Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 102 / Friday, May 24, 1996 / Notices 26203

statements to the Council or file written

statements for the council’s

consideration. Anyone wishing to make

an oral statement should notify the RAC

Coordinator, at the above address by

June 17, 1996.

Depending on the number of persons

wishing to make oral statements, a time

limit, per person, may be established by

the Chair of the Resource Advisory

Council.

Jerry Jessen,

Acting State Director.

[FR Doc. 96–11994 Filed 5–23–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–22–M

[OR–084–6310–04–FLOD: GP6–0164]

Emergency Use Restriction on Public

Access Road; Linn County, OR

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Emergency use restriction on

public access road in Linn County,

Oregon.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that all

forms of public travel, except travel by

foot, on Quartzville Access Road east of

Trout Creek in Linn County, Oregon, are

temporarily restricted from May 20,

1996, through September 30, 1996. This

emergency use restriction is made under

the authority of 43 CFR 8364.1.

The public road affected by this

emergency use restriction is specifically

identified as follows: Quartzville Access

Road with a beginning point in Section

9, T. 12 S., R. 3 E., Willamette Meridian

(Trout Creek crossing) and an ending

point in Section 29, T. 11 S., R. 4 E.,

Willamette Meridian (Canal Creek

crossing). The portion of Quartzville

Access Road where public use is

temporarily restricted under this

emergency restriction order will be

posted with signs at both the Trout

Creek and Canal Creek crossings.

The purpose of this emergency use

restriction is to provide for visitor safety

while major repairs are made to flooddamaged roads and structures.

EXEMPTIONS: The following persons,

operating within the scope of their

official duties, are exempt from the

provisions of this use restriction order:

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and

Forest Service employees; federal, state

and local law enforcement and fire

protection personnel; the holders of

BLM road use permits that include

roads accessed by Quartzville Access

Road east of Trout Creek; and

purchasers of BLM timber accessed by

Quartzville Access Road east of Trout

Creek, and their employees and

subcontractors. Other persons may be

allowed to travel Quartzville Access

Road east of Trout Creek, by means

other than foot, but such use must be

approved in advance in writing by the

Authorized Officer.

PENALTIES: Any person who fails to

comply with the provisions of this

closure order may be subject to the

penalties provided in 43 CFR 8360.0–7,

which include a fine not to exceed

$1,000.00 and/or imprisonment not to

exceed 12 months, as well as the

penalties provided under Oregon State

law.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This use restriction

order is effective from May 20, 1996

through September 30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the use restriction

order and maps showing the location of

that portion of Quartzville Access Road

where use is restricted are available

from the Salem District Office, 1717

Fabry Road S.E., Salem, OR 97306.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard C. Prather, Area Manager,

Cascades Resource Area, Salem District

Office, at (503) 375–5646.

Dated: May 14, 1996.

Scott S. Abdon,

Area Manager (Acting), Cascades Resource

Area.

[FR Doc. 96–13136 Filed 5–23–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–33–P

[NM–030–06–1610–00]

Otero County Areas of Environmental

Concern (ACECs) for the Caballo

Resource Area, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and 60-

day comment period.

SUMMARY: The BLM, Las Cruces District,

Caballo Resource Area announces the

availability of a draft Resource

Management Plan (RMP) Amendment/

preliminary Finding of No Significant

Impact and supporting Environmental

Assessment (EA). The document

discusses the designation of five new

ACECs and revision of one existing

ACEC in Otero County, south-central

New Mexico. Approximately 19,520

acres are identified for designation. In

addition to designation, the plan

amendment, when approved, will guide

BLM programs and management

practices within the ACECs.

DATES: Written comments relating to the

designation of ACECs, management

activities within the ACECs, and the EA

will be taken for the next 60 days.

