Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act

This bill seeks to enhance access to public lands for motorized and off-road vehicles, with a focus on ensuring "disability-accessible land" for recreation. It defines "disability-accessible land" as public land with at least 2.5 miles of authorized road accessible to motorized or off-road vehicles per square mile. The legislation mandates that the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior prioritize updating existing travel management and motor vehicle use plans to reflect these access goals.

The bill establishes specific requirements for developing motor vehicle use maps and designating public land for off-road vehicle use. Agencies must account for existing roads, prioritize routes offering diverse recreational opportunities like hunting, fishing, and motorized vehicle use, and coordinate with various governmental entities to identify desirable routes. Crucially, it imposes strict conditions on road closures, particularly on "disability-accessible land," generally prohibiting closures unless for temporary needs or direct threats to health and safety, and requiring public notice, hearings, and the establishment of new roads. Road closures deemed necessary and the establishment of new roads may be categorically excluded from certain environmental review requirements, and there is a rebuttable presumption that roads should remain open for public use. The Act clarifies it does not create new roads in wilderness areas or certain other protected lands.