[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 102 (Thursday, May 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33824-33825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13134]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[CA-330-1220-AB]


King Range National Conservation Area, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed establishment of supplementary rules.

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SUMMARY: The Arcata Field Office is proposing the establishment of the 
following Supplementary Rules for the King Range National Conservation 
Area as provided for under title 43 Code of Federal Regulations subpart 
8365.1-6. The implementation of fees is authorized under the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 as Amended, and the Omnibus 
Consolidated Rescissions Act of 1996 as Amended (Pub. L. 104-134).

A. Camping Closure

    BLM administered lands within the following areas are closed to 
camping (overnight occupancy) outside of developed campsites: Public 
lands within 500 feet of the perimeter of the Mattole Campground.

B. Overnight Trail Head Parking Fees

    An overnight trailhead parking fee will be implemented at the 
Mattole and Black Sands Beach Recreation Sites to meet the goals 
described in the supplementary information below. The fee will be set 
at $2 per night (any future fee changes would be published locally 
prior to implementation) and will be in effect from \1/2\ hour after 
sunset to \1/2\ hour before sunrise. There will be no fees for day use.

C. Overnight Camping Fees

    Campground use fees of $5.00 per night are established for the 
Mattole and Honeydew Creek Campgrounds (any future fee changes would be 
published locally prior to implementation). Campsite occupancy is 
limited to two vehicles and 8 persons per site. Fees are in effect from 
\1/2\ hour after sunset to \1/2\ hour before sunrise at the Mattole 
Campground, and from \1/2\ hour after sunset until 8:00 a. m. at the 
Honeydew Creek Campground.

D. Black Sands Beach, Nighttime Use

    This site is closed to all overnight camping. Nighttime occupancy 
is limited to vehicle parking for off-site backcountry use. For the 
purposes of this rule, off-site means traveling north of Telegraph 
Creek for camping/backpacking or other overnight uses. Use of the site 
itself is limited to 30 minutes for unloading/loading purposes during 
the nighttime restriction period. The nighttime restriction is in place 
from \1/2\ hour after sunset to \1/2\ hour before sunrise. This rule 
does not affect day-time use.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These Supplementary Rules will be effective on July 1, 
2000.

Comment Period

    The BLM is requesting comments concerning these supplemental rules. 
The comment period will be open for 30 days from the date of 
publication of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynda Roush, Bureau of Land 
Management, Arcata Field Office, 1695 Heindon Rd., Arcata, CA 95521. 
Phone (707) 825-2300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The above supplementary rules are being 
proposed for the following purposes:

A. Camping Closure

    The closure is intended to reduce resource damage and fire danger 
in the riparian area and beach dunes

[[Page 33825]]

surrounding the Mattole Campground. It will also allow for enforcement 
of the site capacity limits at the Mattole Campground by requiring that 
visitors hike into the backcountry or travel to other available 
campgrounds when this site is full. Currently, visitors are impacting 
undeveloped areas immediately adjacent to the campground so they can 
camp nearby and use the facilities.

B. Overnight Parking Fees

    The overnight parking fees will be implemented as a management tool 
for encouraging distribution of overnight use away from the crowded 
Black Sands Beach and Mattole trailheads, and to discourage large 
nighttime group gatherings at these trailheads. Neither facility is 
designed to accommodate large nighttime group events, and this use is 
not compatible with the goals of the King Range Management Program 
(1974) and King Range Visitor Services Plan (1992). All parking fees 
will be used within the King Range to cover maintenance costs of the 
sites and recreation opportunities that they support. Mattole 
Campground users will not have to pay the parking fee for vehicles (up 
to two) parked at their campsite.

C. Camping Fees

    Camping fees are established at Honeydew Creek and Mattole 
Campgrounds to cover a portion of the maintenance costs; to be 
commensurate with fees charged at other public and private camping 
areas in the region; and for use as a management tool to discourage 
nighttime group gatherings in the campgrounds. These nighttime group 
events are not compatible with the purpose of the site development and 
management as an overnight camping facility, nor with the goals of the 
King Range Management Program (1974) and King Range Visitor Services 
Plan (1992).

D. Black Sands Beach Nighttime Use

    The Black Sands Beach Recreation Site is designed to be a 
backcountry trailhead parking area and day use facility. This rule is 
intended to limit nighttime use of the trailhead facilities to a 
parking area for backcountry use only. The parking facilities are 
located immediately adjacent to a residential area, and nighttime use 
of the area as a destination would cause unreasonable noise within the 
neighborhood. This restriction would not affect overnight backcountry 
users who park at the site, and will also not affect day use.
    Violation of any of the above rules is punishable by a fine not to 
exceed $1000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months (43 CFR 
8360.0-7).

Daniel E. Averill,
Acting Arcata Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-13134 Filed 5-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P