[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43902-43904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21061]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-010-1060-00 HI]


Public Land Closures; Temporary Closure of Designated Areas of 
the Pryor Mountain National Wild Horse Range in the Southeastern 
Portion of Carbon County, Montana and the Northern Portion of Big Horn 
County, Wyoming, to Public Access, Use, or Occupancy

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Montana, Billings Field 
Office, Interior.

SUMMARY: Notice is served that designated areas of the Pryor Mountain 
National Wild Horse Range will be closed to all unauthorized persons.

DATES: Rotating closures will be in effect from on, or about, September 
10, 2001, 0001 AM MDT through the conclusion of the gather operation, 
anticipated to conclude September 30, 2001 6:00 PM MDT depending on the 
weather and success of gather and adoption operations.

Discussion of the Closure

    This closure is necessary to ensure the safety and welfare of all 
participants and observers for this gather, and to protect the wild 
horses as a natural resource on public lands. Efforts will be made to 
avoid time periods, such as weekends, of heavier anticipated use of the 
range. The helicopter contractor is available to work on weekends, 
however, and this may be necessary due to temporary weather shutdowns, 
or other unforseen circumstances. This will be the second time that 
helicopters are used as the primary tool for herding horses into the 
Britton Springs Corral facility on the Pryor Mountain National Wild 
Horse Range. In order to operate the aircraft in a safe and effective 
manner, and based on experience gained in the 1997 gather, it is 
necessary to close the affected areas to all public use during actual 
herding operations. The wild horses are separated into social groups 
that occupy three fairly distinct geographic areas of the range 
including Sykes Ridge, Burnt Timber Ridge, and the Dry Head/Layout 
Creek portions of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Gather 
operations will be selective and will focus on one geographic area at a 
time. Normal aircraft operations will probably conclude in the early 
afternoon of each day of operations, following which the affected areas 
will be opened until the next aircraft operational period. Detailed 
information may be obtained

[[Page 43903]]

from: Environmental Assessment and Gather Plan Pryor Mountain Wild 
Horse Range, FY 2001 Wild Horse Population Gather & Selective Removal: 
EA # MT-010-1-44, dated June 19, 2001.
    This closure will be on a temporary and rotating basis during a 
gather operation beginning on or about September 10, 2001. It is 
anticipated that the operation will take approximately three weeks, 
depending on weather and other variable conditions. Areas to be closed 
include Sykes Ridge, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (BICA) 
Dryhead area, Burnt Timber Ridge and the Britton Springs Administrative 
Site. Each area will be closed individually for one to three (1-3) days 
depending upon the outcome of gather operations. Only one area will be 
closed during any given period, except for the Britton Springs 
Administrative Site which will be closed for the duration of the 
operation. Gather efforts within the BICA Dryhead area will be 
coordinated through the National Park Service. Dryhead activities will 
not result in closures, but some traffic control may be effected during 
actual operations. Affected lands are as follows:

Sykes Ridge Closure Area

Principal Meridian, Montana

Township 8 S., Range 28 E., PMM
Sec. 4: M&B
Sec. 5: All
Sec. 8: M&B
Sec. 9: All
Sec. 10: M&B
Sec. 16: All
Sec. 17: All
Sec. 20: All
Sec. 21: W\1/2\E\1/2\
Sec. 28: W\1/2\
Sec. 29: All
Sec. 32: All
Sec. 33: W\1/2\ , W\1/2\SE\1/4\
Township 9 S., Range 28 E., PMM
Sec. 4: NWNE, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\, SE\1/4\
Sec. 5: All
Sec. 8: All
Sec. 9: All
Sec. 10: W\1/2\ SW\1/4\
Sec. 15: NWNW, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\
Sec. 16: All
Sec. 17: All
Sec. 20: All
Sec. 21: All
Sec. 22: W\1/2\
Sec. 27: All
Sec. 28: All
Sec. 29: All
Sec. 32: All
Sec. 33: All
Sec. 34: All

Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming

Township 58 N., Range 95 W., 6th PM
Sec. 19: M&B
Sec. 20: M&B
Sec. 21: All
Sec. 22: All
Sec. 23: M&B
Sec. 27: All
Sec. 28: All
Sec. 29: M&B
Sec. 33: M&B
Sec. 34: M&B (end)

Burnt Timber Ridge Closure

Principal Meridian, Montana

Township 8 S., Range 27 E. PMM
Sec. 12: All
Sec. 13: All
Sec. 24: All
Sec. 25: All
Sec. 26: All
Sec. 35: All
Sec. 36: All
Township 8 S., Range 28 E., PMM
Sec. 6: All
Sec. 7: All
Sec. 8: All
Sec. 17: All
Sec. 18: All
Sec. 19: All
Sec. 20: All
Sec. 29: All
Sec. 30: All
Sec. 31: All
Sec. 32: All
Township 9 S., Range 27 E., PMM
Sec. 1: All
Sec. 2: All
Sec. 11: All
Sec. 12: All
Sec. 13: All
Sec. 14: All
Sec. 23: All
Sec. 24: All
Sec. 25: All
Sec. 36: All
Township 8 S., Range 28 E., PMM
Sec. 5: All
Sec. 6: All
Sec. 7: All
Sec. 8: All
Sec. 17: All
Sec. 18: All
Sec. 19: All
Sec. 20: All
Sec. 29: All
Sec. 30: All
Sec. 31: All
Sec. 32: All
Sec. 33: All

Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming

Township 58 N., Range 95 W., 6th PM
Sec. 19: M&B
Sec. 20: M&B
Sec. 21: All
Sec. 22: All
Sec. 23: M&B
Sec. 27: All
Sec. 28: All
Sec. 29: M&B
Sec. 33: M&B
Sec. 34: M&B (end)

Britton Springs Closure

Principal Meridian, Montana

Township 9 S., Range 27 E., PMM
Sec. 36: M&B
Township 9 S., Ranger 28 E., PMM
Sec. 31: All
Sec. 32: All

Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming

Township 58 N., Range 95 W., 6thPM
Sec. 19: M&B
Sec. 20: M&B
Sec. 21: All
Sec. 28: All
Sec. 29: M&B
Sec. 33: M&B

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra S. Brooks, Billings Field 
Office Manager, 5001 Southgate Drive, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, MT 
59107, or call (406) 896-5013.

Prohibited Acts

    Under 43 CFR 8364.1, the Bureau of Land Management is closing the 
affected lands to all use or occupancy during wild horse gathering, 
holding, and adoption. No person may occupy or enter the closed area on 
foot, horseback or by mechanical means.

Exemptions

    Persons who are exempt from these rules include any Federal, State, 
or local officer or employee in the scope of their duties, members of 
any organized rescue or fire-fighting force in the performance of an 
official duty, and any person authorized in writing by the Bureau of 
Land Management.

Penalties

    The authority for this closure is found under section 303(a) of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733(a); 43 
CFR 8364.1, and 43 CFR 8360-7. Any person who violates this closure may 
be tried before a United States Magistrate and fined no more than 
$1,000.00 or imprisoned for no more than 12 months, or both. Such 
violations may also be subject to the

[[Page 43904]]

enhanced fines provided for by 18 U.S.C. 3571.

Sandra S. Brooks,
Field Office Manager, Billings Field Office.
[FR Doc. 01-21061 Filed 8-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1060-00-P