[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15169-15170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6796]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-070-1210-00]


Notice of Emergency Off-Road Vehicle Closures in Wilderness Study 
Areas Located in the San Rafael Swell Region

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a temporary emergency closure pursuant to regulations 
at 43 CFR 8341.2(a) to off-road vehicles (ORVs), also commonly referred 
to as off-highway vehicles (OHVs), on public lands and existing vehicle 
ways within the boundaries of seven Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs).

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SUMMARY: This notice closes public lands within the Muddy Creek, Sid's 
Mountain/Sid's Cabin, Devil's Canyon, Crack Canyon, San Rafael Reef, 
Horseshoe Canyon and Mexican Mountain WSAs, located in the San Rafael 
Swell region of central Utah, to motorized vehicles. An emergency 
closure order is necessary due to ORV-caused damage to soils, 
vegetation and other resources which is impairing wilderness values 
over extensive portions of the affected WSAs. The closure effects 
motorized vehicle use on all public lands in WSAs in the Price Field 
Office with the exception of ``four'' routes in Sid's Mountain WSA 
described as follows: (1) The wash bottom of Coal Wash, including the 
short dugway from the west which enters this wash, and North Fork Coal 
Wash south until it exits the WSA over ``Fix-It-Pass'', (2) the wash 
bottom of South Fork Coal Wash from its junction with the North Fork to 
and including the ``Eva Conover'' way, (3) the ``Devil's Racetrack'' 
way, and (4) the Justensen Flat access way, including lower Eagle 
Canyon southeast from the junction of this way. These routes will 
remain open on a conditional basis. This closure applies to all motor 
vehicle use with the exception of law enforcement and emergency 
personnel or administrative uses authorized by the BLM.

DATES: This emergency closure order is effective immediately and will 
remain in effect until adverse effects are eliminated and measures are 
implemented to prevent reoccurrence, as identified in 43 CFR 8341.2 
(a). Should the rehabilitation work and non-impairment plan associated 
with Coal Wash, South Fork and North Fork of Coal Wash, the Eva Conover 
and Devil's Racetrack routes, the Justensen Flat access way and 
adjacent lands not result in abatement of adverse effects, the ways 
will be closed to motorized vehicle use. Authorities for the closure 
order are 43 CFR 8341.2(a).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dick Manus, Price Field Office 
Manager, 125 South, 600 West, Price, Utah 84501. Telephone (435) 636-
3600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The establishment of WSAs in the San Rafael 
Swell region in 1980 placed lands under protective management as 
specified by the Interim Management Policy (IMP) for lands under 
wilderness review. Under the IMP, motor vehicle use could continue on 
existing vehicle ways as long as that use does not impair

[[Page 15170]]

wilderness values. The 1991 San Rafael Resource Management Plan (RMP) 
further addressed ORV use in the region by allocating all lands in the 
affected WSAs in either the ``limited use'' restricted to designated 
routes, or the ``closed'' to ORV use categories. Following the RMP, the 
BLM Price Office initiated a planning effort to designate the routes in 
the San Rafael planning unit, including lands in the affected WSAs 
within the limited use ORV category. This planning effort included 
extensive coordination with local governments and interest groups, as 
well as the formation of a citizen's team to advise on ORV route 
designations. Despite these efforts, route designation has remained a 
contentious issue and a travel plan for the San Rafael Swell, including 
the affected WSAs, has not been completed. Throughout this period, ORV 
use in the San Rafael Swell has increased tremendously. The 
proliferation of vehicle ways beyond the ways inventoried at the time 
of WSA designation has become a serious problem. Damage to soils, 
vegetation and other resources is occurring in many areas degrading 
naturalness and other wilderness qualities. The impairment of 
wilderness values necessitates this emergency closure order in the 
seven WSAs located in the San Rafael Swell region. The closure effects 
motorized vehicle use on all public lands in WSAs in the Price Field 
Office with the exception of ``four'' routes in Sid's Mountain WSA 
described as follows: (1) The wash bottom of Coal Wash, including the 
short dugway from the west which enters this wash, and North Fork Coal 
Wash south until it exits the WSA over ``Fix-It-Pass'', (2) the wash 
bottom of South Fork Coal Wash from its junction with the North Fork to 
and including the ``Eva Conover'' way, (3) the ``Devil's Racetrack'' 
way, and (4) the Justensen Flat access way, including lower Eagle 
Canyon southeast from the junction of this way. These routes will 
remain open on a conditional basis. Motorized use of these routes will 
be allowed to continue contingent upon the success of a rehabilitation 
and monitoring plan designed to restore areas to non-impairment 
conditions and prevent further travel off of these pre-described 
routes. Should the plan not restore the area, these areas will also be 
closed until adverse effects can be eliminated. The net effect of this 
action combined with previous land use decisions, is that all WSA's 
administered by the Price Field Office are closed to ORV use except for 
the routes specified as conditionally open in this notice.
    Nothing in this order alters in any way legal rights which Emery 
County or the State of Utah may claim to assert R.S. 2477 highways, and 
to challenge in Federal court or other appropriate venue, any BLM road 
closures that they believe are inconsistent with their claims.

Sally Wisely,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 00-6796 Filed 3-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P