A woman and a man bike on the Bar M Trails
Credit: Dave Jeppesen of Bureau of Land Management

June 21, 2024 - WASHINGTON – This week, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a trio of bills to ensure access to federal lands and reaffirm the authority of state and local jurisdictions.

“In each of these bills, we aim to return control to those who are closest to our public lands — the states and local communities," said Sen. Lee. "By doing so, we can ensure that our conservation efforts are practical, effective, and tailored to the unique characteristics of each area, while expanding access for all Americans to enjoy our nation's natural beauty.”

The legislative package includes three key proposals:

Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act

Since Congress passed The Wilderness Act of 1964 prohibiting motorized vehicles in certain wilderness areas, the bill has been incorrectly interpreted to inhibit human-powered travel. Senator Lee’s bill reaffirms that human travel was never meant to be restricted by the Wilderness Act of 1964.

“As it stands, too many trails on federal lands, notably in Wilderness areas, have fallen into disrepair or disappeared entirely. Too few people use them and far too few people help maintain them, which is a loss for public awareness of the majesty of our public lands and the need to conserve them,” said Ted Stroll of the Sustainable Trails Coalition. “Senator Lee’s legislation will reinvigorate Wilderness trail management.”

For bill text, click HERE.
For one-pager, click HERE.

A bill to authorize the use of off-highway vehicles in certain areas of the Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

This bill extends Utah law for motor vehicles to include off-highway vehicles (OHV) within certain parts of Capitol Reef National Park. Permissible OHV portions would be included on Burr Trail Road, Cathedral Road, Hartnet Road, Highway 24, Notom Bullfrog Road, Polk Creek Road, Oil Ranch Road, and Baker Ranch Road.

For bill text, click HERE.

A bill to amend Title 54, United States Code, to provide that State law shall apply to the use of motor vehicles on roads within a System unit

This bill would amend Title 54 of United States Code to allow states to monitor motor and off-highway vehicles in National Park Systems within their state.

For bill text, click HERE.
Source: Senator Mike Lee