Land Management Bureau January 19, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District Resource Advisory Council (RAC), will meet as indicated below.

In order to facilitate temporary operations and protect resources in the event of severe seasonal storms and/or natural disasters, the Ukiah Field Office is hereby serving notice that it will be adopting a temporary closure policy to be enacted on an as-needed basis when basic criteria are met. The policy will be in place for up to one year, or upon completion of the Ukiah RMP. The closure will be invoked or lifted through notices in news media outlets, information hot lines and on-the-ground postings. The lands covered by this temporary closure include all public lands administered by the Ukiah Field Office within the South Cow Mountain Recreation Area. Public notices listed on information lines will specify which public lands will be temporarily closed, and will reflect local conditions. One of the following criteria shall be met to temporarily close the area: (1) State, County or Federal road access to the area is closed or restricted to residents and emergency personnel; (2) BLM or emergency response personnel cannot access and/or perform their duties in a given location; (3) Roads or trails are saturated with moisture to the point where vehicle traffic causes ruts or bogs leading to increased erosion. Moisture criteria are detailed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below. The above temporary closure is intended to allow the BLM flexibility in implementing closures while utilizing the most time-effective method of notifying the public. This will also facilitate management to minimize threats to public health and safety, as well as the potential for resource damage. Any time the closure policy is enacted, the following persons will be exempt: (1) Federal, State, or local law enforcement officers, while engaged in the execution of their official duties. (2) BLM personnel or their representatives while engaged in execution of their official duties. (3) Any member of an organized rescue, fire-fighting force, and/or emergency medical services organization while in the performance and execution of an official duty. (4) Any member of a Federal, State, or local public works department while in the performance of an official duty. (5) Any person in receipt of a written authorization of exemption obtained from the Ukiah Field Office. (6) Local landowners, persons with valid existing rights or lease operations, or representatives thereof, who have a responsibility or need to access their property or to continue their operations on public land. (7) Human use and associated foot traffic into the area during the closure period are exempt from this closure restriction.

Notice is hereby given that certain lands are temporarily closed to motor vehicle use, discharge of firearms, and livestock grazing. The closed area is locally known as the Poison Spider Shooting Area. The public lands affected by this closure are lands administered by the BLM and described as: part of the North \1/2\ of the Northwest \1/4\ and part of the North \1/2\ of the Southwest \1/4\ of Section 14 in Township 33 North, Range 82 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, containing approximately 43 acres. This tract of land is bound on the east by the west bank of the Casper Canal, on the north by the old Poison Spider Road, on the west by the common section line between Sections 14 and 15, and on the south by Poison Spider Road (Natrona County Road 201). The area will be fenced and closure signs will be posted around the perimeter. Maps of the closure area and information on the rehabilitation plans may be obtained from the Casper Field Office. The Poison Spider Shooting Area has been subject to various uses that cumulatively present a hazard to the general public and has resulted in the destruction of public resources. Unrestricted shooting endangers persons traveling on Poison Spider Road (Natrona County Road 201), Natrona County employees working at a gravel pit to the northwest of the site, employees of the Casper-Alcova Irrigation District performing maintenance on the Casper Canal, and threatens livestock authorized to graze on the public lands. Various items of refuse such as refrigerators and propane tanks have been dumped at the site and used as targets for firearms. This may lead to the release of toxic substances into the air and/or soil and may result in explosive situations. The shooting of illegally dumped materials poses a potentially dangerous health hazard to individuals who live and work in this area. Uncontrolled vehicle use has resulted in the destruction of public resources, including vegetation loss, soil compaction, intensive rutting and soil erosion. The Natrona County Road and Bridge Department has agreed to assist the BLM in cleaning up the site. Upon completion of the clean-up, fencing the perimeter and posting signs, acts prohibited by this notice will be enforced.