[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 4467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2312]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Order of Temporary Closure to Non-Authorized Use of Certain 
Public Lands in Ward Valley, San Bernardino County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office.

ACTION: Order of temporary closure to non-authorized uses of public 
lands.

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SUMMARY: This order closes approximately 2,000 acres within Ward 
Valley, California to all uses, including but not limited to camping, 
motorized vehicle use, recreation, and casual use, unless those uses 
are otherwise specifically authorized by the Bureau of Land Management. 
This closure does not affect uses authorized by any right-of-way, 
permit, or other valid authorization approved by the BLM authorized 
officer for the public lands described in this order, except that the 
existing protest encampment maintained by the Fort Mojave Tribe under 
BLM permit CA-37890 shall be relocated to site E, as described in 
permit CA-37890, consistent with the terms provided in permit CA-37890. 
No activities authorized by the encampment permit shall be undertaken 
outside the cleared area of site E on any lands closed pursuant to this 
notice. The closure covers the following public lands:

T. 9. N., R. 19 E., SBM
    Sec 22, S\1/2\;
    Sec 23, W\1/2\ of SW\1/4\;
    Sec 26, W\1/2\ of W\1/2\;
    Sec 27, all;
    Sec 34, all;
    Sec 35, W\1/2\W\1/2\.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The closure will become effective February 13, 1998 and 
will remain effective for a period of six months from the effective 
date, unless terminated earlier through an order reopening the lands 
upon completion of the drilling activities referenced below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this temporary closure is to 
ensure that drilling and related activities to be undertaken by the 
Department of the Interior and the California Department of Health 
Services pursuant to a decision record issued January 16, 1998, at the 
Ward Valley site are carried out under conditions which will ensure 
public safety, promote site security, and provide for integrity of the 
sampling activities. Authority for this closure may be found in Title 
43 Code of Federal Regulations 8364.1. The closure effected by this 
order is the minimum necessary for effective law enforcement because it 
is the minimum which will allow for control of access from Interstate 
40.
    This closure was analyzed in environmental assessment CA-069-EA7-
42. The closure is within the scope of the Finding of No Significant 
Impacts prepared on EA CA-069-EA7-42. The impacts identified were 
temporary and minor.
    This order constitutes the final decision of the Department.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Molly Brady, Field Manager, U.S. D.I., 
Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office, 101 West Spikes Road, 
Needles, California 92363, tel: (760) 326-7000.

    Approved: January 26, 1998.
Bob Armstrong,
Assistant Secretary, Lands and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 98-2312 Filed 1-27-98; 9:02 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P