[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 28198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12800]



[[Page 28198]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-200-1220-PA]


Special Rule Regarding Operation of Motorized Vehicles

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Implementation of a special rule regarding the operation of 
motorized vehicles within the Texas Creek, Penrose, Grand Canyon Hills, 
and Sand Gulch OHV ``Open'' areas on public lands administered by the 
Royal Gorge Field Office, Colorado.

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SUMMARY: Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use in the Texas Creek, Penrose, 
Grand Canyon Hills, and Sand Gulch OHV ``Open'' areas has resulted in 
unacceptable impacts to the public lands, with the potential for more 
in the future. As a result, the Royal Gorge Field Office is 
implementing the special rule provision of 43 CFR 8341.2 to address 
this situation. The Special Rule affects the following sites, all found 
in Fremont County: 9,720 acres in Texas Creek, located north of Texas 
Creek; 3,174 acres in Penrose; 2,012 acres in Grand Canyon Hills, 
located west of Canon City; and 1,449 acres in Sand Gulch, located 
north of Howard. The use of the Special Rule changes the OHV 
designation of these four areas to ``limited to existing roads and 
trails''. Future interdisciplinary planning will determine the 
appropriate designated travel routes in these areas.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The implementation of the Special Rule goes into effect 
with the publication of this notice and shall remain in effect for one 
year. At the end of each year period it may be reviewed and extended.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment or request additional information, 
you may do so by any of several methods. You may mail or hand deliver 
your comments or requests to: Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land 
Management, Royal Gorge Field Office, 3170 East Main Street, Canon 
City, CO 81212. You may also comment via email to: [email protected]. 
Please submit comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Please also include your name 
and address in your email message. Comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
Bureau of Land Management, Royal Gorge Field Office, 3170 East Main 
Street, Canon City, CO during regular business hours. Individual 
respondents may request confidentially. If you wish to withhold your 
name and/or address from public review or from disclosure under the 
Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored to the 
extent allowed by law. We will not, however, consider anonymous 
comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials or 
organizations or businesses, are available for public inspection in 
their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Levi D. Deike, Field Office Manager or 
Diana Kossnar, Outdoor Recreation Planner, at the address listed above, 
719-269-8500, or John Nahomenuk, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 307 W. 
Sackett Ave., Salida, CO 81201, 719-539-7289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Special Rule provision of 43 CFR 8341.2 
allows the authorized officer to close certain areas to specific types 
of OHV use. In the case of the Texas Creek, Penrose, Grand Canyon 
Hills, and Sand Gulch OHV ``Open'' areas, the authorized officer 
determines that the areas are closed to all forms of OHV use that goes 
off of existing travel routes. This then effectively changes the OHV 
designation for the areas to ``limited to existing roads and trails'', 
the same designation that is found on the surrounding public lands. The 
Special Rule is being implemented to preclude current and potential 
impacts to soils, vegetation, wildlife, and wildlife habitat.
    The Royal Gorge Field Office will follow the implementation of this 
Special Rule with amendments to the Royal Gorge Resource Management 
Plan. The plan amendment will be completed with full public involvement 
and the other requirements of 43 CFR 1610.5-5.
    This Special Rule does not apply to emergency, law enforcement, and 
federal or other government vehicles while being used for official or 
emergency purposes, or to any vehicle whose use is expressly authorized 
or otherwise officially approved by BLM. Violation of this order is 
punishable by fines and/or imprisonment as defined in 18 U.S.C. 3571. 
Notice of this Special Rule and detailed maps of the four areas 
affected will be posted at the Royal Gorge Field Office in Canon City 
and the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Office in Salida.

Levi D. Deike,
Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 01-12800 Filed 5-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-M