[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 76 (Friday, April 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19958-19959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7265]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-100-1220-AF]


Notice of Camping Limits on Public Lands in Montana, South Dakota 
& North Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice consolidates and clarifies current stay limits on 
occupancy and/or property on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Existing 
limits vary among field offices and states. This notice will establish 
stay limits on all public lands managed by the BLM as required by 43 
CFR 8365 1-2. The proposed stay limits are necessary to protect the 
natural resources, provide public health, and to provide orderly, equal 
and consistent use for the public. These proposed stay limits will 
supersede all existing camping stay limits for BLM administered public 
lands in Montana, North Dakota & South Dakota published previously.

DATES: You should submit your comments within 30 days from the date of 
publication. In developing final rules, BLM may not consider comments 
postmarked or received in person or by electronic mail after this date.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or deliver comments on the proposed Notice to 
Bart Fitzgerald, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Land Management, 
Montana State Office, and 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings MT 59101. You 
may also comment by internet e-mail at the following address: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bart Fitzgerald, Special Agent in 
Charge, Montana BLM State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings 
Montana 59101, (406) 896-5010.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Public Comment Procedures

    Your comments on the proposed notice should be specific, should be 
confined to issues pertinent to the proposed supplementary rules, and 
should explain the reason for any recommended change or deviation from 
this proposal. Where possible, your comments should reference the 
specific section or paragraph of the proposal that you are addressing. 
BLM may not necessarily consider or include in the Administrative 
Record for the final comments that BLM receives after the close of the 
comment period (see DATES) or comments delivered to an address other 
than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).
    The BLM will make your comments, including your name and address, 
available for public review at the Montana State Office address listed 
in ADDRESSES above during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, accept Federal holidays). Before including your 
address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying 
information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire 
comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to 
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    The notice will apply to the public lands within the States of 
Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. The significant change would be 
a limit of 14 days within a 30 day period as opposed to the existing 28 
day period. This reflects recent changes made by other land management 
agencies and prevents 2 parties from occupying the same site 
indefinitely by simply moving every 14 days.
    The proposed camping limits are being established in order to 
protect natural resources on public lands and provide fair and 
consistent use for all public land users. The action will prevent 
situations where users on public land occupy a site for long periods of 
time. Long tenure occupancies can result in negative impacts to the 
surrounding area such as: vegetation damage, erosion, and sanitation 
problems. Long tenure occupancies prevent other public land users from 
using popular sites and can promote abandonment of personal property. 
BLM's objective is to provide a quality recreation experience for all 
users with minimal conflict, to maintain

[[Page 19959]]

an environment that is clean and healthy, and to reduce damage on the 
public lands and resources. In some specific areas that receive heavy 
use, BLM may develop, by Supplemental Rules, stay limits that vary from 
this notice. Those areas will be posted on site.

Definitions

    Camping: The erecting of a tent or shelter, preparing a sleeping 
bag or other bedding material for use, parking of a motor vehicle, 
motor home or trailer, or mooring of a vessel for the apparent purpose 
of overnight occupancy.
    Occupancy: Full or part-time residence on public lands. It also 
means activities that involve residence; the construction, presence, or 
maintenance of temporary or permanent structures that may be used for 
such purposes; or the use of a watchman or caretaker for the purpose of 
monitoring activities. Residence or structures include, but are not 
limited to, barriers to access, fences, tents, motor homes, trailers, 
cabins, houses, buildings, and storage of equipment or supplies.
    You must follow these rules: In the absence of any site specific 
regulations or local supplemental rules, no person or associations of 
persons may occupy, camp or leave property or motor vehicles on public 
lands for more than 14 days within any period of 30 consecutive days. 
The 14-day limit may be reached either through a number of individual 
visits or through 14-days of continuous occupation during the 30-day 
interval. It is also prohibited to leave any personal property, whether 
attended or unattended, beyond the 14-day period. All personal property 
and refuse must be removed within the 30-day interval, even if the use 
of or actual camping at the site has ceased. A 30-day interval begins 
when a person initially occupies camps or leaves property at a site on 
public lands. Any camp relocation within the 30-day period shall not be 
within a 5 mile radius from the original site.
    Under special circumstances and upon request, the authorized 
officer may issue written permits for extension of the 14-day limit.

Penalties

    On all public lands, under Section 303(a) of the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. 1733(a) and 43 CFR 8360.0-
7, any person who violates any of these supplementary rules, closures 
or restrictions within the boundaries established in the rules 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.
    On public lands within grazing districts (43 U.S.C. 315) and 
grazing leased lands (43 U.S.C. 315m), under the Taylor Grazing Act, 43 
U.S.C. 315(a), any person who violates any of these supplementary rules 
within the boundaries established in the rules may be tried before a 
United States Magistrate and fined no more than $500.00. Such 
violations may also be subject to the enhanced fines provided for by 18 
U.S.C. 3571.
    On public lands fitting the criteria in the Sikes Act, 16 U.S.C. 
670j(a)(2), any person who violates any of these supplementary rules 
within the boundaries established in the rules may be tried before a 
United States Magistrate and fined no more than $500 or imprisoned for 
no more than six months, or both. Such violations may also be subject 
to the enhanced fines provided for by 18 U.S.C. 3571.
    On public lands within Wild and Scenic River corridors (43 CFR 
8351.2-1) any person who violates any of these supplementary rules 
within the boundaries established in the rules may be tried before a 
United States Magistrate and fined no more than $500 or imprisoned for 
no more than six months, or both. Such violations may also be subject 
to the enhanced fines provided for by 18 U.S.C. 3571.

Martin C. Ott,
Montana/Dakotas State Director, Bureau of Land Management.
 [FR Doc. E7-7265 Filed 4-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P