I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6086 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 9, 2012 Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was 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 A BILL To direct the heads of Federal public land management agencies to prepare reports on the availability of public access and egress to Federal public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes, to amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to provide funding for recreational public access to Federal land, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Hunt Unrestricted on National Treasures Act or the HUNT Act.

2.

Report on public access and egress to Federal public land

(a)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, each head of a Federal public land management agency shall make available to the public on the Web site of the agency a report that includes— (1)a list of the location and acreage of lands more than 640 acres in size under the jurisdiction of such agency on which the public is allowed under Federal or State law to hunt, fish, or to use such lands for other recreational purposes— (A)to which there is no public access or egress; or (B)to which public access or egress to the legal boundaries of such lands is significantly restricted (as determined by the head of such agency); (2)with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the agency that are described in paragraph (1), a list of the lands that the head of such agency determines have significant potential for use for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes; and (3)with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the agency listed under paragraph (2), a plan developed by the agency that— (A)identifies how public access and egress could reasonably be provided to the legal boundaries of such lands in a manner that minimizes the impact on wildlife habitat and water quality; (B)specifies the actions recommended to secure such access and egress, including acquiring an easement, right-of-way, or fee title from a willing owner of lands abutting such lands or the need to coordinate with State land management agencies or other Federal or State governmental entities to allow for such access and egress; and (C)is consistent with the travel management plan in effect on such lands. (b)

List of public access routes for certain lands

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each head of a Federal public land management agency shall make available to the public on the Web site of the agency, and thereafter revise as the head of the agency determines is appropriate, a list of roads or trails that provide the primary public access and egress to the legal boundaries of contiguous parcels of land equal to more than 640 acres in size under the jurisdiction of such agency on which the public is allowed under Federal or State law to hunt, fish, or to use such lands for other recreational purposes. (c)

Means of public access and egress included

When considering public access and egress under subsections (a) and (b), the head of a Federal public land management agency shall consider public access and egress to the legal boundaries of lands described in such subsections, including access and egress— (1)by motorized or non-motorized vehicles; and (2)on foot or horseback. (d)

Definitions

In this section: (1)The term Federal public land management agency means the National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. (2)The term travel management plan means a plan for the management of travel— (A)with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, on park roads and designated routes under section 4.10 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulation); (B)with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, on such lands under a comprehensive conservation plan required under section 4(e) of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(e)); (C)with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service, on National Forest System lands under part 212 of title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations); and (D)with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, under a resource management plan developed under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).

3.

Funds for public access to Federal land for recreational purposes

Section 7(a)(1) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–9) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Recreational public access to Federal land

In an amount not less than 1.5 percent of such moneys, for projects that secure public access to Federal land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes through easements, rights-of-way, or fee title acquisitions, from willing sellers. .