President Donald Trump signed S.47, the omnibus public lands bill that designates more than 1 million acres of Wilderness and permanently reauthorizes a federal program to pay for conservation measures.

The bill designates 1.3 million acres in Utah, New Mexico, Oregon and California as Wilderness, the most stringent level of federal land protection. The designation prohibits development and bans vehicle access.

The Utah portion of the bill includes the loss of 72 miles of roads and access for OHV enthusiasts in Emery County. The AMA opposed the Emery County bill and lobbied alongside Utah riders for it to be considered separately. However, the Utah congressional delegation and county commissioners in the state supported the bill.

The bill signed by the president also:

• Adds six Wilderness areas in Death Valley National Park and releases six Wilderness Study Areas (areas that can now be considered for recreational uses);
• Creates Vinagre Wash Special Management Area in California’s Imperial County, Calif.;
• Allows OHV travel on currently approved routes;
• Designates a three-year period for the public to make their case to the Interior Secretary for new OHV routes;
• Provides Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area designation to five areas currently used for OHV recreation in San Bernardino County managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management;
• Expands the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area in California by 20,240 acres.
• Creates 18 Wilderness areas, totaling more than 600,000 acres;
• Creates the 216,995-acre San Rafael Swell Recreation area managed by BLM, which allows motorized use;
• Creates a seven-member federal advisory board, with only one member from the motorized community; and
• Allows repairs to existing motorized routes or rerouting of existing routes for public safety or to protect resources.