Off-highway vehicles riders will face fines for venturing off designated routes at Sand Mountain under new regulations sought by the Bureau of Land Management.
The federal agency that oversees management of the popular recreation site east of Fallon tried voluntary restrictions two years ago to protect the rare Sand Mountain blue butterfly. But officials and conservationists say more needs to be done to force compliance.
BLM Associate Field Manager Elayn Briggs says rangers will be ticketing riders who go off designated routes once the new rules are approved and published in the Federal Register.
While the main dune at Sand Mountain would be unaffected by the changes, the designated routes are the same as the existing voluntary routes outside the shrub habitat, which are currently posted.
Information from: Lahontan Valley News, http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
