[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 56 (Friday, March 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15191-15192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5769]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-062-08-1220-PM]


Notice of Emergency Motorized Vehicle Closure and Restrictions 
for Specified Routes During the 2008 Moab Jeep Safari; Moab Field 
Office, UT

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

[[Page 15192]]


ACTION: Notice of Emergency Motorized Vehicle Closure and Restrictions.

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SUMMARY: This notice restricts motorized use on 10 popular public land 
vehicle routes used by the Moab Jeep Safari during the 2008 Moab Jeep 
Safari organized group event. The action is in effect for the 2008 Jeep 
Safari event which takes place during the nine day period from March 15 
to March 23, 2008. The following two components of the action apply 
only to users of motorized vehicles. Exclusive Use: On seven of the 
routes (Behind the Rocks, Cliff Hanger, Gold Bar Rim, Golden Spike, 
Moab Rim, Poison Spider Mesa, and Pritchett Canyon), motorized users 
holding a Special Recreation Permit for such use from the Bureau of 
Land Management, including participants in the Moab Jeep Safari, are 
granted exclusive use of the route while a Jeep Safari trip is 
occurring. This action temporarily excludes non-permit holding 
motorized users from these routes. One Way Travel: On three of the 
routes (Hell's Revenge, Kane Creek Canyon and Steel Bender), the routes 
are open to general motorized travel by non-permitted users in one 
direction only for the entire nine day duration of the Moab Jeep 
Safari. The dates for the Moab Jeep Safari and the dates when the Jeep 
Safari plans use of a route are posted at the Moab Field Office and on 
the Moab Field Office's Internet site at the addresses provided below. 
They are also available upon request.

DATES: This notice is effective upon publication and shall remain in 
effect from March 15 through March 23, 2008, during the 2008 Moab Jeep 
Safari.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Russell von Koch, Recreation Branch 
Chief, BLM Moab Field Office, 82 East Dogwood Avenue, Moab, Utah 84532 
or telephone 435-259-2100. Also see the Moab Field Office Internet site 
at: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 23, 2008, the Decision Record 
authorizing permitted motorized use on a set of 30 routes (called 
``Jeep Safari Routes'') was signed. This permit authorizes the Redrock 
4Wheelers to utilize the Jeep Safari Routes for an organized group 
event during an annual nine day period each spring (that traditionally 
includes Easter Sunday and the previous eight days) from 2008 through 
2012. The Environmental Assessment analyzing these routes (EA  
060-2005-080) concluded that allowing permitted motorized users 
exclusive use of seven of the more popular routes listed in the above 
summary, and managing for one-way travel on the three additional routes 
listed in the above summary for the nine day period of the Moab Jeep 
Safari would mitigate environmental damage by lessening the amount of 
traffic concentrated on these narrow dirt routes. The annual nine day 
Jeep Safari period sees the most intense and concentrated motorized use 
of these routes; the resultant overcrowding of these routes leads to 
degradation of resources as routes widen with the congregation of 
vehicles along them.
    Specifically, exclusive motorized use of seven of the more popular 
routes listed above, by permittees only, would prevent damage to 
wilderness, water quality, soils, visual resources and vegetation by 
reducing the amount of travel. In addition, restricting motorized use 
of these routes would lessen user conflict and provide for a more 
enjoyable experience during the annual Jeep Safari for those motorized 
users holding a Special Recreation Permit.
    One way use of three routes listed above would reduce impacts to 
water quality, soils, visual resources, and vegetation by eliminating 
passing, which results in road widening along these narrow routes. In 
addition, one way travel mitigates crowding along these three routes; 
this lessens user conflict and provides for a more enjoyable experience 
for those motorized users holding a Special Recreation Permit.
    Exclusive Use: To enact these restrictions, the following routes 
will be for the exclusive use of permitted motorized users on days that 
they are utilized by the Moab Jeep Safari while Safari participants are 
making use of the routes: Behind the Rocks, Cliff Hanger, Gold Bar Rim, 
Golden Spike, Moab Rim, Poison Spider Mesa, and Pritchett Canyon. This 
means that for the routes listed above, motorized users without a 
Special Recreation Permit authorizing use of these routes are excluded 
from using them as described above. Non-motorized users are not 
restricted.
    One Way Travel: The following routes are restricted to one way 
travel for the entire nine days of the Moab Jeep Safari: Hell's 
Revenge, Kane Creek Canyon and Steelbender. For the Hell's Revenge 
route, motorized use must occur one-way from east to west, i.e., from 
the Sand Flats Recreation Area entrance booth west to the end of the 
route west of the Lion's Back Rock. This action is consistent with 
Grand County's travel management which allows the Lion's Back access to 
be used only as an exit for general recreational travel. For the Kane 
Creek Canyon route, motorized use must occur one-way from north to 
south, i.e., from the Hurrah Pass/Kane Creek junction south to the end 
of the route at U.S. Highway 191. For the Steelbender route, motorized 
use must occur one-way from north to south, i.e., from the Moab Golf 
Club area entry south to the southern end of the route near Flat Pass 
and Kens Lake. This restriction applies to all motorized users.
    This action will be posted at the Moab BLM Field Office as well as 
on the Moab Field Office Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab.html. The restrictions will also be posted at each of the 
trailheads affected during the 2008 Jeep Safari. Enforcement actions 
will be taken as necessary in accordance with 43 CFR 8360.0-7 and 18 
U.S.C 3571.

Exceptions

    The use of motorized vehicles for emergency, official United States 
military, and law enforcement purposes, or for official duties, or as 
otherwise authorized by the Bureau of Land Management are exempt from 
these restrictions. Use of motorized wheelchairs is also exempt.

    Authority: The authority to implement these restrictions on 
motorized vehicular use is found in 43 CFR 8364.1.

    Dated: March 12, 2008.
Selma Sierra,
BLM Utah State Director.
 [FR Doc. E8-5769 Filed 3-20-08; 8:45 am]
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