[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55652-55653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24340]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-010-1220-AD]


Notice of Closure of Public Lands

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Billings Field Office, Montana State 
Office.

ACTION: ``Notice of Extension of Emergency Closure of Firearms Target 
Shooting for One Year on Certain Public Lands Administered by the 
Bureau of Land Management in Yellowstone County, Montana.''

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that certain areas are closed to 
firearms target shooting from October 1st, 2003 to September 30th, 
2004, to protect public safety and natural resources. The closed areas 
are Shepherd Ah-Nei, 21-Mile, and Acton Ah-Nei areas and are legally 
described as:

    That area of public lands commonly referred to the ``Shepherd 
Area,'' or ``Shepherd Ah Nei'' located at:

T 4 N, R 27 E,
    Sec. 24, NE\1/4\, S\1/2\;
    Sec. 25, all.
    Sec. 36, all.
T 3 N, R 27 E,
    Sec. 1, all.
T 4 N, R 28 E,
    Sec. 19, all.
    Sec. 20, W\1/2\.
    Sec. 30, Lots 1, 2, N\1/2\NE\1/4\.
    Sec. 31, all
T 3 N, R 28 E,
    Sec. 6, Lots 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, E\1/2\, Principal 
Montana Meridian, and
That area of public lands commonly referred to the ``21-Mile Area `` 
located north of Billings and west of the Roundup Road, Highway 87 
North and the 21 Mile Road at:

T 4 N, R 25 E,
    Sec. 24, all. Principal Montana Meridian, and
That area of public lands commonly referred to as the ``Acton Area'' 
or ``Acton Ah-Nei'' located east of Broadview, Montana at:

T 4 N, R 25 E,
    Sec. 31, E\1/2\.
T 3 N, R 25 E,
    Sec. 5, all.
    Sec. 6, Lots 1, 2, S\1/2\, NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 7, Lots 1, 2, E\1/2\ NW\1/4\, E\1/2\ SW\1/4\, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 8, all.
    Sec. 9, all.
    Sec. 17, all.
    Sec. 20, N\1/2\ N\1/2\. Principal Montana Meridian, all in 
Yellowstone County, in the State of Montana.
    Closure signs will be posted at the major entry points to this 
area. Maps of the closure and information may be obtained from the 
Billings Field Office.

DATES: This Closure will be in effect from October 1st, 2003 to 
September 30, 2004, unless superceded by permanent rulemaking action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra S. Brooks, Field Manager, BLM, 
Billings Field Office, P.O. Box 36800, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, 
MT 50107-6800 or call 406-896-5013.
    Discussion of the Emergency Closure: This extension of the 
emergency closure is necessary for the management of actions, 
activities, and public use on certain public lands which may have, or 
are having, adverse impacts on persons using public lands, on property, 
and on resources located on public lands until permanent management 
action can be taken. The Billings Field Office, in conjunction with the 
Resource Advisory

[[Page 55653]]

Committee will host a working group of interested members of the public 
to resolve the issues of resource damage and conflicts with other 
users.
    While hikers, horseback riders, mountain bicyclists and other users 
can schedule their use around published hunting seasons for safety 
reasons; they are not able to avoid random target shooting. Local 
conditions including heavy timber and rough terrain reduce visibility 
and increase the hazard to other users from target shooters. As a 
result recent incidents involving random target shooting have resulted 
in endangerment and injury to other users. In addition, resource damage 
is occurring from the accumulation of debris from target materials. To 
reduce the incidence of future conflicts, three areas of public land 
known as the Acton Area, 21-Mile Area, and Shepherd Ah-Nei, located 
north of Billings, Montana are being closed to target shooting with 
firearms. These areas will remain open to hunting by licensed hunters 
during seasons administered by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife 
and Parks.
    This Emergency Closure does not apply to other lands, specifically 
the ``17-Mile'' area located west of Highway 87, north of Billings, 
Montana, on the Crooked Creek Road.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of 43 CFR 9268.3 
(d)(1)(i) and 43 CFR 8364.1(a) the Bureau of Land Management will 
enforce the following Emergency Closure on public lands within the 
closed area.

Emergency Closure

    1.0 Emergency Closure of Certain Public Lands to Target Shooting.
    The following is prohibited:
    The discharge of firearms for the purpose of target shooting.
    (2.0) Exceptions:
    (a) This regulation does not apply to the hunting of lawful game by 
licensed hunters during seasons administered by the Montana Department 
of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
    (b) This regulation does not apply to archery marksmanship at fixed 
targets affixed to a backstop sufficient to stop and hold target or 
broad-head arrows or the use of compressed gas paintball projectors.
    (c) This regulation does not apply to special target shooting 
events, which may be authorized by the authorized officer under special 
permit.
    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) and 43 CFR 9268.3(e)(2), 43 CFR 8360.0-7, and 43 CFR 8365.1-
6). Violations of this regulation are punishable by a fine in 
accordance with the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (18 U.S.C. 3551 et 
seq.), and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months for each offense.

    Dated: September 18, 2003.
Sandra S. Brooks,
Field Office Manager, Billings Field Office.
[FR Doc. 03-24340 Filed 9-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P