| | BLM Proposes Supplementary Rules for Public Land in Oregon and Washington
Sep 21, 2009The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office is proposing supplementary rules for public lands within the States of Oregon and Washington. This includes rules specific to the Juniper Dunes OHV Area.[Federal Register: September 21, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 181)]
[Notices]
[Page 48096-48099]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21se09-68]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWO120900-L10200000-PA0000; HAG-08-0212]
Proposed Supplementary Rules for Public Land in Oregon and Washington
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed Supplementary Rules on Public Land in Oregon and Washington.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office is proposing supplementary rules for public lands within the States of Oregon and Washington. These supplementary rules revise existing supplementary rules and will apply to all BLM-managed lands within the States of Oregon and Washington. These revisions are necessary in order to protect public land natural resources and provide for the public's health and safety, provide needed guidance in the areas of special forest products and recreation, allow for the assessment of penalties that are commensurate with the magnitude of prohibited acts, and promote consistency between the BLM and other natural resource agencies.
DATES: Comments on the proposed supplementary rules must be received or postmarked by November 20, 2009, to be assured consideration. In developing final supplementary rules, the BLM is not obligated to consider comments postmarked or received in person or by electronic mail after this date.
ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-deliver comments to the Office of Law Enforcement, BLM, Oregon State Office, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208. You may also comment via the Internet e-mail address: ORWA_Prop_Rule@blm.gov. Include ``Attn: Law Enforcement'' in your subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Roop, Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Oregon State Office, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208, telephone (503) 808-6410. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the hearing impaired (TDD) may contact this individual by calling the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will receive a reply during business hours.
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Supplementary rules are also necessary to address the Juniper Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle/All Terrain Vehicle (OHV/ATV) area. In the spring of 2007, the BLM obtained an easement for public access to the Juniper Dunes OHV/ATV area in Franklin County, which is located in southeast Washington State. The BLM undertook a planning process for parking areas and an informational kiosk. At that time, BLM determined that rules were needed for the area.
The number of visitors to the Juniper Dunes OHV area has increased steadily. Since the 1980s, the number of unofficial, privately-owned OHV areas in southeast Washington State has decreased because many have been converted to commercial or residential purposes. Another factor has been improved public access to the Juniper Dunes due to the BLM's acquisition of an easement. The BLM has observed not only increasing numbers of visitors to the Juniper Dunes, but also increased numbers of accidents involving OHVs. The planning process revealed a need to add to the existing safety protocols in order to reduce the incidence and severity of accidents at the Juniper Dunes.
In May 2007, the BLM posted temporary rules at the Dunes and in the Spokane BLM office. These rules were based on safety concerns, were modeled on the State of Washington's OHV/ATV regulations, and were intended to reduce conflicts with and damage to adjacent private lands. These proposed supplementary rules for the Juniper Dunes OHV/ATV area would replace the temporary rules which have successfully reduced safety issues and user/resident conflicts.
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4. Juniper Dunes OHV/ATV Use Area
(a) You must wear an industry approved safety helmet when operating a motorcycle or OHV/ATV on all BLM lands or lands leased by the BLM and roads within the Juniper Dunes area.
(b) You must not carry a passenger when operating a motorcycle or ATV/OHV on BLM public lands unless the ATV/OHV is designed by the manufacturer to carry a passenger.
(c) You must not operate a motorcycle or ATV/OHV without a safety flag while on BLM lands in the Juniper Dunes. All such vehicles must have a whip mast and a 6 inch x 12 inch red/orange safety flag. Flags may be of pennant, triangle, square, or rectangular shape. Safety flags must be attached within 10 inches of the tip of the whip mast with club or other flags mounted below the safety flag or on another whip. Masts must be a minimum of 6 feet in height/length or industry standard height/length.
(d) You must not operate a motorcycle or ATV/OHV without a safety flag on the Peterson Road, Juniper Road, Smith Canyon Road, and Wilderness Road. Safety flags are not required for street-legal four wheeled passenger vehicles on those roads.
(e) You must not race or drive recklessly or carelessly on Peterson Road, Juniper Road, Smith Canyon Road, or Wilderness Road.
(f) You must not use wood pallets for any type of fire on BLM public lands or roads in the Juniper Dunes area.
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Read the entire notice at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-22608.htm Proposed Supplementary Rules for Public Land in Oregon and Washington - FR notice 9/21/09 [details] Juniper Dunes BLM OR - Spokane District |
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