[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 144 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18329]


[Federal Register: July 28, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[NV-050-94-4350-09]


Notice of Interim Closure of Public Lands in Portions of Eldorado 
Valley, Ivanpah Valley, Piute Valley and Nelson Hills, Stateline 
Resource Area, Clark County, NV

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that certain Public Lands in Nevada are 
closed to vehicular access. The closure consists of two separate 
designations. Under the first designation, vehicular travel is limited 
to certain designated routes of travel. Under the second designation, 
vehicular travel is limited to existing roads and trails. Exceptions to 
these designations include vehicular travel for administrative purposes 
including the implementation of resources monitoring and research 
projects and maintenance of rights-of-way.
    This closure covers Public Lands in portions of Eldorado Valley, 
Ivanpah Valley, Piute Valley and the Nelson Hills. The boundary is 
approximated by the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Eldorado 
Mountains on the east, the California State line and Crescent Peak on 
the south, Eldorado Dry Lake and the McCullough Range on the west, and 
Boulder City on the north.
    The closure affects approximately 26 miles of Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) administered roads. Roads claimed by Clark County 
under Revised Statues 2477 will be designated as open except those that 
are formally relinquished by the Clark County Commission. An 
undetermined number of two-tracks, ATV and motorcycle trails will be 
affected.

ORDER: Notice is hereby given that effective on the date of publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register, the following use restrictions 
will be in effect on Public Lands in portions of the Eldorado Tortoise 
Management Area, Ivanpah Valley, Piute Valley and the Nelson Hills, and 
will remain in effect until the Stateline Resource Management Plan is 
approved and implemented.
1. Designated Roads and Trails (Eldorado Valley, Ivanpah Valley and 
Piute Valley)
    No person may use, drive or otherwise operate a motorized vehicle 
except on those routes of travel that are identified on the ground by 
open route signs.
2. Existing Roads and Trails (Nelson Hills and Eldorado Valley)
    No person may use, drive or otherwise operate a motorized vehicle 
except on existing roads and trails.
    Exemptions to these orders are use of existing access routes to 
residences, active mining operations and communication sites, 
maintenance and inspection of existing rights-of-way, and the 
performance of resource monitoring and research projects by Bureau of 
Land Management, Nevada Department of Wildlife, National Park Service 
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel or their agents. All other 
exemptions to this order are by written authorization of the Las Vegas 
District Manager or Stateline Resource Area Manager only.
    All mineral activities, including casual use, being conducted under 
43 CFR part 3809 within these closures must submit a Plan of 
Operations. The Plan of Operations must conform to the filing 
requirements of 43 CFR 3809.1-5. Notices filed under 43 CFR 3809.1-3 
will be returned to the operator and a plan will be requested.
    The legal land description for lands affected by these closures 
includes the following:
1. Designated Roads and Trails

Ivanpah Valley/Piute Valley/Eldorado Valley

Mount Diablo Meridian:

T. 28 S., R. 60 E.,
    Secs. 2-3, 10-11;
    Sec. 13, W\1/2\;
    Secs. 14-16, 22-26. Except those portions of secs. 25-26 located 
south of State Highway 164.
T. 26 S., R. 61 E.,
    Secs. 24-25, 36, inclusive.
T. 27 S., R. 61 E.,
    Secs. 1, 12-13, 23-27, 34-36, inclusive;
    Sec. 2, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 11, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 14, E\1/2\.
T. 28 S., R. 61 E.,
    Secs. 1-3, 10-12, 15-16, 19-21, 29, 30. Except those portions of 
secs. 15, 21-22 and 29-30 located south of State Highway 164.
T. 25 S., R. 62 E.,
    Secs. 13-14, 22-36, inclusive.
T. 26 S., R. 62 E.,
    Secs. 1-2, 11-14, inclusive.
T. 27 S., R. 62 E.,
    Secs. 5-8, 17-20, 29-35, inclusive;
    Sec. 36, NW\1/4\.
T. 28 S., R. 62 E.,
    Sec. 2, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
    Secs. 3-10, inclusive.
T. 24 S., R. 63 E.,
    Sec. 27, that portion located south of State Highway 165;
    Sec. 28, that portion located east of U.S. Highway 95;
    Sec. 34, that portion located north and west of Clark County RS 
2477 road # BC2.
    Sec. 33, that portion located east of U.S. Highway 95;
    Sec. 35, that portion located south of State Highway 165 and 
north and west of Clark County RS 2477 # BC2.
T. 25 S., R. 63 E.,
    Sec. 3, that portion west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC2;
    Sec. 4, that portion east of U.S. Highway 95 and west of Clark 
County RS 2477 road # BC2;
    Sec. 9, that portion east of U.S. 95 and South of Clark County 
RS 2477 road # A951;
    Sec. 10, that portion south of Clark County RS 2477 road # A951;
    Sec. 15, that portion located south of Clark County RS 2477 road 
# A951;
    Secs. 16-22 inclusive;
    Sec. 23, that portion west of Clark County RS 2477 roads # A951 
and BC3.
    Sec. 27, that portion west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC3;
    Secs. 28-33 inclusive;
    Sec. 34, that portion west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC3.
T. 26 S., R. 63 E.,
    Sec. 3, that portion located west of Clark County RS 2477 road # 
BC3;
    Secs. 4-8 inclusive;
    Sec. 9, that portion west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC3;
    Sec. 13, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 15, that portion located west of Clark County RS 2477 road 
# BC3;
    Sec. 20, that portion located east of U.S. Highway 95 and north 
of the powerline road;
    Secs. 21-24, that portion located north of the powerline road.
T. 26 S., R. 64 E.,
    Sec. 19, W\1/2\.
2. Existing Roads and Trails

