[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 52795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25403]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CO-100-1990-00]


Temporary Travel Restrictions

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

ACTION: Establishment of travel restrictions for the Irish Canyon and 
Lookout Mountain ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern) areas of 
Moffat County, Colorado.

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SUMMARY: This order closes certain public lands to motorized vehicle 
use in the Irish Canyon and Lookout Mountain ACEC in the Little Snake 
Field Office, Moffat County, Colorado. This order modifies the existing 
use ``designated roads and trails'' on 11,680 acres for the Irish 
Canyon ACEC and 6,500 acres for the Lookout Mountain ACEC. The existing 
restrictions now include an emergency limitation that prohibits the use 
of any motorized wheeled vehicles off existing roads and trails. This 
order is issued under the authority of 43 CFR 8364.1 and 43 CFR 
8341.2(a) as a temporary measure while the off-highway vehicle (OHV) 
management portion of the Little Snake Resource Area (Field Office) 
Resource Management Plan is reviewed and modified as needed to address 
public issues, concerns, and needs, as well as resource uses, 
development, impacts, and protection.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John E. Husband, Field Manager, Little 
Snake Field Office, 455 Emerson Street, Craig, Colorado 81625 at (970) 
826-5000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This order affects public lands in Moffat 
County, Colorado thus described:

(1) Irish Canyon ACEC

Public Lands within:
    T.11N., R.101W., Secs. 19, 29, 30, 32, and 33;
    T.10N., R.101W., Secs. 2 thru 5, 9 thru 11, 13 thru 16, 18, 22 
thru 27, and 34 thru 36;
    T.10N., R.100W., Secs. 30 and 31;
    T.9N., R.101W., Secs. 1 thru 3, 11, and 12;
    T.9N., R.100W., Secs. 5 thru 8;

(2) Lookout Mountain ACEC

Public Lands within:
    T.11N., R.98W., Secs. 19, 20, 29, and 30;
    T.11N., R.99W., Secs. 25, 26, 32 thru 36
    T.10N., R.99W., Secs. 1 thru 7, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 18

    This restriction order shall be effective October 1, 1999, and 
shall remain in effect until rescinded or modified by the Authorized 
Officer.
    Current OHV use designations for public land in the area, 
established in the Little Snake Resource Area Management Plan, 1989, 
allow motorized vehicle use on designated road and trails year round. 
Increased OHV use in adjacent areas are impacting the Irish Canyon and 
Lookout Mountain ACECs. This is causing an unacceptable impact to 
natural resources and potentially to the significant cultural resources 
within the ACECs.
    Given due consideration of concerns expressed by the public and the 
potential impacts of motorized vehicle use, a modification of existing 
OHV use designation is necessary to adequately protect natural 
resources and cultural resources on public land and ensure public 
safety. This modification is an emergency limitation that prohibits the 
use of motorized vehicles off existing roads and trails. These issues 
will be thoroughly addressed in upcoming activity planning for these 
two ACEC areas.
    The ACEC area roads and trails affected by this order will be 
posted with appropriate regulatory signs. Maps of the roads and trails 
will be available at the Irish Canyon Interpretive site and in the 
Field Office at the address below.
    Persons who are exempt from this restriction contained in this 
notice include:
    1. Any Federal, State, or local Officers engaged in fire, 
emergency, and law enforcement activities.
    2. BLM employees engaged in official duties.
    3. Persons or agencies holding a special use permit or right-of-way 
for access to maintenance and operations of authorized facilities 
within the restricted area, for purposes related to access for 
maintenance and operation of said authorized facilities, and provided 
such motorized use is limited to the routes specifically identified in 
the special use permit or right-of-way.
    4. Grazing permittee is authorized during the permitted grazing 
season for related motorized use to existing roads and trails. Grazing 
permittee is authorized in emergency situations, sick or injured 
animals, to recover the animal(s) with as little damage as possible to 
the area. Further, notify the Authorized Officer, within 10 working 
days, of such actions by phone and in a letter describing the location 
and reason for the action.

Penalties

    Violations of this restriction order are punishable by fines not to 
exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months.

    Dated: September 24, 1999.
John E. Husband,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 99-25403 Filed 9-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P