Notice of Motorized Vehicle Temporary Restrictions for Specified Routes on Public Land During the Annual Moab Jeep Safari, Utah, 1514-1515 [2015-00235]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 7 (Monday, January 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1514-1515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00235]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[15X L1109AF LLUTY01000 L12200000.MA0000 24-1A]


Notice of Motorized Vehicle Temporary Restrictions for Specified 
Routes on Public Land During the Annual Moab Jeep Safari, Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice restricts motorized use on 10 popular vehicle 
routes located on public land used by

[[Page 1515]]

the Moab Jeep Safari during its annual Moab Jeep Safari organized-group 
event, authorized under a Special Recreation Permit (SRP). The action 
is in effect for the Jeep Safari event which takes place annually, 
during the 9-day period prior to and including Easter. The dates for 
the Moab Jeep Safari and the dates of the temporary restrictions will 
be posted at the Moab Field Office and on the Moab Field Office's Web 
site at the addresses provided below every year at least 30 days prior 
to the event. The dates are also available upon request.

DATES: This notice is effective upon publication and shall remain in 
effect for the length of the Red Rock 4-Wheelers SRP, which expires on 
December 31, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rock Smith, 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 Web site at: 
www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 28, 2012, the Decision Record 
authorizing the Jeep Safari SRP was signed. This permit authorizes the 
Red Rock 4-Wheelers to utilize a set of 38 routes known as the Jeep 
Safari routes, for 9 days per year during an annual organized group 
event. The event traditionally includes Easter Sunday and the previous 
8 days. The permit is authorized from 2013 through 2022. The 
Environmental Assessment analyzing these routes (EA #DOI-BLM-UT-Y010-
2011-0189) concluded that allowing permitted motorized users exclusive 
use of 7 of the more popular routes listed in the below summary, and 
managing for one-way travel on the 3 additional routes listed in the 
below summary for the 9-day period of the Moab Jeep Safari, would 
mitigate environmental damage by lessening the amount of traffic 
concentrated on these narrow dirt routes. These routes receive the most 
intense and concentrated use during the annual 9-day event. The 
following two components of the action apply only to the use of 
motorized vehicles.
    Exclusive Use: The following routes will be for the exclusive use 
of Moab Jeep Safari participants and other motorized users authorized 
under an SRP on days that the routes are utilized by the Moab Jeep 
Safari: Behind the Rocks, Cliff Hanger, Gold Bar Rim, Golden Spike, 
Moab Rim, Poison Spider Mesa, and Pritchett Canyon. For the routes 
listed above, motorized users without an SRP authorizing use of these 
routes are prohibited from using them. Non-motorized uses 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.
    Exclusive motorized use of seven of the more popular routes listed 
above, by permittees only, would minimize damage to wilderness study 
areas, water quality, soils, visual resources and vegetation by 
reducing the amount of travel. In addition, restricting motorized use 
of these routes reduces user conflicts and provides for a more 
enjoyable experience during the well-attended annual Jeep Safari.
    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, 
reduces user conflict and provides for a more enjoyable experience for 
event participants.
    This action will be posted at the BLM-Moab Field Office as well as 
on the Moab Field Office Web site at: www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab.html. The restrictions will also be posted at each of the 
trailheads affected during the Jeep Safari. Enforcement of these 
restrictions will be 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 BLM are exempt from these restrictions. Use 
of motorized wheelchairs is also exempt.

    Authority: 43 CFR 8364.1.

Kent Hoffman,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-00235 Filed 1-9-15; 8:45 am]
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