PUBLIC Lands Act

Bill Number

S. 3526

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-02-12: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.

Last Updated

2026-03-24T12:48:03Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act (PUBLIC Lands Act) aims to protect and invest in specific federal lands in California by promoting forest restoration, expanding recreational opportunities, designating new conservation areas, and addressing related management needs. It focuses on enhancing ecological health, wildfire resilience, public access, and cultural values while respecting existing rights and uses.

Key Provisions

The bill is structured into four titles, outlining protections, developments, and management for federal lands primarily managed by the U.S. Forest Service (under the Department of Agriculture) and the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service (under the Department of the Interior).

Title I: Forest Restoration

• South Fork Trinity-Mad River Restoration Area: Establishes a 871,414-acre area in the Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests and Bureau of Land Management lands to restore fire-resilient forests, protect water quality and fish habitats, reduce wildfire risks to communities, and support recreation. Requires collaborative restoration and fire management plans within two years, emphasizing prescribed burns and shaded fuel breaks (vegetation treatments that reduce fire fuels while retaining tree canopy for shade).
• California Public Land Remediation Partnership: Creates a multi-agency partnership (including federal, state, tribal, local, and nongovernmental representatives) to coordinate cleanup and recovery of federal lands damaged by illegal activities like marijuana cultivation. Allows grants, cooperative agreements, and resource contributions, with a focus on local hiring and research.
• Management Plans: Requires updates to land/resource and annual fire management plans for affected national forests, incorporating restoration goals and consulting stakeholders.

Title II: Recreation

• Trail Designations and Studies:
• Directs a feasibility study for the Bigfoot National Recreation Trail (a non-motorized route from Mendocino National Forest to Crescent City).
• Designates the Elk Camp Ridge Recreation Trail for off-highway vehicles and mountain biking in Del Norte County, with monitoring for environmental impacts and options for closures or rerouting.
• Authorizes construction of a non-motorized trail around Trinity Lake if feasible.
• Requires studies for the Condor National Scenic Trail (connecting Los Padres National Forest sections) and trails in Los Padres, Six Rivers, Shasta-Trinity, and Mendocino National Forests, including mountain biking routes and a new off-highway vehicle connector.
• Authorizes mountain biking routes in the Smith River National Recreation Area based on a prior study.
• Partnerships and Facilities: Allows agreements with private/nonprofit groups for trail maintenance, education, and visitor services in northern California counties. Authorizes new visitor centers at Trinity Lake (Weaverville) and Del Norte County to interpret natural and cultural resources. Directs a study on overnight accommodations near Redwood National and State Parks, with potential partnerships for development.

Title III: Conservation

• Wilderness Designations: Designates 32 new wilderness areas or additions totaling over 500,000 acres across national forests (e.g., Angeles, Los Padres, Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity, Six Rivers) and Bureau of Land Management lands. Examples include Black Butte River Wilderness (11,155 acres) and South Fork Trinity River Wilderness (26,562 acres). Renames the North Fork Wilderness to North Fork Eel River Wilderness and modifies boundaries for others like Elkhorn Ridge.
• Administration follows the Wilderness Act (a 1964 law protecting undeveloped federal lands from most development), allowing fire control, grazing, wildlife management, and tribal access but prohibiting new roads, mining, or permanent structures. Permits recreational climbing, horseback riding, and data collection devices.
• Potential Wilderness: Designates 33,918 acres (e.g., in Redwood National Park and near Yuki Wilderness) as potential wilderness, managed as wilderness after ecological restoration (e.g., removing non-native species or old roads) removes barriers. Requires triennial progress reports.
• Wild and Scenic Rivers: Adds or expands over 50 river segments (totaling hundreds of miles) to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (a 1968 law protecting free-flowing rivers for their scenic, recreational, and ecological values). Examples include segments of the South Fork Trinity River (wild, scenic, or recreational classifications) and Redwood Creek. Some designations are conditional on acquiring private lands. Amends existing entries for Sespe Creek, Sisquoc River, and Piru Creek to add miles without affecting water rights or nearby motorized trails.
• Scenic Areas: Establishes two areas (Condor Ridge, 18,666 acres; Black Mountain, 16,216 acres) in Los Padres National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands to protect scenic and ecological resources, prohibiting permanent roads, structures, timber harvesting (except for ecological needs), and most motorized use.
• Special Management Areas: Creates three areas (Horse Mountain, 7,482 acres; Sanhedrin, 12,254 acres; Fox Mountain, 41,082 acres) in national forests to balance recreation (e.g., hiking, biking, hunting) with conservation of forests, wildlife, and cultural sites. Requires a comprehensive management plan within five years; limits new roads and timber harvesting but allows fire control and grazing. Encourages tribal partnerships under laws like the Tribal Self-Governance Act.