Comments must be postmarked on or

before July 23, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to

Area Manager, BLM Caballo Resource

Area, 1800 Marquess, Las Cruces, New

Mexico 88005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Timothy M. Murphy, Area Manager,

BLM, Caballo Resource Area at (505)

525–4372, or Mike Howard, Team

Leader, Caballo Resource Area at (505)

525–4348, email mhoward

@nm0151wp.nmso.nm.blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ACECs are

land designations unique to the BLM.

The purpose of ACECs is to recognize,

protect, and manage unique or sensitive

resources or potential hazards to the

public. Each area receives management

or protection based on its unique needs,

in consultation and coordination with

the public. The Caballo Resource Area

has completed an inventory of areas

containing unique or sensitive

biological resources suitable for

designation as ACECs. In addition, the

Resource Area has received nominations

both internally and from the public to

consider several areas as ACECs based

on visual, cultural, and biological

values.

The draft document discusses three

alternatives. Alternative A is the No

Action Alternative. Alternative B is

BLM’s proposal to designate and

manage the five proposed ACECs, and

redesignate one existing ACEC. These

management proposals represent the

highest levels of resource protection and

continued public use. Alternative B is

BLM’s preferred alternative. Alternative

C contains a lower level of protection

designed to address less restrictive

management measures for protection of

the resources of concern in each

proposed ACEC. Some specific

proposals in Alternative C may be more

restrictive. The following is a summary

of the management actions in

Alternative B, the BLM preferred

alternative, for each proposed ACEC.

The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

ACEC is located 30 miles north of

Alamogordo, New Mexico. The area was

nominated to protect and manage

cultural resources. The total area to be

considered is approximately 1,036

acres. Management actions proposed in

the Preferred Alternative include:

acquisition of State trust land through a

cooperative land exchange, acquisition

of private subsurface mineral estate

from a willing seller, issuance of realty

actions subject to protective

stipulations, closure to mineral entry,

improvement and protection of riparian

areas, improvement of recreation

facilities, limiting offroad vehicle use to

existing roads and trails, closing of

county road B031, except for
26204 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 102 / Friday, May 24, 1996 / Notices

administrative and ranch access

following relinquishment by Otero

County, management of fire for

maximum fire suppression and use of

prescribed fire, and fencing of the ACEC

boundary.

The Sacramento Escarpment ACEC is

located 2 miles south of Alamogordo,

New Mexico along the west face of the

Sacramento Mountains. This area is

currently a designated ACEC for the

management of visual resources. This

RMP Amendment proposes to expand

the area to provide for increased

protection and management of visual

resources and an endangered and

sensitive plant community. The existing

ACEC would be expanded to encompass

5,245 acres. Management actions

proposed in the Preferred Alternative

include: limitations or exclusion of new

realty actions (2920 permits), exclusion

of rights-of-way, acquisition of access

easements and private land inholdings

within the ACEC from a willing seller,

closure to all forms of mineral

development, improvement and

protection of riparian areas, permitting

of existing spring developments,

management under Visual Resource

Management Classes I and II, limitation

of off-road vehicle use to designated

roads and trails, closure of

approximately 5 miles of redundant

roads and trails (including closure of

approximately 1⁄4 mile of road in San

Andres Canyon, except for

administrative and ranch pipeline

maintenance access), management of

fire for conditional least-cost

suppression with no surface disturbance

in Visual Class I or arroyo areas.

Prescribed fire could be used for

vegetation management, if needed.

Cornudas Mountain is located 60

miles southeast of Alamogordo, New

Mexico and near the Texas border. The

area was nominated to protect and

manage visual resources, cultural

resources, and sensitive plants. The

total area to be considered is

approximately 850 acres. Management

activities proposed in the Preferred

Alternative include: exclusion of the

area from authorization of rights-of-way,

permitting of other realty actions subject

to protective stipulations, closure to all

forms of mineral development, closure

to vegetation sales, management of

barbary sheep, designation of a BLM

sensitive species, management as Visual

Resource Management Class I,

limitation of off-road vehicle use to

designated roads and trails, allowing

public access to portions of the ACEC by

permit, closure to camping, closure to

the establishment of new roads and

trails, fire management for conditional

least-cost suppression with no surface

disturbance and no use of slurry or

blading in certain areas.

