[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 250 (Tuesday, December 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 79902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30952]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-100-2008-1110-PI]


Notice of Seasonal Closures of Public Lands to Human Presence 
and/or Motorized Vehicle Use

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Seasonal Closures of Public Lands to Human Presence 
and/or Motorized Vehicle Use.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) subpart(s) 
8341, 8364, and 9268, the Bureau of Land management (BLM) announces the 
seasonal closure of certain BLM-administered public lands under the 
jurisdiction of the Pinedale, Wyoming Field Office to all types of 
motor vehicle use (i.e., snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and any 
other motorized vehicles including trucks, sport-utility vehicles, 
cars, motorcycles, etc.) each year during the period of January 1 
through April 30. Elk feedground areas will be closed each year to any 
human presence from November 15 through April 30. This seasonal closure 
is needed to protect public lands and resources and to minimize stress 
to wintering elk, moose, pronghorn antelope, and mule deer. This 
seasonal closure affects public lands located within the Mesa, 
Ryegrass, Bench Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet, and Miller Mountain winter 
ranges as well as the Franz, Finnegan, Bench Corral, Scab Creek, Fall 
Creek, Black Butte, and North Piney elk feedgrounds as more 
particularly described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. 
Except for travel on highways or county roads, motorized vehicle travel 
within these areas will only be allowed with written authorization from 
the Pinedale Field Manager. Personnel of the BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish 
Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture-APHIS and Forest Service, 
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and law enforcement personnel are exempt 
from this closure only when performing official duties. Operators of 
existing oil and gas facilities may perform maintenance and pumping, as 
approved, and livestock operators may perform permitted activities.

DATES: The seasonal motorized vehicle closure will be effective 
annually from January 1 through April 30. The no human presence closure 
will be effective annually from November 15 through April 30.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chuck Otto, Field Manager or Rusty 
Kaiser, Wildlife Biologist, telephone: (307) 367-5300, Bureau of Land 
Management, P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These crucial winter range habitat areas and 
the management thereof are addressed in the Pinedale Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) Record of Decision which was approved on December 
12, 1988. The RMP identifies areas of crucial winter range and states 
that seasonal closures for motorized vehicles may be used to protect 
big game winter range. Losses of wintering habitat from development 
activity can reduce the area available to the wintering animals. These 
impacts to wintering wildlife are compounded by significant human 
activity, such as day and night wildlife observation, still and video 
photography, snowmobiling, and antler gathering.
    The following BLM administered lands are closed to motorized 
vehicles each year from January 1 through April 30: the Ryegrass, Bench 
Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet, and Miller Mountain winter ranges including 
all BLM administered lands north of Fontenelle Creek, east of the U.S. 
Forest Service Boundary, west of Highway 189, and south of Horse Creek, 
which contains approximately 444,000 acres; and the Mesa winter range 
including all BLM administered lands east of County Road 110 (East 
Green River Road), north of County Road 136 (Paradise Valley Road), 
west of the New Fork River, and south of State Highway 191, which 
contains approximately 76,000 acres; the Franz elk winter feedground 
(T36N, R112W) containing 680 acres. The following feedgrounds are 
closed to human presence each year from November 15 through April 30: 
the Finnegan elk winter feedground (T30N, R114W) containing 
approximately 1920 acres; the Bench Corral elk winter feedground (T31-
32N, R112W) containing approximately 2560 acres; the Fall Creek elk 
winter feedground (T33N, R108W) containing approximately 160 acres; the 
Scab Creek elk winter feedground (T33N, R106-107W) containing 
approximately 2,240 acres; the North Piney elk winter feedground (T31N, 
R114W) containing approximately 1,080 acres; and the Black Butte elk 
winter feedground (T36-37N, R114W) containing approximately 320 acres.
    Signs will be posted at key locations that provide access into the 
closure areas. Additional information and maps will be available at the 
Pinedale Field Office, 1625 West Pine, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941.
    Seasonal closure orders may be implemented as provided in 43 CFR, 
subparts 8341.2 and 8364.1. Violations of this closure are punishable 
by a fine not to exceed $1000.00, and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 
months.

Chuck Otto,
Pinedale Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. E8-30952 Filed 12-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P