[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 21175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10460]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Emergency Closure

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of Closure of Public Lands; Utah. Notice of a emergency 
closure to motorized vehicles and mountain bikes on a crucial ``lek'' 
(strutting and breeding ground) and adjacent habitat area for the 
greater sage grouse. This area is located west and north of Parowan Gap 
in Iron County, Utah.

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SUMMARY: This notice closes to motorized vehicle and mountain bike use 
approximately 1,735 acres of public land administered by BLM land 
located in all or parts of sections 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 17, 20, 21; T. 33 
S., R.10 W; SLBM. All public lands including motorized vehicle routes 
within the area will be closed, except access to a wildlife guzzler 
located adjacent to the west boundary road in Section 8 will be 
allowed. The authority for this action is 43 CFR 8341.2.

DATES: This closure is seasonal from March 1st to May 15th each year 
will begin immediately and remain in effect pending amendment of the 
land use plan for the Cedar City Field Office area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Hedges, Bureau of Land 
Management, 176 East DL Sargent Drive, Cedar City, Utah 84720, 
telephone (435) 865-3035.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject area is important year long sage 
grouse habitat and contains a crucial lek or strutting ground, which is 
considered to be the center of spring breeding activity for resident 
sage grouse populations. This lek (strutting and breeding ground) has 
been monitored annually since 1974 by the Utah Division of Wildlife 
Resources (UDWR) and is one of the few remaining active leks in Iron 
County. The greater sage grouse is listed by Utah BLM and UDWR as a 
state sensitive species. BLM policy for sensitive species as stated in 
the 6840 Manual is that they should be managed to ensure that actions 
funded, authorized, or carried out by the BLM do not contribute to the 
need to list them as threatened or endangered species. UDWR classifies 
the sage grouse as a species of special concern with declining 
populations and limited distributions. As such, it is crucial to 
protect the lek sites of this species. The area is currently designated 
as open to OHV use as documented in the Off Road Vehicle Designation 
and Implementation Plan for Beaver River Resource Area completed in 
1987. The OHV plan also prescribes that BLM monitor ongoing OHV 
activity and, if necessary, adjust the time, location, or quantity of 
use. The subject area has received considerable increase in OHV use, 
extending existing routes, and creating new routes. This activity is 
having an adverse impact on the sage grouse in that the breeding 
activities are being disrupted by vehicles driving through the lek 
during the time which the birds are on the lek. Therefore, BLM is 
temporarily closing to all vehicle use the area as described above.

    Dated: April 9, 2001.
A.J. Meredith,
Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 01-10460 Filed 4-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-M