text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Backcountry Landing Strip Access 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds that aircraft landing strips--
              (1) serve an essential safety function as emergency landing 
          areas;
              (2) serve as trailhead access points for--
                      (A) outdoor enthusiasts and their activities, 
                  including hiking, fishing, and hunting;
                      (B) land management activities, including forest 
                  management and firefighting; and
                      (C) inholdings, including mining, ranching, 
                  scientific research, and tourism;
              (3) provide access to national parks, national forests, 
          wilderness areas, and other Federal land for people who would 
          otherwise be physically unable to enjoy such places;
              (4) support the economies of the surrounding communities by 
          providing efficient access for visitors seeking recreational 
          activities; and
              (5) serve an essential role in search and rescue, forest 
          and ecological management, research, wildlife management, 
          aerial mapping, firefighting, and disaster relief.
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
          Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
              (2) Aircraft landing strip.--The term ``aircraft landing 
          strip'' means an established aircraft landing strip located on 
          Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the 
          Secretary that is for aircraft landing and departure 
          activities.
              (3) Permanently close.--The term ``permanently close'' 
          means any closure lasting more than 30 consecutive days in any 
          calendar year.
              (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means--
                      (A) with respect to land under the jurisdiction of 
                  the Department of the Interior, the Secretary of the 
                  Interior; and
                      (B) with respect to land under the jurisdiction of 
                  the Department of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
                  Agriculture.
  
  SEC. 4. PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF ACTIONS AFFECTING CERTAIN 
                AIRCRAFT LANDING STRIPS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary shall not take any action that would 
  permanently close, restrict, or render or declare as unserviceable any 
  aircraft landing strip unless--
              (1) the action has been approved by the head of the 
          aviation department of the State in which the aircraft landing 
          strip is located;
              (2) the Secretary publishes notice of the proposed action 
          in the Federal Register, including notice that the action would 
          permanently close, restrict, or render or declare as 
          unserviceable the aircraft landing strip;
              (3) the Secretary provides for a 90-day public comment 
          period beginning on the date on which the notice under 
          paragraph (2) is published; and
              (4) the Secretary and the head of the aviation department 
          of the State in which the affected aircraft landing strip is 
          located have taken into consideration any comments received 
          during the comment period described in paragraph (3).
      (b) Policies.--
              (1) Backcountry aviation policies.--Not later than 2 years 
          after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
          the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly--
                      (A) establish a national policy for governing 
                  backcountry aviation issues relating to the management 
                  of Federal land under the jurisdiction of the 
                  Department of the Interior and the Department of 
                  Agriculture; and
                      (B) require officials with jurisdiction over the 
                  land described in subparagraph (A) to adhere to the 
                  policy established pursuant to such subparagraph.
              (2) Requirements.--Any policy affecting air access to an 
          aircraft landing strip, including the policy established under 
          paragraph (1), shall not take effect unless the policy--
                      (A) acknowledges that the Administrator has the 
                  sole authority to control aviation and airspace over 
                  the United States; and
                      (B) was developed after seeking and considering 
                  comments from State governments and the public.
      (c) Maintenance of Airstrips.--
              (1) In general.--To ensure that aircraft landing strips are 
          maintained in a manner that is consistent with the resource 
          values of any adjacent area, the Secretary shall consult with--
                      (A) the head of the aviation department of each 
                  State in which an aircraft landing strip is located; 
                  and
                      (B) any other interested parties.
              (2) Cooperative agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
          cooperative agreements with interested parties for the 
          maintenance of aircraft landing strips.
              (3) Maintenance standards.--State aircraft landing strip 
          maintenance standards shall be used as the minimum standard 
          when such standards are available.
      (d) Exchanges or Acquisitions.--
              (1) Conditions.--If the Federal Government acquires private 
          or public property on which an aircraft landing strip is 
          located, the acquisition may not require--
                      (A) the closure or purposeful neglect of the 
                  aircraft landing strip; or
                      (B) any other action that would restrict the use of 
                  any aircraft landing strip.
              (2) Availability.--Each private or publicly owned aircraft 
          landing strip acquired by the Federal Government shall be made 
          available to the general public for unrestricted use.
      (e) Effect on Federal Aviation Administration Authority.--Nothing 
  in this Act may be construed to affect the authority of the 
  Administrator over aviation or airspace.
target: Backcountry Landing Strip Access Act - Prohibits the Secretaries of the Interior or Agriculture from taking any action that would permanently close, restrict, or render or declare unserviceable any aircraft landing strip located on land under their jurisdiction unless: (1) the action has been approved by the head of the aviation department of the state in which the landing strip is located; (2) the Secretary publishes notice of the proposed action and provides for a 90-day public comment thereafter; and (3) the Secretary and appropriate state aviation department head have taken into consideration any comments received.
  
  Requires the Secretaries to: (1) establish a nationwide policy for governing backcountry aviation issues relating to the management of federal land under the jurisdiction of the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture; and (2) require officials with jurisdiction over such land to adhere to such policy.
  
  Requires private and publicly-owned aircraft landing strips acquired by the government to be made available to the public for unrestricted use.
feat_title: To ensure public access to Federal land and to the airspace over Federal land.