[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61036-61037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23031]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-360-04-2822-JS]


Notice of Emergency Temporary Closure of Certain Public Lands, to 
Motorized Vehicles and Other Uses, in Shasta and Trinity Counties, CA, 
Under Burned Area Emergency Stabilization and Restoration

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of temporary closure.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Redding Field Office is 
temporarily closing portions of public lands to motorized and 
mechanized vehicle use, and prohibiting or restricting certain other 
uses on public lands managed by the Redding Field Office. This closure 
is needed to protect public health and safety, cultural and natural 
resources and stabilization treatments as recommended in the Department 
of the Interior's Burned Area Emergency Stabilization and 
Rehabilitation (BAER) Plan for the French Fire in Shasta and Trinity 
counties.

DATES: This closure is in effect from September 13, 2004 until December 
31, 2005. The closure may be lifted sooner if BLM determines that road 
repairs, revegetation, and stabilization efforts have reduce safety 
hazards and significant resource concerns.

ADDRESSES: Copies of and map of the closed areas can be obtained at the 
BLM, Redding Field Office, 355 Hemsted Drive, Redding, CA 96002, (530) 
224-2100. BLM will also announce the

[[Page 61037]]

closure through local media outlets by posting this notice with a map 
of the closed areas at key locations that provide access the closure 
area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven W. Anderson, Field Manager, 
Bureau of Land Management, Redding Field Office, 355 Hemsted Drive, 
Redding, CA 96002 or Francis Berg, BLM, phone (530) 224-2100 or by e-
mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The public lands affected by the French Fire 
and addressed in the BAER Plan are closed to travel by horseback, 
motorized and mechanized vehicle use (i.e., including trucks, sport 
utility vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, cars, motorcycles, mountain 
bikes) except for: Authorized access to private lands and mining 
claims, use by fire and law enforcement vehicles, emergency activities 
and other authorized uses. The authorities for this closure and 
restriction order are 43 CFR 8364.1 and 9268.3(d).
    The following paragraphs explain the background for BLM's 
management of the closed lands, and the reason for the closure and 
restriction.
    These lands and roads are temporarily closed to vehicles to protect 
public health and safety from rockslides, timber deadfall and slope 
failure due to loss of vegetation and falling trees in the areas 
affected by the fire, and to allow for post-fire road reconstruction 
and maintenance. The treat of increased vehicle use may increase due to 
the lack of vegetation and other physical barriers that previously 
blocked access. There is also the increased potential for the 
introduction of invasive/non-native plants in the burdened areas from 
motorized and mechanized vehicles, and the potential for collection or 
lotting of cultural and historical artifacts now revealed due to the 
loss of vegetation. This closure and restriction order applies to 
approximately 7,153 acres of public lands affected by the French Fire 
of August 2004.

Closure Order

Section 1. Closed Lands

    This closure affects all of the public lands and roads, subject to 
the exceptions in Section 2, located within the French Fire perimeter. 
Public lands in the following described tracts are closed to travel by 
horseback, motorized and mechanized vehicles:

T. 33N., R6W, sections 18, and 19, M.D.M.
T. 33N., R7W, sections 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 
19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, and 32, M.D.M.
T. 33N., R8W, sections 12, 13, and 24, M.D.M.

    A total of approximately 7,153 acres

Section 2. Exceptions to Closures and Restriction Orders

    These closures and restrictions do not apply to the following 
roads: Trinity Mountain Road, Hoadley Peak Road, North County Line 
Road, Highland Ridge Road, Tom Green Mine Road, Lewiston Turnpike and 
French Gulch Road. The closures and restrictions do not apply to 
authorized emergency vehicles, rescue vehicles, BLM operation and 
maintenance vehicles, resource management and recovery activities, use 
by fire and law enforcement vehicles. In addition, access to mining 
claims and private property by property owners may be authorized by the 
BLM Field Manager or the acting Field Manager. Nothing in this closure 
is intended to affect legal hunting as consistent with California 
Department of Fish and Game regulations.

Section 3. Penalties

    Under section 303(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733(a) and 43 CFR 8360-7, if you violate these 
closures or restrictions on public lands within the boundaries 
established, you may be tried before a United States Magistrate and 
fined no more than $1,000 or imprisoned for no more than 12 months, or 
both. Such violations may also be subject to the enhanced fines 
provided for by 18 U.S.C. 3571.

Section 4. Conditions for Ending Closures and Restrictions

    Soil stabilization, revegetation, road repairs, and treatments to 
control invasive species will be considered successful, and the area 
may be returned to preclosure travel designations and opened sooner 
than December 31, 2005, if and when the following occur:
    a. All culverts, road safety signs, fencing, and gates have been 
replaced or repaired.
    b. Slopes and soils within the French Fire perimeter show signs of 
stabilization and have not experienced slope failure through at least 
one winter season and at least two major rain events.
    c. Regrowth of vegetation has sufficiently obscured cultural sites 
previously exposed by the fire.
    d. Seeding treatments on areas or natural revegetation (identified 
in BAER Plan for French Fire) have resulted in at least 30% 
regeneration of native species, or have been deemed unsuccessful after 
at least one full growing season.

J. Anthony Danna,
Deputy State Director, Natural Resources, California State Office.
[FR Doc. 04-23031 Filed 10-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M