Establishment of Supplementary Rules; Lane County, OR

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[OR-93-6332-5: GP4-186]

Establishment of Supplementary Rules; Lane County, OR

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of establishment of supplementary rules.

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SUMMARY: The Eugene District, Bureau of Land Management, hereby

establishes supplementary rules for use of those public lands included

in the Row River Trail and adjoining facilities in the South Valley

Resource Area, Eugene District, Lane County, Oregon. These

supplementary rules are intended to protect public land facilities and

provide for public safety for the Row River Trail, a rails-to-trails

conversion project near the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon. The BLM is

accepting the donation of the former railroad as a non-motorized trail

from Willamette Industries, Inc., as partial settlement of a debt owed

to the United States. Upon acceptance of the trail and associated

properties by the United States, the donated land will be available for

public use. These rules are designed to reduce the potential for damage

to the trail by unauthorized motor vehicle traffic and to enhance the

safety of trail visitors and neighboring residents. A ``Notice of

proposed establishment of supplementary rules'' was published in the

Federal Register on April 22, 1994 (59 FR 19204) and provided for a

thirty day comment period that ended May 23, 1994. Four letters were

received, containing two substantive comments. One comment objected to

the prohibition against the possession of firearms on the trail. The

writer felt that a prohibition against discharge of firearms would be

sufficient and that visitors should be allowed to carry firearms for

self-defense. It was decided to retain the restriction against weapons,

including firearms, to reduce the potential for misunderstanding of

rules by trail users and to help protect people both on and off the

trail from accidental injury. Another comment objected to the

prohibition against motorized vehicles on the grounds that this would

exclude disabled visitors from using all-terrain vehicles or motorized

wheelchairs on the trail. The rule does allow use of motorized vehicles

authorized by BLM, which could include disabled visitor's motorized

wheelchairs or specialty all-terrain vehicles on a case-by-case basis.

Each situation would need to be evaluated with regard to the potential

for such use to damage the trail or the surrounding environment.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Terry Hueth, South Valley Area

Manager, Eugene District Office, P.O. Box 10226, Eugene, Oregon 97440-

2226.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Williams, 503-683-6600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority for the establishment of these

supplemental rules is contained in 43 CFR 8365.1-6. A map showing the

location of the lands subject to the supplementary rules is available

in the Eugene District Office. Upon acceptance of title to the subject

lands, the Eugene District will prepare a Recreation Area Management

Plan for the Row River Trail with opportunity for public involvement.

After completion of the plan, the supplementary rules will be reviewed

and revised, if appropriate, to conform to the provisions of the final

plan.

DATES: These supplementary rules will become effective upon publication

in the Federal Register, unless title to the former Oregon Pacific &

Eastern Railroad lands and other lands on or adjoining the Row River

Trail has not yet been accepted by the United States, in which case the

supplementary rules will become effective upon the date of acceptance

of title by the United States.

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Eugene District,

Bureau of Land Management, establishes supplementary rules for the Row

River Trail and adjoining facilities as follows:

1. Use or operation of motor vehicles is prohibited on the trail

and on adjoining public lands except on those roads and parking areas

specifically constructed for motor vehicle use. Motor vehicles being

used by duly authorized emergency response personnel, including police,

ambulance and fire suppression, as well as BLM vehicles engaged in

official duties and other vehicles authorized by BLM, are excepted.

2. Possession, use and/or discharge of any weapons, including

firearms, air guns, slingshots, or other projectile launching devices,

on or across the trail and associated facilities is prohibited.

3. Use and/or occupancy (including leaving personal property

unattended) of the trail and trailhead facilities between one half hour

after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise is prohibited without a

special permission of the authorized officer.

4. Glass containers and alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the

trail and adjoining facilities.

5. Campfires or other open flame fires are prohibited throughout

the trail and associated facilities. Charcoal cooking fires will be

allowed in fire receptacles if and when they are provided in picnic

areas.

6. No person shall, unless otherwise authorized, bring any animal

onto the trail or adjoining public lands unless such animal is on a

leash not longer than six feet and secured to a fixed object or under

control of a person, or is otherwise physically restricted at all

times.

Date of Issue: June 1, 1994.

Judy Ellen Nelson,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 94-13756 Filed 6-6-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-33-M