This report concentrates on motorized recreation on BLM and FS lands. The use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) on federal lands and waters has been particularly contentious, and lawsuits have challenged their management. BLM and FS managers formulate guidance on the nature and extent of land uses, including OHV use, through regulations, national policies, land and resource management plans, and area-specific decisions. Legislative Activity

Congress has addressed motorized recreation on both BLM and FS lands (as well as other federal lands) through legislation and oversight hearings. A particular focus was on OHV recreation on BLM and FS lands, with issues covering the extent to which additional federal lands should be open to OHV use, agency OHV planning and designation processes, how to achieve balance among OHV and other recreational users of federal lands, the effects of OHV use on nearby communities and the economy more broadly, and sources of funding for OHV use (e.g., state OHV registration programs) and the purposes for which those funds are used. The growing and diverse nature of recreation on BLM lands has increased the challenge of managing different types of recreation, such as low impact (e.g., hiking) and high impact (e.g., OHV) uses. Guidance on OHV use on BLM lands is provided in law, executive orders, and agency regulations and policies. §8340), BLM has been designating public lands as open, limited, or closed to OHV use. Other regulations govern OHV use in particular areas. More recently, in 2011, BLM issued a manual on travel and transportation management, and in 2012 the agency released a related handbook, to cover planning and management of all modes of travel and public access needs. BLM manages transportation on its lands through a process described as Comprehensive Travel and Transportation Management. Goals include providing varied transportation routes for access to BLM lands and providing areas for a variety of motorized and non-motorized forms of recreation, while protecting sensitive areas. Travel and transportation management plans are developed for particular areas. Some of these bills sought to establish recreation areas in general or OHV areas in particular. Other bills provided for conveyances of BLM land for recreation purposes. H.R. In 2005, the FS finalized regulations to require forest plans to identify a system of roads, trails, and areas available for motorized vehicle use and prohibit the use of OHVs and other motorized vehicles outside the designated system. Many of the completed travel management plans have been challenged for either being too restrictive or not restrictive enough. While no general legislation on OHV activities in the national forests was introduced in the 112 th Congress, some measures addressed motorized recreation in areas with existing special designations. Still other 112 th Congress measures sought to designate other types of areas, including Special Management Areas, and govern the use of motorized vehicles in those areas. 4109 contained a variety of provisions relating to motorized recreation in the Los Padres National Forest. The FS also continues to develop accompanying motor vehicle use maps depicting where motor vehicle use is allowed. Agency determinations have been controversial in some areas. For instance, while some have expressed concern that motorized use on federal lands is too restricted to accommodate the recreating public, others have asserted that additional limits are needed to protect federal lands from resource damage. For the FS, bills in the 112 th Congress addressed motorized recreation in areas with special designations, such as wilderness.
The growing and diverse nature of recreation on federal lands has increased the challenge of balancing different types of recreation with each other and with other land uses. Motorized recreation on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS) has been controversial, with issues centering on access and environmental impacts. Congress, as well as the Administration, has addressed motorized recreation on these federal lands.
The use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) on FS and BLM land is governed by a number of authorities, including law, executive orders, agency regulations and policies, land management plans, and area-specific decisions. Both agencies decide the extent of allowed OHV use in particular areas through their planning processes. Under BLM regulations, the agency has been designating public lands as open, limited, or closed to OHV use. Similarly, under FS regulations governing OHVs, the FS is designating roads, trails, and areas open for OHV use and prohibiting OHV use outside the designated system. The designations for some BLM and FS lands have been contentious.
BLM also has been addressing motorized recreation as part of a broader effort to manage all modes of travel and public access, including through the issuance of a 2011 manual and a 2012 handbook on travel and transportation management. The goal of BLM's Comprehensive Travel and Transportation Management program is to provide varied transportation routes for access to BLM lands and provide areas for a variety of motorized and non-motorized forms of recreation, while protecting sensitive areas. Travel and transportation management plans are developed for particular areas. Also, in response to recommendations of the Government Accountability Office regarding OHV use on federal lands, BLM has taken actions in areas including planning, law enforcement, and communication with the public.
The FS continues to develop motor vehicle use maps showing where motor vehicle use is allowed, based on its 2005 travel management regulations. These regulations continue to be under debate, with some asserting that they do not sufficiently protect national forest lands from damage resulting from OHVs, and others contending that motorized access is too restricted. Similarly, some of the agency's travel management plans have been challenged for either being too restrictive or not restrictive enough.
One bill with provisions on motorized recreation on FS lands (H.R. 145) has been introduced in the 113th Congress to date. In the 112th Congress, no general legislation on OHV activities on BLM and FS lands was introduced. However, a variety of legislative measures sought to regulate OHV use on particular lands administered by the BLM, the FS, or both agencies. For instance, some measures relating to BLM lands sought to establish recreation areas in general, or OHV areas in particular. Other bills provided for conveyance of BLM land for recreation purposes, including motorized recreation. Measures pertaining to FS lands addressed motorized recreation in areas with special designations, including wilderness. Other FS bills sought to designate other types of areas, such as special management areas and recreation management areas, and govern the use of motorized vehicles in those areas. Other bills contained varied provisions relating to motorized recreation in a particular national forest.