Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act

This bill, known as the Outdoor Americans with Disabilities Act, seeks to guarantee access to certain public lands for motorized and off-road vehicles. It defines "disability-accessible land" as public land with at least 2.5 miles of authorized road per square mile, and mandates that the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior prioritize updating travel management and motor vehicle use plans. These updates must account for existing roads, prioritize routes offering diverse recreational opportunities, and coordinate with various governmental and tribal entities to ensure public land is disability-accessible. The legislation imposes strict conditions on road closures, particularly on designated disability-accessible land , where closures are generally prohibited unless temporary or posing a direct health or safety threat. For other public lands, agencies must consider reopening previously closed roads and cannot close additional roads unless they pose a direct threat or are not beneficial for wildfire response or search and rescue. Any proposed closure requires public notice, a hearing, and the establishment of a new road within one year, with a rebuttable presumption that roads should remain open for public use. These actions are also categorically excluded from certain environmental review requirements, and the Act permits the development of new roads or trails, except within wilderness areas or most National Park System units.