Title IV: Miscellaneous

• Maps and Plans: Mandates preparation of maps/legal descriptions for new areas and incorporation into updated federal land management plans.
• Utility and Water Facilities: Protects Pacific Gas and Electric Company rights-of-way for maintenance/upgrades in restoration and management areas without new restrictions. Reauthorizes water diversion facilities in Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness if they predate designation and serve valid state water rights.
• Tribal Use: Ensures access for Indian Tribes to new areas for cultural/religious purposes, allowing temporary closures for privacy.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Wilderness Act Amendments: Adds expansive new designations and additions, increasing California's protected wilderness by over 500,000 acres; renames one area and modifies boundaries, enhancing fire management flexibility (e.g., faster approvals for emergencies).
• Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Amendments: Expands or refines dozens of river segments, including conditional protections tied to land acquisition; studies three San Gabriel River forks for potential future inclusion.
• National Trails System Act: Enables new trail studies and designations, promoting connectivity and non-motorized/motorized recreation.
• Other: Introduces new restoration partnerships and special areas not previously defined, while clarifying exemptions for utilities and tribal rights under existing environmental laws (e.g., no changes to grazing or fish/wildlife jurisdiction).

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Increases workload for the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service in planning, restoration, and monitoring (e.g., new fire plans, triennial reports). Requires collaboration with state/local entities, potentially streamlining wildfire response but adding coordination costs. No direct international effects.
• Citizens: Enhances recreational access (e.g., new trails, visitor centers) for hikers, bikers, and fishers, while protecting water quality and reducing wildfire risks to communities. Limits some activities (e.g., no new mining or roads in protected areas), potentially affecting local economies reliant on timber or extraction but boosting ecotourism.
• International Relations: None; the bill is domestic, focused on U.S. federal lands.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: U.S. Forest Service (primary manager for most areas), Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service (implementation and funding needs).
• State and Local Governments: California agencies (e.g., Department of Fish and Wildlife, sheriffs) for partnerships, fire coordination, and visitor services; counties like Del Norte, Humboldt, and Trinity benefit from recreation but may face land use limits.
• Indian Tribes: Federally recognized tribes gain enhanced access for cultural practices and partnership opportunities in management.
• Private Sector and Public: Utility companies (e.g., Pacific Gas and Electric) retain access; recreation users (hikers, bikers, hunters), environmental groups, and landowners (private inholdings protected from forced acquisition) are directly impacted. Nongovernmental organizations support remediation and trails.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Enforces withdrawals from mining, leasing, and disposal under public land laws, prioritizing conservation under the Wilderness Act and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Conditional river designations require land acquisitions, potentially leading to future lawsuits over private property. Upholds valid existing rights (e.g., water diversions, utilities) to avoid takings claims.
• Constitutional: Respects property rights by prohibiting non-consensual land acquisitions and protecting pre-existing uses, aligning with Fifth Amendment due process. Tribal provisions support religious freedoms under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.
• Political: Balances environmental protection with recreation and local input through collaborations, potentially reducing conflicts in wildfire-prone California. May influence future land-use debates by setting precedents for restoration partnerships and conditional protections, without partisan overtones in the bill text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Cosponsors (1)

Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

Recent Actions

• 2026-02-12: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
• 2025-12-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S8836)
• 2025-12-17: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act — issued 2025-12-17 — PDF (107 pages)