Public Access Protection Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9348
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Water Resources Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-18: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-25T14:34:16Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation, titled the Public Access Protection Act, aims to ensure that water resources development projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers do not reduce public access to existing recreational amenities such as parks, trails, green spaces, and waterways. It directs the Secretary of the Army to plan for maintaining equivalent access levels during construction.
Key Provisions
- Establishes a sense of Congress that the Secretary should maintain equivalent recreational access, minimize temporary disruptions through planning and community coordination, and provide alternative access during construction.
- Requires the Secretary, to the maximum extent practicable during feasibility studies, to review potential impacts on public recreational amenities (including hiking, biking, walking, and waterborne facilities) and include a preservation plan in any final project recommendation.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new statutory requirement for the Secretary of the Army to incorporate recreational access preservation plans into Corps of Engineers project recommendations. No existing laws are repealed or directly amended; this creates an additional procedural obligation during feasibility studies and recommendations.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Increases planning and coordination responsibilities for the Corps of Engineers when evaluating and recommending projects.
- On citizens: Aims to protect ongoing public use of recreational spaces near project sites by requiring equivalent access alternatives.
- On international relations: None identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Secretary of the Army.
- Communities and individuals using public recreational amenities near proposed projects.
- Local governments and organizations involved in project planning and affected open spaces.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure imposes a new planning mandate on a federal agency without altering constitutional authorities or creating new enforcement mechanisms. It reflects congressional direction on balancing infrastructure development with public recreation access but does not address enforcement, funding, or penalties for noncompliance.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Friedman, Laura [D-CA-30]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-18: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-06-18: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Public Access Protection Act — issued 2026-06-18 — PDF (3 pages)