article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Forest Roads-Community Right-To-Know Act''. SEC. 2. FOREST SERVICE AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES FOR PERMANENT CLOSURE OF FOREST ROADS. (a) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Permanent closure.--The term ``permanent closure'', with respect to a forest road, means the closure of the road to vehicular traffic for a continuous period of more than one year. The term includes a road closure of one year or less, or of an unspecified duration, unless the Secretary concerned certifies at the time of the closure that the closure will not extend beyond one year. (2) Forest road.--The term ``forest road'' means any road on Federal lands. (3) Federal lands.--The term ``Federal lands'' means-- (A) lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management; and (B) lands within units of the National Forest System. (4) State and local government officials.--The term ``State and local government officials'' means elected officials of States and counties within which Federal lands are located. (5) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' means-- (A) with respect to the Federal lands described in paragraph (3)(A), the Secretary of the Interior; and (B) with respect to the Federal lands described in paragraph (3)(B), the Secretary of Agriculture. (b) Advance Notice of Permanent Road Closures to State and Local Government Officials.-- (1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to ensure that the Secretary concerned involves State and local government officials in the process by which the Secretary concerned considers and plans for the potential permanent closure of forest roads on Federal lands. (2) Annual meetings required.--At least once each fiscal year, the Secretary concerned shall meet with appropriate State and local government officials to describe all agency plans or proposals that, within the next two fiscal years, will or may result in the permanent closure of forest roads on Federal lands. Such agency plans or proposals include project proposals, land management plan amendments or revisions, resource management plan amendments or revisions, and regional or subregional plans or proposals (3) Elements of notice.--At a meeting under paragraph (2), the Secretary concerned shall provide information, using maps and other means, that at a minimum-- (A) shows forest roads selected or proposed for permanent closure; (B) shows traffic patterns and volumes on the roads over the previous five years; and (C) explains how users of the roads will be adversely affected with longer travel times or adverse travel conditions by the permanent closure of the roads. (4) Special rule for first meeting.--At the first meeting conducted under paragraph (2) for a State or local government, the Secretary concerned shall also provide information on all forest roads that have been subject to permanent closure in that State during the previous five years. The information shall include a map showing the location of the forest roads and a description of the methods and costs of the permanent closure of the forest roads. (c) Public Notice and Comment Requirements.-- (1) Local notice.--Before proceeding with the permanent closure of a forest road, the Secretary concerned shall publish an announcement describing the proposed closure in the local newspaper of record for the area likely to be affected by the permanent closure of the road. The announcement shall include a description and map of the forest road selected or proposed for permanent closure and a description of any comments generated regarding the closure in meetings with State and local government officials under subsection (b). (2) Comment period.--The permanent closure of a forest road may not take effect until after the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date that the announcement under paragraph (1) was published regarding that road so as to permit the public to submit comments regarding the decision to select or propose the forest road for permanent closure. (d) Prohibition on Permanent Road Closures.--The permanent closure of a forest road is prohibited unless-- (1) advance notice of the permanent closure of the road is provided to the appropriate State and local government officials in the manner provided in subsection (b); and (2) the Secretary complies with the public notice and comment requirements under subsection (c). (e) Application of Requirements.--The requirements of this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, except that the prohibition contained in subsection (d)(1) shall not apply to prohibit the permanent closure of any forest road implemented during the fiscal year in which this section is enacted. (f) Effect on Valid and Existing Rights.--Nothing in this section shall invalidate rights-of-way designated under section 2477 of the Revised Statutes of 1878 (43 U.S.C. 932) or other valid and existing rights, including rights of ingress and egress. (g) Compliance With State Laws.--In carrying out this section with respect to a forest road, the Secretary concerned shall comply with the applicable laws of the State in which the forest road is located. SEC. 3. EMERGENCIES. (a) Emergency Road Closures.--Subject to subsection (b), the requirements of section 2 shall not apply to emergency road closures where life or property would be endangered or threatened in the absence of the road closure. (b) Length of Closure.--If an emergency road closure will extend beyond one year, the Secretary concerned shall comply with the requirements of section 2 within three months after the date on which the emergency road closure commenced.
summary: Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, prior to making permanent road closings on National Forest System or Bureau of Land Management lands, respectively, to: (1) provide affected State and local officials with advance notice showing affected roads and traffic patterns; and (2) provide for public notice and comment. Requires: (1) the Secretaries to meet annually with State and local officials to describe agency proposals that will or may result in permanent road closures within the coming two fiscal years; and (2) information to be provided at the first meeting respecting the previous five years' road closings.