,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cbje ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ac1 #bjaf ,mr4 ,lee 7for himself and ,mr4 ,hatch7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to allow local ,federal officials to determine the manner in which nonmotorized uses may be permitted in wilderness areas1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,human-,powered ,travel in ,wilderness ,areas ,act4 #b4 ,returning human-powered travel to wilderness areas 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,local official ,the term local official means the officer or employee who is the head of a unit or jurisdiction of1 as applicable-- 7,a7 the ,bureau of ,land ,management2 7,b7 the ,national ,park ,service2 7,c7 the ,forest ,service2 or 7,d7 the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service4 7#b7 ,nonmotorized ,the term nonmotorized1 with respect to a method of transportation1 means that the method does not use a propulsive internal or external motor with a nonliving power source4 7#c7 ,permitted route ,the term permitted route means any new or existing path1 trail1 paved or unpaved road1 snow1 or ice located within a wilderness area on which one or more forms of nonmotorized recreational use is permitted under applicable law 7including regulations7 on the date on which a local official makes a determination under subsection 7b7 or the date that is #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 as applicable in accordance with subsection 7b74 7#d7 ,secretary concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 with respect to public land4 7#e7 ,wilderness area ,the term wilderness area means a component of the ,national ,wilderness ,preservation ,system4 7b7 ,permissible forms of recreational use on permitted routes 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as otherwise provided in this section1 the ,secretary concerned shall authorize relevant local officials to determine1 not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 all permissible forms of recreational use by nonmotorized transportation methods over any permitted route within the jurisdiction of the local official4 7#b7 ,failure to determine 7,a7 ,in general ,if a local official fails to make the determination described in paragraph 7#a7 with respect to a permitted route within the jurisdiction of the local official by the date that is #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 any form of recreational use by nonmotorized transportation methods shall be allowable on the permitted route4 7,b7 ,effect of paragraph ,nothing in this paragraph limits the authority of a local official to make a determination described in paragraph 7#a7 relating to a permitted route described in subparagraph 7,a7 after the date that is #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 in accordance with this section4 7#c7 ,requirement ,in making a determination pursuant to this section1 a local official shall seek to accommodate all forms of nonmotorized transportation1 to the maximum extent practicable4 7c7 ,authority ,in making a determination pursuant to this section1 a local official may carry out such activities and promulgate such regulations as the local official determines to be appropriate to reduce1 eliminate1 or prevent environmental impacts or undue conflicts among members of nonmotorized transportation user groups1 including-- 7#a7 restricting1 by permit or other means1 the number of individuals allowed on a permitted route or in a wilderness area2 7#b7 instructing users to stay on permitted routes2 7#c7 limiting party size2 7#d7 educating users regarding best practices2 7#e7 using volunteer or paid patrollers2 7#f7 establishing speed limits2 7#g7 adding features to discourage improper uses of permitted routes2 7#h7 designating the direction of travel on a permitted route2 and 7#i7 separating uses of permitted routes-- 7,a7 by day or time of day2 or 7,b7 seasonally4 7d7 ,effect of section ,nothing in this section requires the ,secretary concerned or any local official-- 7#a7 7,a7 to open a permitted route or wilderness area to a public recreational use2 or 7,b7 to maintain a permitted route or wilderness area for such a use2 or 7#b7 to allow any nonmotorized transport on any portion of the ,appalachian ,national ,scenic ,trail that is administered entirely as a footpath pursuant to section #e7;a77#a7 of the ,national ,trails ,system ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #abdd7;a77#a774 #c4 ,wilderness maintenance 7a7 ,prohibition of certain uses in wilderness areas ,section #d7;c7 of the ,wilderness ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aacc7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking the subsection heading and all that follows through 7c7 ,except as and inserting the following3 7c7 ,prohibition of certain uses 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,local official ,the term local official means the officer or employee who is the head of a unit or jurisdiction of1 as applicable-- 7i7 the ,bureau of ,land ,management2 7ii7 the ,national ,park ,service2 7iii7 the ,forest ,service2 or 7iv7 the ,united ,states ,fish and ,wildlife ,service4 7,b7 ,mechanical transport 7i7 ,in general ,the term mechanical transport means any method of transportation that-- 7,i7 travels over ground1 snow1 or ice2 and 7,,ii7 possesses1 or is propelled by1 a nonliving power source4 7ii7 ,exclusion ,the term mechanical transport does not include any form of human-powered travel1 regardless of whether the travel is mechanically assisted1 in which the sole propulsive power source is one or more persons4 7,c7 ,motorized equipment 7i7 ,in general ,the term motorized equipment means any equipment that is-- 7,i7 activated by a nonliving power source2 and 7,,ii7 carried by an individual1 other than a ,federal officer or employee 7or a designee74 7ii7 ,exclusion ,the term motorized equipment does not include any device that is-- 7,i7 small2 7,,ii7 battery-powered2 and 7,,iii7 carried by hand4 7#b7 ,prohibitions ,except as 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,effect of subsection 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 nothing in this subsection requires the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 or any local official-- 7i7 to alter any wilderness area2 or 7ii7 to allow in a wilderness area any use that is likely to change the wilderness character of the area4 7,b7 ,presumption ,a form of human-powered travel1 regardless of whether the travel is mechanically assisted1 in which the sole propulsive power source is one or more persons shall be rebuttably presumed to be in accordance with the preservation and maintenance of the wilderness character of a wilderness area4 4 7b7 ,maintenance ,section #d of the ,wilderness ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aacc7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,maintenance ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 any officer or employee of the ,federal ,government may use any small-scale motorized equipment or method of mechanical transport 7such as a chainsaw and wheelbarrow7 to construct1 improve1 or maintain a trail or to maintain the surroundings1 in accordance with the purposes of this ,act and the preservation of the wilderness character of a wilderness area4 4