[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 52437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21869]



[[Page 52437]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-046-1210-MD]


Temporary Emergency Off-Road Vehicle Limitations

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of temporary emergency off-road vehicle (ORV), also 
referred to as off-highway vehicle (OHV), travel limitations pursuant 
to regulations at 43 CFR 8341.2(a) on public lands in the Parunuweap 
Canyon, Orderville Canyon, and North Fork Virgin River Wilderness Study 
Areas (WSAs).

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

SUMMARY: This notice restricts motorized vehicle travel within the 
Parunuweap Canyon WSA, Orderville Canyon WSA, and North Fork Virgin 
River WSA in southwestern Utah near Kanab. An emergency travel 
limitation order is necessary to prevent resource impacts to soils, 
vegetation, wildlife habitat, and other resources caused by OHV use 
within the WSAs that threaten impairment to wilderness values. The 
travel restrictions limit OHV travel within the WSAs to only those 
travel routes and ways identified during the original wilderness 
inventory completed in 1980 and shown on the inventory maps located at 
the BLM Kanab Field Office. Cross-country travel within the WSAs is 
specifically prohibited by these travel restrictions. Maps showing the 
travel restrictions will be posted at key access points to the 
Parunuweap Canyon WSA, Orderville Canyon WSA, and North Fork Virgin 
River WSA and will also be available at the BLM Kanab Field Office and 
other BLM offices. This emergency travel limitation order supercedes 
the existing OHV travel designations for areas within the three WSAs 
that were put in place on September 25, 1980. The travel limitations 
apply to all motorized vehicle use with the exception of law 
enforcement and emergency personnel or administrative uses authorized 
by the BLM. The authority for this action is 43 CFR 8341.2(a). 
Violations of these travel limitations are punishable by a fine not to 
exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months.

DATES: The travel limitation order is effective immediately and will 
remain in effect until the threats to WSA impairment are eliminated or 
permanent OHV designations are effected through land use planning as 
identified in 43 CFR 8341.2(a). BLM will continue regular surveillance 
and monitoring to assess compliance with these travel restrictions. 
Should the emergency restrictions not result in prevention of adverse 
resource impacts, other management options will be implemented for 
motorized vehicle use in the WSAs such as limitations for seasonal use, 
restrictions on numbers and/or types of vehicles allowed, utilization 
of a permitting system, or complete closure of some or all routes to 
OHV use.

ADDRESSES: Copies or maps are available at the BLM Kanab Field Office, 
318 North 100 East, Kanab Utah 84741, or on the Internet at http://www.blm.gov/utah/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Verlin Smith, Field Manager, Bureau of 
Land Management, Kanab Field Office, 318 North, 100 East, Kanab, Utah 
84741. Telephone: (435) 644-4600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The three WSAs, Parunuweap Canyon (30,899 
acres), Orderville Canyon (1,750 acres), and North Fork Virgin River 
(1,040 acres) were established in 1980 to review for possible 
wilderness designation. Under the BLM WSA Interim Management Policy 
(IMP), WSA lands are to be managed so as not to impair the suitability 
of those lands to be considered for designation as wilderness areas by 
Congress. An interdisciplinary (ID) team of specialists followed the 
IMP guidance and recent BLM Utah guidance (An Interim Management 
Approach to OHV Use on Public Lands in Utah, June 2000), to review the 
resource condition of the WSAs and possible threats or impacts to 
resources and wilderness values.
    BLM determined that OHV use is increasing and some impacts are 
occurring in isolated areas of the Parunuweap WSA to riparian 
vegetation and some OHV use is occurring off existing inventoried 
routes in the Parunuweap WSA. BLM concluded that OHV travel limitations 
are necessary to prevent any future resource impacts from impairing 
wilderness values and allow existing impacts to rehabilitate naturally. 
If OHV use off existing routes continues to increase at the current 
rate observed, impairment to the Parunuweap WSA could result. OHV 
limitations in the Orderville Canyon and North Fork Virgin River WSAs 
would provide for compliance with BLM management policies outlined in 
the IMP and BLM Utah guidance and prevent future impacts from impairing 
wilderness values. Should the OHV travel limitations in any of the WSAs 
not be complied with and future impacts result that could impair 
wilderness values, BLM will implement additional management actions 
which could include additional OHV travel restrictions or closure to 
OHV use. Nothing in this order in any way alters legal rights which 
Kane County or the State of Utah may claim to assert as 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.

    Dated: August 22, 2000.
Douglas M. Koza,
Acting BLM State Director, Utah.
[FR Doc. 00-21869 Filed 8-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P