Public Law 117-114 passed April 29, 2022

Modernizing Access to Our Public Land Act

Definition:

Federal Land- land managed by a Federal land management agency.

Federal Land Management Agency-

Road or Trail- a road or trail designated by 1 or more Secretaries for public use.

Secretaries-

Interagency Data Standardization

No later than 30 months of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall develop and adopt interagency standards to make sure compatibility and interoperability among applicable Federal databases to the collection and dissemination of data-

    • Public outdoor recreational use on Federal land

    • Depict locations at which recreation uses are available to the public

Digitization and Publications of Easements

No later than 4 years after the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall digitize and publish in the agency website geographic information system mapping data that specify all Federal interests in private land, including easements (other than flowage easements), reservations and rights-of-ways-

    • The Federal Government does not have a fee title interest

    • May be used to provide public recreation; access to the Federal land

All Secretaries shall allow the public to submit questions or comments regarding the information described.

Data Consolidation and Publication of Route and Area Data for Public Recreation Use.

No later than 5 years of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary shall make publicly available on the website of the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, and the Corps of Engineers, geographic information system data with the following-

    • Status information to whether roads and trails on Federal land are open or closed.

    • The dates when the roads and trails are seasonally closed.

    • The classes of vehicles and types of recreational uses are allowed on each segment of roads and trails, including the permissibility of

      • Off-highway vehicles

      • Motocycles

      • Non motorized bicycles

      • Electric bicycles

      • Passenger vehicles

      • Non-mechanized transportation

      • Over-snow vehicles

    • Boundaries where hunting or recreational shooting (archery, firearm discharge, target shooting) is permanently restricted or prohibited on Federal land.

Updates

  • The Secretaries shall update the data described not less frequently than twice per year.

  • The Secretaries shall allow the public to submit questions or comments regarding the information described above.

  • Geographic information system data made public shall not disclose information regarding the nature, location, character, or ownership of historic, paleontological or archaeological resources, consistent with applicable law.

Cooperation and Coordination

The Secretaries may enter into an agreement with a third party to carry out any provision of this Act. The Secretaries may work with the United States Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, standardize, or public data on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior to meet the requirements of this Act.

Reports

No later than 1 year after the enactment of this Act and annually through March 30, 2031, the Secretaries shall submit a report on the process made in respect of this Act-

Authorization of Appropriations

Secretary of the Interior $2.5 million fiscal 2022

$5.5 million for each fiscal year 2023 through 2025

Secretary of Agriculture $2.5 million fiscal 2022

$5.5 million for each fiscal year 2023 through 2025

Secretary of Army $1.5 million fiscal 2022

$2.5 million for each fiscal year 2023 through 2025