public access to existing Federal public land for hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting through acquisition of rights-of-way or acquisition of land (or any interest in land) through equal value land exchanges from willing owners; or (2) enhance, maintain, or restore access on existing roads, trails, or rights-of-way. . (b) Conforming amendments (1) Land and water conservation fund act Chapter 2003 of title 54, United States Code, is amended— (A) in the first sentence of section 200308, by striking by section 200303 of this title ; and (B) in the third sentence of section 200309, by striking by section 200303 of this title . (2) Federal land transaction facilitation act Section 206(f)(2) of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act ( 43 U.S.C. 2305(f)(2) ) is amended by striking section 3 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act ( 16 U.S.C. 460l–6 ) and inserting chapter 2003 of title 54, United States Code .