ROUTES Act

In the case of a covered recreation site that is fully or partially closed due to personal injury or damage caused by a natural disaster, the Secretary concerned shall—

(1) reopen such covered recreation site not later than 3 years after the date on which such natural disaster ends, as determined by the Secretary concerned; and

(2) if the covered recreation site is not reopened on or before the date described in paragraph (1), not later than 30 days after such date and every 90 days thereafter during which such site remains closed, submit to Congress a report identifying the barriers to reopening such site.

Activities described in paragraph (2) are a category of actions hereby designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332).

The activities designated under this section for a categorical exclusion are activities carried out by the Secretary concerned on Interior recreational lands or National Forest System lands where the primary purpose of such activity is, consistent with the land use plan applicable to such lands, to—

(A) repair and restore covered recreation sites damaged by a natural disaster;

(B) remove or mitigate hazard trees for the purpose of public safety, protection of property, or improving access to a covered recreation site;

(C) mitigate and reduce soil erosion impacting a covered recreation site;

(D) restore drainage patterns to support a covered recreation site; or

(E) any combination of the purposes specified in subparagraphs (A) through (D).

On and after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned may use the categorical exclusion established under paragraph (1) in accordance with this subsection.

The activities categorically excluded under paragraph (1) shall be subject to the extraordinary circumstances procedures established pursuant to section 1501.4 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

With respect to the removal or mitigation of hazard trees located on a parcel of National Forest System land, during the 3-year period after a natural disaster on such parcel ends, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act) shall have the force and effect of law with respect to such parcel.

With respect to the removal and mitigation of hazard trees located on Interior recreational lands, during the 3-year period after a natural disaster on such parcel ends, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, section 46.150 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act) shall have the force and effect of law with respect to such parcel.

Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall submit to Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, a report that includes the number of covered recreation sites—

(1) that have been reopened pursuant to subsection (a)(1); and

(2) that, as of the date of such report, are closed due to damage caused by a natural disaster and the date such natural disaster ended, as determined by the Secretary concerned.

In this section:

The term covered recreation site means—

(A) a campground or developed day-use recreation site that—

(i) is operated by the Secretary concerned; and

(ii) is located on Interior recreational lands or National Forest System lands; or

(B) a road or trail that—

(i) is under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned;

(ii) used to access or serve a campground or developed day-use recreation site described in subparagraph (A); and

(iii) is located on Interior recreational lands or National Forest System lands.

The term hazard tree means a standing tree that presents a visible hazard to people or property due to conditions such as the deterioration of, or damage to—

(A) the root system, trunk, stem, or limbs of the tree; or

(B) the direction or lean of the tree.

The term Interior recreational lands means lands managed by the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Bureau of Reclamation.

The term National Forest System has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).

The term natural disaster includes a wildfire, flood, hurricane, windstorm, erosion, and tornado.

The term Secretary concerned means—

(A) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to Interior recreational lands; or

(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to National Forest System lands.