[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 20 (Wednesday, January 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5585-5586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1551]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-160-08-1110-PI]


Notice of Order Closing Public Lands to Motorized Use, Gunnison 
and Saguache Counties, CO

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Closure.

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SUMMARY: To protect fragile, wintering mule deer, bighorn sheep, 
pronghorn antelope, and elk herds, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
is closing to motorized use this winter, certain public lands in the 
Gunnison Basin. This action is in coordination with the Colorado 
Division of Wildlife's emergency winter feeding program for big game 
herds in the Gunnison Basin. The BLM and CDOW have cooperatively 
identified winter feeding areas and procedures, as well as area 
closures in conjunction with the feeding program. Extreme snow depths, 
combined with extreme cold temperatures, have prompted the closure and 
emergency feeding decisions.

DATES: The closure for this winter will take effect immediately and 
will end on April 30, 2008 unless terminated sooner by the BLM 
Authorized Officer.

ADDRESSES: The address of the BLM Authorized Officer is: Field Manager, 
Gunnison Field Office, 216 N. Colorado St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230. 
Maps of the closure areas will be available at the Gunnison Field 
Office, 216 N. Colorado St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230. Additionally, 
signs will be posted at places near and/or within the areas to which 
the closure applies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenny McDaniel, Field Manager, 
Gunnison Field Office, 216 N. Colorado St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230; 
telephone (970) 641-0471.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Due to extreme snow depths and extreme cold 
temperatures, big game in the Gunnison Basin are highly stressed. The 
Colorado Division of Wildlife has begun an emergency winter feeding 
program for mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and elk 
herds. The Gunnison Resource Area Approved Resource Management Plan 
(RMP) specifically provides for winter closures to protect wintering 
big game when necessary. The purpose of this motorized use closure is 
to prevent undue and unnecessary disturbance and harm to wintering mule 
deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and elk herds concentrating on 
crucial winter range. This order pertains to identified areas (shown on 
the maps) on public lands in Gunnison and Saguache Counties, Colorado, 
thus described:

    Public Lands within New Mexico Principal Meridian, north of U.S. 
Highway 50:

T.49N., R.4W., secs. 13-14, sec. 24, E\1/2\;
T.49N., R.3W., secs. 1-26;
T.50N., R.2W., sec. 12, south of West Antelope Creek, secs. 13-14, 
23-26, 35-36;
T.49N., R.2W., secs. 1-24, sec.30;
T.50N., R.1W., sec. 17, south of West Antelope Creek, secs. 20-21, 
26-33;
T.49N., R.1W., secs. 4-6;
T.50N., R.1E., secs. 1-4, 9-16, 19-30, 32-36;
T.49N., R.1E.. secs. 1-3, 12;
T.50N., R.2E., secs.17-21, 25-36;
T.49N., R.2E., secs. 1-14;
T.50N., R.3E., secs. 28-33;
T.49N., R.3E., secs. 3-10, 13-29, 33-36;
T.48N., R.3E., sec. 1;
T.49N., R.4E., secs. 19, 29-32;
T.48N., R.4E., secs. 4-9, 15.
    Public Lands within New Mexico Principal Meridian, south of U.S. 
Highway 50, west of Razor Creek, north of Camp Kettle Gulch/

[[Page 5586]]

Poverty Gulch Road, and east of Colorado Highway 114:

T.49N., R.2E., secs. 21-23, 25-28, 33-36;
T.48N., R.2E., secs. 1-4, 9-16, 21-27, 35-36;
T.49N., R.3E., secs. 30-32;
T.48N., R.3E., secs. 4-8, 17-20, 29-31.

    Exceptions to this temporary motorized use closure include the 
following:
    1. BLM Road 3103 (North Parlin Flats Road) to the U.S. 
Forest Service boundary is open to motorized use as seasonal conditions 
allow.
    2. Any Federal, State, or local officer or employee acting within 
the scope of their duties, members of any organized rescue in the 
performance of an official duty, or any person holding written 
permission from the BLM.
    3. Persons or agencies holding a special use permit or right-of-way 
for access to exercise their permit within the restricted area, for 
purposes related to access for maintenance and operation of authorized 
facilities, and provided such motorized use is limited to the routes 
specifically identified in the special use permit or right-of-way.

Authority

    This emergency closure order is issued under the authority of 43 
Code of Federal Regulations 8364.1 and 9268.3.
    Penalties: Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any 
closure order issued under 42 CFR 8364.1 shall be subject to the 
penalties provided for in CFR Title 43, subpart 8360.0-7, and may be 
fined not more than $1,000 and/or imprisoned for not more than 12 
months. Such violations may also be subject to the enhanced fines 
provided for by 18 U.S.C. 3571.

    Dated: January 22, 2008.
Kenny McDaniel,
Field Manager, Gunnison Field Office.
 [FR Doc. E8-1551 Filed 1-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P