[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 131 (Friday, July 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 42027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17216]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-250-00-1220-PA-24 1A]


Notice of Bureau of Land Management National Off-Highway-Vehicle 
Strategy; Request for Comment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Responding to an increasing public interest in issues 
surrounding the use of off-highway-vehicles (OHVs) on public lands, the 
Bureau of Land Management is announcing the public involvement phase of 
the National Off-Highway Vehicle Strategy, seeking public comments on 
OHV-related issues.
    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking ideas and solutions 
from the public on how best to ensure that the use of off-road vehicles 
on public lands will be controlled and directed so as to protect the 
resources of those lands. The BLM will develop a strategy based on 
public input to address land-management issues prompted by the growing 
popularity of OHV use.

DATES: You should submit your comments by August 31, 2000. BLM will not 
necessarily consider comments postmarked or received by messenger or 
electronic mail after the above date in the decisionmaking process on 
the OHV strategy.

ADDRESSES: Mail: Director (250), Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative Record, Room 204 LS, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20240.
    Personal or messenger delivery: Room 204, 1620 L Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20036.
    Internet e-mail: Special comment site at www.blm.gov.
    Mailer: We will send you an OHV mailer if you contact the Bureau of 
Land Management at 1849 C Street NW., LSB 406-C, Washington, DC 20240, 
Attn: Correspondence--WO 615
    Other: We will also accept comments at local or State ``listening 
meetings'' which will be held by BLM or BLM Resource Advisory Councils 
(RACs).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rodger E. Schmitt, National Recreation 
Group Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Washington, DC, at (202) 452-
7771.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The goal of the OHV strategy is to provide 
local managers a framework for addressing issues such as current OHV 
designations, executive orders, regulations, trends in management and 
management approaches, route inventory needs, resource issues, special 
management and sensitive areas and resources, monitoring, education, 
law enforcement, and budget.
    BLM management of OHVs is guided by Executive Orders 11644 made in 
1972 and 11989 made in 1977, when only about five million OHVs were in 
use nationally. Today, that number has risen dramatically. In addition, 
technological advances now make it possible for these vehicles to 
travel over lands that were formerly inaccessible. Many of BLM's land 
use plans do not adequately address the increases in OHV use. In 
addition, BLM's budget-related resources--including the number of 
recreation specialists and law enforcement personnel--have not kept 
pace with the past decade's growth in OHV use. These factors, plus 
litigation over OHV management issues, have created the need for a 
national OHV management strategy.
    Comments will be collected through August and will be analyzed and 
used to help BLM develop guidance for local solutions by November 30. 
Once the guidance is written, BLM will implement it locally with the 
help of public and private partners to achieve on-the-ground goals.

Jack Peterson,
Acting National Recreation Group Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-17216 Filed 7-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P