Shawnee TRAILS Act

This legislation requires the Secretary of Agriculture to designate and maintain a significant portion of trails within the Shawnee National Forest for recreational use by specific types of vehicles. Specifically, at least 20 percent of the total number of trails must be allocated for "covered vehicles," which include electric bicycles (e-bikes) and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-road vehicles (ORVs). The Secretary is also tasked with actively managing and monitoring these designated trails to ensure they are appropriately maintained for recreational use while simultaneously minimizing any adverse impacts to natural resources . A crucial provision ensures that at least one trail remains open at all times for these covered vehicles. Furthermore, the bill explicitly prohibits the Secretary from banning the use of covered vehicles on any paved roads located within the Shawnee National Forest.