[Federal Register: August 27, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 166)]
[Notices]               
[Page 46935]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27au99-79]                         

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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]
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