Alamo Mountain is located 61 miles

southeast of Alamogordo, New Mexico

and near the Texas border. The area was

nominated to protect and manage visual

and cultural resources. The total area to

be considered is approximately 2,210

acres. Management actions proposed in

the Preferred Alternative include:

exclusion of the area from authorization

of rights-of-way, permitting of other

realty actions subject to protective

stipulations, closure to all forms of

mineral development, closure to

vegetation sales, management of barbary

sheep, designation of a BLM sensitive

species, management as Visual Resource

Management Class I, closure of the area

to off-road vehicle use, establishment of

a vehicle parking area, closure to

camping in portions of the ACEC, fire

management for conditional least-cost

suppression with no surface disturbance

and no use of slurry or blading in

certain areas.

Wind Mountain is located 64 miles

southeast of Alamogordo, New Mexico

and near the Texas border. The area was

nominated to protect and manage visual

resources, cultural resources, and

unique and sensitive plants and

animals. Total area to be considered is

approximately 2,706 acres. Management

actions proposed in the Preferred

Alternative include: exclusion of the

area from authorization of rights-of-way,

permitting of other realty actions subject

to protective stipulations, closure to all

forms of mineral development (subject

to valid existing rights), closure to

vegetation sales, management of barbary

sheep, designation of a BLM sensitive

species, management as Visual Resource

Management Class I, limitation of offroad vehicle use to existing roads and

trails, fire management for conditional

least-cost suppression with no surface

disturbance and no use of slurry or

blading in certain areas.

The Alkali Lakes area is located 80

miles southeast of Alamogordo, New

Mexico and near the Texas border. This

area was nominated to protect and

manage endangered and sensitive plants

and the plant community in which they

occur. The total area considered is

approximately 6,359 acres. Management

actions proposed in the Preferred

Alternative include: exclusion of the

area from authorization of rights-of-way,

permitting of other realty actions subject

to protective stipulations, acquisition of

State trust land through a cooperative

land exchange, closure to all forms of

mineral development, closure to

vegetation sales, continued management

as Visual Resource Management Class

IV, limitation of off-road vehicle use to

within 30 feet of the center line of

designated roads and trails, closure to

camping and the use of campfires, fire

management for conditional least-cost

suppression with no surface disturbance

and no use of vehicular equipment off

of established roads and trails.

Public participation has occurred

throughout the RMP Amendment

process. A Notice of Intent was filed in

the Federal Register (Vol. 59, No. 73,

Page 18151–18152) on April 15, 1994.

Since that time, several public meetings,

mail-outs, and group briefings were

conducted to solicit comments and

ideas, or familiarize various groups with

the proposal and the BLM planning

process. Comments presented

throughout the process have been

considered in the analysis. Comments

received during this 60-day comment

period will be considered in preparation

of the Proposed White Sands RMP

Amendment and supporting EA. Single

copies of the draft White Sands RMP

Amendment/preliminary FONSI and

supporting EA for the Otero County

ACECs may be obtained from the BLM

Las Cruces District Office, 1800

Marquess, Las Cruces, New Mexico

88005. Public reading copies are

available for review at the BLM State

Office, 1474 Rodeo Rd., Santa Fe, New

Mexico, and public and university

libraries in Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and

Albuquerque, New Mexico, and El Paso,

Texas.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

Josie Banegas,

Acting District Manager, Las Cruces.

[FR Doc. 96–13094 Filed 5–23–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–VC–P

National Park Service

Notice of Intention To Extend Existing

Concession Contracts

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the National Park Service intends to

extend the following concession

contract and permit for a period of

approximately two (2) years through

December 31, 1998: