[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 166 (Friday, August 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 46935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22270]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[ID-036-1210-00]
Notice of Recreation Use Restrictions and Regulations for Egin
Lakes Access and Red Road Recreation Sites Adjacent and Within the Sand
Mountain Wilderness Study Area (WSA), Idaho
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of recreation use restrictions for Egin Lakes Access and
Red Road recreation sites adjacent and within the Sand Mountain WSA,
Idaho.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given in accordance with Title 43 Group 8000-
Recreation Programs, and in accordance with the principles established
by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, that certain lands located in and
adjacent to the Sand Mountain WSA which includes the area known as the
St. Anthony Sand Dunes Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) in
Fremont and Jefferson Counties, Idaho have recreation use restrictions
placed upon them. Actions are implemented under the authority of 43 CFR
8364.
DATES: Effective date: September 1, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Bureau of Land Management, Upper Snake River District, Idaho
Falls Field Office, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401,
telephone (208) 524-7500.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The WSA is 21,000 acres of public land that
has current vehicle and recreation use restrictions within it that were
established through the Federal Register on August 13, 1992. Both the
WSA and SRMA are within the Egin-Hamer Winter Seasonal Closure Area
established through the Federal Register on December 16, 1997.
Recreation use in the SRMA has increased nearly 1000% from an
estimated 14,000 visits in FY84 to over 136,000 visits in FY 98. The
Egin Lakes Access Site alone recorded over 72,000 visits in which over
20,000 visitors were campers using the undeveloped camping area or the
developed parking lot to camp. Use along the Red Road where there are
numerous undeveloped recreation sites recorded over 24,000 visits in
which over 2000 visitors were overnight campers.
Open campfire sites inside the Sand Mountain WSA but outside the
Red Road Open Sand Campfire Area have increased tremendously in the
last few years, especially around major access routes onto the open
sand and around Dry Lake Bed (Hidden Lake) causing degradation of the
natural values of the area. The last few years have also had non-
traditional dispersed recreation uses occur on Hidden Lake which is a
dry lake bed in the winter but has water throughout the spring, summer,
and fall seasons. Snowmobile and Personal Water Craft users have been
using the lake in the summer for water craft skimming. This activity
has created safety problems for other recreation users along the lake
shore and in the water. The development of the Egin Lakes access has
created large gatherings of young individuals to the area. These
gatherings have contributed to large beer and alcohol parties at the
recreation site. Both drug and alcohol use by underage users has been
documented at this site and other concentrated recreation use area
within the St. Anthony Sand Dunes Special Recreation Management Area.
To reduce the litter and debris left in the recreation sites and
areas along the Red Road and Egin Lakes access, and to reduce the
safety hazard presented by alcohol use the following restriction will
be in effect: (1) No Person under the age of twenty-one (21) shall
possess or consume any alcoholic beverage, as defined by Idaho Code
Title 23-105, on Public lands in the St. Anthony Sand Dunes Special
Recreation Management Area.
Maps of the areas where the restriction will apply will be
available at the Idaho Falls Field Office. Signs with the rules and
regulations for the SRMA will be posted at entrances into the WSA as
well as at the recreation sites and areas. The new restriction will be
incorporated into the existing St. Anthony Sand Dunes and Sand Mountain
WSA information flyer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Boggs, Bureau of Land Management,
Upper Snake River District, Idaho Falls Field Office, 1405 Hollipark
Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401, (208) 524-7527.
Dated: August 17, 1999.
Joe Kraayenbrink,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 99-22270 Filed 8-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GG-P
