Glamis Land Closure of 16 AUG 2001

	Glamis Land Closure UPDATE: 16 AUG 2001 More land taken from the public

In order to protect an endangered species of desert tortoise, about 49,000 acres of flatland east of the dunes, around Boardmanville north to Mammoth, has been closed "temporarily" to camping. The area had already been closed to riding.

The closed area is the largest yet in the Glamis area. The action was taken by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) August 8, by directive of the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD).

Ironically, the BLM's Fee Demonstration Program stands to benefit, as the closure affects all free camping areas. Under the Fee Demonstration Program, all street-licensed vehicles parked in the Glamis area must purchase a minimum one-week parking pass at a minimum of $10 -- even if just staying overnight. Campers who could not afford the fee had previously been dislocated to the eastern flatlands by the Fee Demo Program in 1999. In a seeming oversight, no provision exists in the new policy for low-income campers.

According to the directive, the area will remain closed until 3Q 2002, when an administrative decision is expected which will affect the entire recreational area.

19 AUG 2001

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The text of the closure, dated 08 AUG 2001, is as follows:

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CA-670-01-1610-JP-064B, C00-0927 WHA-ADR]

Temporary Closure of Federal Land

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Pursuant to Title 43 Code of Federal Regulations 8364.1, the Bureau of Land Management proposes to temporarily close parts of Federal land in Imperial County to camping to protect the resources, desert tortoise habitat and its associated plants and wildlife. The public land areas described below are approximately 40 square miles of public lands east of Glamis, Imperial County, California.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to temporarily close an area of public land to camping in Imperial County. The area lies east of the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Management Area and is specifically described below. This proposed closure is to provide interim protection for a threatened species, the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizi). By taking this interim action, BLM contributes to the conservation of a threatened species in accordance with Section 7(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C 1536(a)(1). BLM also avoids making any irreversible commitment of resources which would foreclose any reasonable and prudent alternatives which might be required as a result of the consultation on the amendment to the CDCA Plan in accordance with Section 7(d) of ESA, 16 U.S.C 1536(d). The proposed closure would remain in effect until a Record of Decision is signed on the North Eastern Colorado Desert Bio-regional Plan which is anticipated in September 2002.

While the area would be closed to camping, driving on existing routes of travel would still be authorized. In addition, the proposed closure does not apply to private lands within the described area.

The area of the camping closure is a contiguous area described in two parts. Part 1: To the north of State Highway 78 (78), an area bounded on the south by 78, on the west by Ted Kipf Road, on the east by the Union Pacific Railroad tracks (UPRR), and on the north by a connecting line between Ted Kipf Road and the UPRR at a point 12 miles northwest of 78. Part 2: An area north and south of 78, bounded in part to the southwest by the UPRR, to the extreme southeast by Olgilby Road, and to the northeast by the private property of the Mesquite Mine; and further bounded outboard to the north and east to a point of one (1) mile and parallel to the pattern and connections of the following three roads--78, Vista Mine Road, and Ted Kipf.

The Order for closure will be posted in the appropriate BLM Offices and at places near and/or within the area to which the closure or restriction applies (see El Centro Field Office at end of this Notice).

DATES: No sooner than 30-days after publication of this notice, a Federal Register Notice of final decision will be published.

[addendums deleted]