Border Lands Conservation Act

Increased Border Security and Control: The installation of navigable roads and technology is intended to deter illegal crossings and gain operational control of the southern and northern borders (Section 3(a)).

Improved Emergency and Law Enforcement Access: The bill ensures that the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, and emergency personnel have access to newly installed roads (Section 3(b)).

Enhanced Search and Rescue: The Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized to conduct search and rescue operations within wilderness areas to secure international land borders (Section 4(b)).

Fire Risk Reduction: Through the Border Fuels Management Initiative, the government will reduce hazardous fuels and address invasive species that contribute to wildland fire risks (Section 8(b)).

Protection of Industry and Public Safety: The bill mandates reports to identify the impacts of illegal immigration on visitor safety at National Parks and limits on access to hunting and fishing at National Wildlife Refuges (Section 9(b) and 9(c)). It also looks into ways to compensate impacted grazing permit holders in the ranching and livestock industries (Section 9(e)).

Impact on Wilderness Areas: The bill amends the Wilderness Act to allow for the use of motor vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, aircraft, and the construction of roads and physical barriers within wilderness areas (Section 4).

Environmental Concerns: While the bill seeks to address damage from unauthorized trails, it acknowledges that such trails may have permanently altered land characteristics or caused significant environmental degradation (Section 7(b)).

Restrictions on Housing: The Act prohibits the use of federal funds to provide housing to aliens without lawful immigration status on land managed by certain federal agencies, except for facilities used for custody, detention, holding, processing, or removal (Section 10(a)).