[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 4467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2312]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Order of Temporary Closure to Non-Authorized Use of Certain
Public Lands in Ward Valley, San Bernardino County, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office.
ACTION: Order of temporary closure to non-authorized uses of public
lands.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This order closes approximately 2,000 acres within Ward
Valley, California to all uses, including but not limited to camping,
motorized vehicle use, recreation, and casual use, unless those uses
are otherwise specifically authorized by the Bureau of Land Management.
This closure does not affect uses authorized by any right-of-way,
permit, or other valid authorization approved by the BLM authorized
officer for the public lands described in this order, except that the
existing protest encampment maintained by the Fort Mojave Tribe under
BLM permit CA-37890 shall be relocated to site E, as described in
permit CA-37890, consistent with the terms provided in permit CA-37890.
No activities authorized by the encampment permit shall be undertaken
outside the cleared area of site E on any lands closed pursuant to this
notice. The closure covers the following public lands:
T. 9. N., R. 19 E., SBM
Sec 22, S\1/2\;
Sec 23, W\1/2\ of SW\1/4\;
Sec 26, W\1/2\ of W\1/2\;
Sec 27, all;
Sec 34, all;
Sec 35, W\1/2\W\1/2\.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The closure will become effective February 13, 1998 and
will remain effective for a period of six months from the effective
date, unless terminated earlier through an order reopening the lands
upon completion of the drilling activities referenced below.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this temporary closure is to
ensure that drilling and related activities to be undertaken by the
Department of the Interior and the California Department of Health
Services pursuant to a decision record issued January 16, 1998, at the
Ward Valley site are carried out under conditions which will ensure
public safety, promote site security, and provide for integrity of the
sampling activities. Authority for this closure may be found in Title
43 Code of Federal Regulations 8364.1. The closure effected by this
order is the minimum necessary for effective law enforcement because it
is the minimum which will allow for control of access from Interstate
40.
This closure was analyzed in environmental assessment CA-069-EA7-
42. The closure is within the scope of the Finding of No Significant
Impacts prepared on EA CA-069-EA7-42. The impacts identified were
temporary and minor.
This order constitutes the final decision of the Department.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Molly Brady, Field Manager, U.S. D.I.,
Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office, 101 West Spikes Road,
Needles, California 92363, tel: (760) 326-7000.
Approved: January 26, 1998.
Bob Armstrong,
Assistant Secretary, Lands and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 98-2312 Filed 1-27-98; 9:02 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
