[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43068-43069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21099]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[CA-068-06-1220-00]


Final Supplementary Rule and Response to Comments Affecting 
Public Lands Within the Barstow Resource Area; California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: This notice establishes a supplementary rule regarding 
recreational shooting within the Barstow Resource Area, Bureau of Land 
Management. This supplementary rule requires that, on Public Lands 
within the Barstow Resource Area, in areas permitted by San Bernardino 
County Ordinance 22.011 for legal recreational target shooting of 
rifles, handguns and shotgun slugs, no person shall fire, shoot or 
discharge a firearm at any object other than a retrievable paper 
silhouette or bulls-eye target or a firearm target constructed of plate 
iron or plate steel such as an iron silhouette, knock-down or spinner 
target. This supplementary rule will become effective and enforceable 
on August 26, 1996.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with title 43, Code of Federal Regulations 
Sec. 8365.1-6, the State Director may establish supplementary rules in 
order to provide for the protection of persons, property, and public 
lands and resources. This authority was delegated to the District 
Managers and Area Managers pursuant to BLM Manual 1203, California 
Supplement.
    Copies of this supplementary rule would be made available at the 
local BLM office and affected lands within the Barstow Resource Area 
would be posted.

PENALTIES: Failure to comply with this supplementary rule would be 
punishable by a fine not to exceed $100,000 and/or imprisonment not to 
exceed 12 months.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This supplementary rule was proposed to 
deter and prevent the accumulation of household refuse and trash which 
is being deposited on these Public Lands by a significant portion of 
recreational shooters. Shooters on public lands have used as targets 
and then discarded old television sets, glass bottles, propane gas 
cylinders, and other similar items and, as a result, have adversely 
impacted the quality of these public lands. These types of discarded 
targets pose a significant public safety threat and cause unsightly 
litter. This supplementary rule will not infringe upon Constitutional 
rights of an individual to own or possess lawful firearms. This rule 
does not impact or effect lawful hunting of wild birds or game. 
Additionally, this rule does not impact or effect lawful skeet shooting 
in areas open for the discharging of shotguns. All shooters will be 
responsible to retrieve and properly dispose of their targets and spent 
shells upon leaving Public Lands.
    Response to Comments: The majority of written comments submitted 
during the thirty day comment period were supportive of this 
supplementary rule. In response to several concerns, this rule does not 
prohibit or impact lawful skeet shooting within areas open to shotgun 
shooting.
    The BLM does realize that littering and illegal dumping on public 
lands is

[[Page 43069]]

a major problem. The BLM realizes that the majority of recreational 
shooters are responsible and do not leave behind their refuse. However, 
this supplementary rule was implemented to promote responsible target 
shooting on public land and to deter the minority of shooters who do 
contribute to this larger refuse problem.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Maps depicting areas affected by this 
proposed rule and other pertinent information may be obtained at the 
BLM Barstow Resource Area office (619-255-8700) or the California 
Desert Information Center (619-255-8760), both located in Barstow, 
California.
Tim Read,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-21099 Filed 8-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P