[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 23856-23857] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-11101] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CO-034-99-1220-00] Designation Order; Notice of Overnight Camping Closure Within the BLM Gunnison Forks Wildlife Area and Implementation of Motorized Vehicle Use Restrictions at the Gunnison Forks and on Newly Acquired Public Lands in Delta County, Colorado
Agency
Bureau of Land Management, Montrose District, Uncompahgre Field Office, Montrose Colorado.
Action
Notice; camping closure on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the Gunnison Forks Wildlife Management Area and the implementation of motorized vehicle use restrictions in the Gunnison Forks area and on the newly acquired public lands resulting from the Tri-State acquisition of February 1999.
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Summary
Notice is given that overnight camping is prohibited on all BLM Public Lands within the Gunnison Forks Wildlife Management Area located at the confluence of the Gunnison River and North Fork of the Gunnison River and all public lands north of the Gunnison River between the Towns of Austin and Lazear. In addition, no overnight parking is permitted on the gravel bar adjacent to the Gunnison River and North Fork River at the Forks. Vehicles which park on the site for day use may not block the access to the river. All motorized use in the Forks areas is restricted to designated routes as indicated by signs. Notice is also given that motorized vehicle use on all newly acquired public lands resulting from the Tri-State land acquisition (February, 1999) is hereby restricted to existing roads and trails; no off-road travel is allowed.
Dates
The camping closure and motorized vehicle restriction are effective immediately and will remain in effect until such time that the Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan and/or the Gunnison Gorge Recreation Management Area Plan is amended or revised.
Supplementary Information
This closure is established to assist the Bureau of Land Management in reducing problems associated with vehicle and camping use in the Gunnison Forks Wildlife Management area and in those areas adjacent to the area. The camping closure is necessary to prevent excessive impacts to soil, vegetation and other resources caused by long-term camping and inappropriate vehicle use. The restriction of motorized vehicle use to existing roads and trails in the newly acquired public lands is needed to prevent any resource impacts or damage which might be caused by off-road vehicle use. These lands contain significant scenic, recreational, watershed, geologic, wildlife, cultural, and other resources, including potential habitat for critical and/or threatened and endangered species which require protection from unrestricted motorized use. The camping closure and vehicle restrictions on the newly acquired public lands are consistent with the Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan (1998), the Gunnison Gorge Recreation Area Management Plan (1985), and the Gunnison Forks Habitat Management Plan (1981). CFR Title 43, Chapter II, Part 8360, Subpart 8364.1 and Part 8340, Subpart
8341.2 provide BLM authority for the camping closure and off-road vehicle use restrictions. 8360.0-7 Penalties: Violations of any regulations in these subparts by a member of the public are punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: A map of the newly acquired public lands referred to in this notice and additional information concerning this closure and motorized vehicle restrictions may be obtained from Karen Tucker, Recreation Planner, Uncompahgre Field Office, 2505 South Townsend Ave., Montrose Colorado 80401, (970) 240-5309.
Dated: April 28, 1999. James Sazama, Acting Uncompahgre Field Office Manager. [FR Doc. 99-11101 Filed 5-3-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-JB-M