[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61243-61244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21340]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAN038000 L17110000.EB0000 16X LXSIWLDS0000]


Notice of Individual Special Recreation Permit Requirement in the 
King Range National Conservation Area, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) provides notice of a new 
Individual Special Recreation Permit (ISRP) requirement for overnight 
use in the King Range Wilderness and Backcountry Management Zone (King 
Range Wilderness). The ISRP will limit the number of persons entering 
the King Range Wilderness for overnight use to 60 persons/day during 
the peak season (May 15-September 15), and 30 persons/day during the 
non-peak season (September 16-May 14). This action will limit overnight 
use of the King Range Wilderness for the first time. Day use entries 
will not be limited. The ISRP program will be administered through an 
electronic reservation system. The ISRP requirement results from 
analysis and planning direction provided by the 2012 King Range 
Wilderness and Rocks and Islands Wilderness Areas Management Plan 
(WMP), and the 2005 King Range National Conservation Area Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) both of which outline operational goals of the 
area and the purpose of a wilderness permit program.

DATES: The BLM's Arcata Field Office intends to implement the King 
Range Wilderness ISRP program, which will be administered through the 
electronic reservation system, Recreation.gov, with a projected go-live 
date in January 2017.

ADDRESSES: Additional information may be obtained by email request to 
[email protected], or by mail to Bureau of Land Management, King Range 
Project Office, PO Drawer 189, Whitethorn, CA 95589, attention NCA 
Manager. Copies of the King Range WMP and King Range RMP are available 
in the King Range Project Office, 768 Shelter Cove Road, Whitethorn, CA 
and Arcata Field Office, 1695 Heindon Rd., Arcata, CA, 95521 and online 
at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/nlcs/King_Range_NCA.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benjamin Blom, NCA Manager, 707-825-
2310, or Justin Robbins, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 707-986-5403. 
Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service

[[Page 61244]]

(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individuals during normal 
business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to 
leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive 
a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The King Range NCA is a popular recreation 
and wilderness area and has received substantial Federal investment. 
Visitor use of the King Range Wilderness has almost doubled since 
completion of the King Range and Rocks and Islands Wilderness 
Management Plan in 2012, and has nearly tripled since wilderness 
designation in 2006.
    In 2005, the BLM recognized the need to consider regulating 
overnight use in the King Range to protect wilderness character in the 
development of the King Range RMP. The RMP directed the BLM to 
establish visitor capacities in what is now the King Range Wilderness 
to manage for solitude and to reduce crowding at overnight camping 
locations. In combination with other actions, managing the total 
visitor load will maintain opportunities for solitude at most overnight 
locations and meet the intent of the Wilderness Act.
    The Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act of 
2006 designated the 43,625-acre King Range Wilderness, as well as the 
Rocks and Islands Wilderness (all rocks and islands within three miles 
of the King Range coastline). A 2.5-mile coastal strip of the King 
Range NCA Backcountry Management Zone, which extends north from the 
wilderness boundary to the Mattole Trailhead, was not designated as 
part of the King Range Wilderness but is included in this new ISRP 
requirement. The King Range Wilderness and Rocks and Islands Wilderness 
Management Plan (WMP, 2012) specified a range of management actions to 
achieve visitor capacity and visitor load objectives, primarily by 
limiting daily visitor entries into the King Range Wilderness. The WMP 
also outlines implementation of an additional range of management 
actions to manage visitor use should limitations on daily entries not 
achieve visitor load objectives within the wilderness. Although the 
target of 60 starts per day (and estimated visitor load of 192 people 
at one time) may seem limited in a 43,625 acre wilderness area with 
over 80 miles of trails, analysis has shown that more than 80-90% 
percent of visitor use is concentrated along the 1,200 acres that 
comprise the northern coastal section of the Lost Coast Trail. The BLM 
is committed to finding the proper balance between public use and 
resource protection.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 6803(b) and 43 CFR 2932.13.

Thomas Pogacnik,
Deputy State Director, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2016-21340 Filed 9-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-40-P