[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53597-53598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18450]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-190-0777-XG]


Notice of Emergency Closure of Selected Public Lands in Monterey 
County, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of Emergency Closure of Selected Public Lands to the 
Establishment of Geocaches.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with 43 CFR 8364.1(a), notice is hereby given 
that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Hollister Field Office will 
immediately close selected public lands to the establishment of new 
geocaches on Fort Ord Public Lands (FOPL) within Monterey County, 
California. Existing geocaches will be evaluated and BLM will determine 
whether or not they need to be removed. Specifically, this closure 
pertains to public lands located within the 7,200-acre Fort Ord Public 
Lands in T.14, 15, & 16 S., R. 2 E., in Monterey County, California. 
The public is currently prohibited from engaging in off-trail 
recreation use as established in an Emergency Closure of Public Lands 
notice dated December 5, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 235).
    This action is necessary to prevent geocachers from establishing 
new geocaches on the Fort Ord Public Lands that may expose themselves, 
and others, to munitions sites. The action is also intended to reduce 
off-trail use that can have considerable adverse effects on soil, 
vegetation, wildlife, endangered species, and authorized uses on the 
public lands.

DATES: The emergency closure is effective immediately and will remain 
in effect until formal geocaching policy governing the Fort Ord Public 
Lands (FOPL) has been completed for this area in accordance with Title 
43 Code of Federal Regulations 8364.1, or until the Authorized Officer 
determines it is no longer needed.

ADDRESSES: Maps of the closure area may be obtained from the Hollister 
Field Office, 20 Hamilton Ct, Hollister, CA 95023, Phone 831-630-5000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Cooper, Field Manager, Hollister 
Field Office, 20 Hamilton Ct, Hollister, CA 95023. (831) 630-5000. E-
mail: [email protected] or Eric Morgan, Fort Ord Project Manager, 
831-394-8314. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Hollister Field Office initiated an

[[Page 53598]]

Environmental Assessment (NEPA CA-190-07-54) on August 29, 
2007. Notification of the proposed action and analysis has been 
prominently posted in the Hollister Field Office public area and on the 
Field Office web page during its undertaking.
    The 2007 Hollister Resource Management Plan designated non-
motorized use on FOPL as ``Limited'' to designated (i.e. signed and 
shown on trail maps) routes and trails. This planning decision was 
preceded by an Emergency Closure in 1996 regarding the same on December 
5, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 235). Unauthorized off-trail use has been 
increasing over the past years and has risen to a point that up to 60 
existing geocaches are currently located away from trails on FOPL. 
Hundreds of recreationists visit geocache sites every week. Geocaching 
is not only extensively popular in the United States but occurs across 
the world. Geocaching activities on FOPL have the potential to expose 
visitors to dangerous munitions and are creating new trails that can 
cause considerable adverse impacts to soils, vegetation, wildlife, 
endangered species, and authorized uses on the public lands.
    During the closure, informational signs and maps of the emergency 
closure will be clearly posted at main entry points to all locations 
affected by this Notice. BLM will contact the northern California 
Geocacher Approver and explain the problems and strategies and request 
that they post the following message on all the existing geocaches web-
pages. Effective immediately the BLM is currently developing a 
geocaching policy governing the Fort Ord Public Lands that is 
protective of the environment and is attentive to public safety. As 
such, the BLM has instituted an immediate prohibition on the 
establishment of new geocaches on the FOPL and is evaluating existing 
caches (such as this one) to determine if there are any immediate 
issues concerning public safety and the protection of sensitive natural 
and historic resources. The BLM reminds geocachers that our current 
regulations prohibit off-trail recreation use at Fort Ord and that 
public lands are open to non-motorized trail users only from dawn to 
dusk. The current roads and trails network for non-motorized use can be 
seen on the web at Google Earth: http://www.palmconsulting.net/beta/GE1D4.kmz. If a person wishing to visit the area does not have Google 
Earth or internet access, maps of the closure area are available at the 
Hollister Field Office. The geocaching policy that BLM is developing 
will take into consideration that these lands were once a former 
military base and that dangerous munitions and explosives still may 
reside in public use areas. Visitors that remain on our designated 
trail systems are not in harm's way from encountering such items. If 
anything is encountered that appears to be a remnant of former military 
use of the lands (especially anything metallic) and could be a 
dangerous munition, please way mark the site location and call the 
Presidio of Monterey Policy Department at 831-242-7851 or Army 
munitions expert, Lyle Shurtleff at 831-242-7919. For additional 
information, feel free to contact Eric Morgan, Fort Ord Manager at 831-
394-8314. Thanks for your attention to these matters.
    Penalties: Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of 
this closure order may be subject to the penalties provided in 43 CFR 
8364.1, which include a fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment 
not to exceed 12 months.

    Dated: August 30, 2007.
Rick Cooper,
Field Manager, Hollister Field Office.
[FR Doc. E7-18450 Filed 9-18-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P