[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 13441]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6575]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT-030-99-1610-00]
Land Use Restrictions: Utah; Grand Staircase-Escalante National
Monument; Off-Highway Vehicle Use
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of a temporary closure to off-highway vehicle use for
protection of the Kodachrome Bladder Pod (Lesquerella tumulosa)
endangered plant species near Kodachrome Basin, Utah.
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SUMMARY: This notice closes approximately 3,062 acres to off-highway
vehicle (OHV) use, with one designated route within the closed area.
OHV access on the designated route, Rock Springs Bench Road, will
remain open. Access and use on private land are not affected by this
closure. The legal descriptions for the closed area is: All of T38S
R02W Sections 23, 22, 21 and the parts of T38S R02W Sections 15, 16,
and 17 that are within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
boundaries. Temporary fencing and signing may be used as necessary to
facilitate this action. The authority for this action is 43 CFR 8341.2.
DATES: This closure will begin immediately and remain in effect pending
completion of a Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management
Plan, which is expected to be completed by the fall of 1999.
ADDRESSES: Copies of maps are available at the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Office,
337 S. Main, Suite 010, Cedar City, Utah, 84720.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Leatherman, Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument Office, at (435) 865-5107.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 3,062 acre habitat includes the area
near Kodachrome Basin State Park. The Bladder Pod was listed as an
endangered plant species on October 6, 1993. Most of the area is
currently designated as open to OHV use as documented in the Paria
Management Framework Plan completed in 1981. Under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, BLM is required to protect the habitat for all
listed species. Monitoring plots were established in 1997 to determine
changes in the population. In 1998, when these plots were visited,
mortality from OHV use was documented. An interdisciplinary team was
assigned to review the protection requirements and determine
appropriate actions to protect this population. The team determined
impairment was occurring and that closure of the area was appropriate
to protect this species. Therefore, BLM is temporarily closing the area
to OHV use. The Rock Springs Bench Road, a designated OHV access route,
will remain open. Access and use on private lands in the area is not
affected by these restrictions.
G. William Lamb,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 99-6575 Filed 3-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P