Eldorado Valley/Nelson Hills

Mount Diablo Meridian

T. 24 S., R. 62 E.,
    Sec. 25, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 26, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 27, S\1/2\;
    Secs. 34-36, inclusive.
T. 25 S., R. 62 E.,
    Secs. 1-12, 15-21, inclusive.
T. 24 S., R. 63 E.,
    Secs. 1-3, 10-15, 22-27, 35 and 36. Except those portions of 
secs. 3, 10, 15 and 22 located west of U.S. Highway 95, that portion 
of sec. 27 located south of State Highway 165 and that portion of 
sec. 35 located both south of Highway 165 and west of Clark County 
RS 2477 road # BC2.
T. 25 S., R. 63 E.,
    Secs. 1-3, 9-15, 23-27, 34-36. Except those portions of Secs. 3, 
4, and 9 located west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC2, those 
portions of Secs. 9, 10, 15 and 23 located south and west of Clark 
County RS 2477 road # A951 and those portions of Secs. 23, 26, 27 
and 34 located west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC3.
T. 26 S., R. 63 E.,
    Secs. 1-3, 9-12;
    Sec. 13, N\1/2\;
    Secs. 14-15. Except those portions of Secs. 3, 9, 10 and 15 
located west of Clark County RS 2477 road # BC3.
T. 24 S., R. 64 E.,
    Secs. 2-11, 14-23, 26-35, inclusive.
T. 25 S., R. 64 E.,
    Secs. 1-12, 14-23, 24-35, inclusive.

    Maps identifying these lands, restrictions, and exempted motorized 
vehicle routes are available at the Las Vegas District Office.
    Authority for this interim closure and use restrictions is found in 
43 CFR 8364.1 and 8342. Violation of these rules are punishable by a 
fine not to exceed $100,000 ($200,000 if the violator is an 
organization), imprisonment not to exceed 12 months, or both, as 
provided for under the Federal Land Policy Management Act (Pub. L. 94-
579) as amended by 18 U.S.C. 3571(b)(5).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this interim closure and use 
restrictions is to provide increased protection for desert tortoise 
populations and their habitat until final approval and implementation 
of the comprehensive Stateline Resource Management Plan. The desert 
tortoise is listed as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered 
Species Act and is afforded increased protection under terms of the 
Act.
    On May 15, 1991 the Bureau of Land Management became a signatory to 
the Clark County Short-Term Desert Tortoise Habitat Conservation Plan. 
On August 12, 1991 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the 
plan. Under this plan, the Bureau of Land Management agreed to take 
appropriate management actions, within certain areas established for 
conservation of desert tortoises and their habitat, through procedures 
outlined in the plan. Recommendations were made to the Bureau of Land 
Management by the Clark County Habitat Conservation Plan Implementation 
and Monitoring Committee that certain areas within Eldorado Valley and 
Nelson Hills should be closed to motorized vehicular traffic except for 
existing roads and trails or, designated roads and trails. This action 
would afford increased protection of desert tortoises and their 
habitat. This closure will provide the basis for effective enforcement 
of these protective measures. This closure is adjacent to and 
compliments a previous Interim Closure of Public Lands in Eldorado 
Valley issued by Federal Register Notice on Monday, December 6, 1993 
(Vol. 58, No. 232).

EFFECTIVE DATE: This order is effective on the date of publication in 
this Federal Register, and will remain in effect until the Stateline 
Resource Management Plan is completed and implemented and this order is 
rescinded by the Las Vegas District Manager. This order is effective on 
the Eldorado Lands Act lands, until such time as the Eldorado Lands Act 
lands are transferred to private ownership.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Ryan, Acting District Manager, 
Las Vegas District, 4765 W. Vegas Drive, P.O. Box 26569, Las Vegas, NV 
89126, or Dan Morgan, Area Manager, Stateline Resource Area, 4765 W. 
Vegas Drive, P.O. Box 26569, Las Vegas, NV 89126.

    Dated: July 20, 1994.
Gary Ryan,
Acting District Manager, Las Vegas, NV.
[FR Doc. 94-18329 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-M