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[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2008-2009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-508]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-100-1110-PI]

Notice of Seasonal Closure of Public Lands to Motorized Vehicle 
Use

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of seasonal closure of certain public lands located in 
Sublette County, Wyoming to all types of motor vehicle use and/or human 
presence.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations subpart 8364, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) may issue an order to close the use of 
BLM administered lands to the public to protect those lands and 
resources. The Pinedale Resource Management Plan (RMP) Record of 
Decision (ROD), December 12, 1988, states that big game winter ranges, 
and elk feedgrounds may be closed to minimize stress to wintering 
animals. The Pinedale Anticline Project (PAPA) ROD (2000) identifies 
areas that may be subject to seasonal closures as conditions warrant.
    After consulting with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the BLM 
Pinedale Field Manager has implemented a seasonal closure on certain 
BLM-administered lands and travel ways including existing roads and 
two-track trails, to all types of motorized vehicle travel (e.g., 
snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, any vehicle including trucks, sport 
utility vehicles and cars, motorcycles etc.). Winter ranges, as 
identified in the Pinedale RMP, and as described below in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section, will be closed to all unauthorized 
motorized travel from November 15 through April 30 each winter. Use of 
winter range areas by non-motorized means is still allowed. Feedground 
areas will be closed November 15 through April 30 each winter, to all 
motorized vehicles and human presence. The Mesa winter range will 
remain open to motorized travel on existing roads from November 15 
through January 14 each winter, but roads will be closed to 
unauthorized motorized travel January 15 through April 30 each winter. 
After April 30 each year, motorized vehicle use will be limited to 
existing roads and two-track trails.
    The winter range seasonal closures affect public lands located 
within the Deer Hills, Oil Field, Mesa, Bench Corral, and Miller 
Mountain winter ranges. Elk feedground closures affect public lands 
around the Franz, Finnegan, Scab Creek, Fall Creek, and North Piney 
feedgrounds. This action is necessary for the protection of crucial 
winter range habitat for elk, moose, antelope, and mule deer. Except 
for travel on highways or county roads, motorized vehicle travel within 
these areas will be allowed only by written authorization from the 
Pinedale Field Manager. Personnel of the BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish 
Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture-APHIS & Forest Service, U.S. 
Fish & Wildlife Service, and law enforcement personnel are exempt from 
this closure when performing official duties. Operators of existing oil 
and gas facilities may perform routine maintenance, or operation and 
drilling as approved by the BLM, and livestock operators may perform 
permitted activities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Pinedale Field Office is responsible 
for management of crucial winter range habitat located on public lands 
within Sublette County. These crucial winter range habitat areas and 
the management thereof are addressed in the Pinedale RMP ROD, which was 
signed December 12, 1988 and Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA) ROD 
signed on July 27, 2000. 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. Closures will vary depending on 
conditions and will be implemented in coordination with the Wyoming 
Game and Fish Department (Pinedale RMP, pages 33, 35, and 37). Road 
closures from the PAPA ROD identify current and future use of roads in 
the winter and outlines allowable access (Pages 12 and 19). Reasons for 
the closure include the effects of persistent drought and/or severe 
winter conditions which threaten the health of these wintering wildlife 
species. Low forage production associated with persistent drought 
conditions causes animals to go into winter in poor condition. 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. Because of the increased stress the presence of 
motorized vehicles inflicts on wintering big game during difficult 
winter periods, the number of animals that will die and the rate of 
aborting or reabsorption of fetuses on the winter range can increase. 
This decreases production of young during the following summer. 
Therefore, closing crucial winter ranges and feedgrounds to motorized 
vehicles and human presence (feedgrounds) reduces impacts to wintering 
big game.
    By this order, the following BLM-administered lands are included in 
this notice of closures:
     The Oil Field winter range complex located approximately 
10 miles west of Big Piney containing approximately 116,981 acres.
     The Deer Hills winter range complex located approximately 
10 miles west of Big Piney containing approximately 23,552 acres.
     The Mesa winter range complex located approximately 3 
miles south of Pinedale containing approximately 83,101 acres.
     The Bench Corral winter range complex and elk winter 
feedground (T31-32N, R112W) located approximately 18 miles southwest of 
Pinedale containing approximately 42,230 acres.
     Miller Mountain winter range located approximately 5 miles 
south and west of LaBarge containing approximately 118,543 acres.

[[Page 2009]]

     The Franz elk winter feedground (T36N, R112W) containing 
680 acres.
     The Finnegan elk winter feedground (T30N, R114W) 
containing approximately 1920 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.
     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 will be available at the Pinedale 
Field Office, 432 East Mill Street, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941.
    Authority for closure orders is provided in regulation 43 CFR, 
subparts 8341.2 and 8364.1. Violations of this closure are punishable 
by a fine not to exceed $1000, and/or imprisonment not to exceed 12 
months.
    Dates: Every calendar year before the following dates, a press 
release will be published in the local newspaper as to the areas that 
will be closed for that year. The seasonal closure for big game winter 
ranges will be effective from November 15 through April 30 each winter, 
to all unauthorized motorized vehicle use. The Mesa winter range will 
remain open to motorized travel on existing roads from November 15 
through January 14 each winter, but roads will be closed to 
unauthorized motorized travel January 15 through April 30 each winter. 
Elk feedground areas will be closed November 15 through April 30 each 
winter, to all unauthorized motorized vehicles and human presence. Use 
of winter range areas by non-motorized means is still allowed. After 
April 30 each year, motorized vehicle use will be limited to existing 
roads and two-track trails.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pauline Schuette, Wildlife Biologist 
or Martin Hudson, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Bureau of Land 
Management, 432 East Mill Street, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941, or contact 
by telephone at 307-367-5300.

    Dated: October 3, 2006.
Dennis R. Stenger,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E7-508 Filed 1-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
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