Food storage order

PROHIBITIONS:

1.    Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a), the following is prohibited on the National •Forest System (NFS) lands in the White River National Forest, described below and shown on the attached map incorporated into this Order as Exhibit A (the "Described Areas") from May 15 to October 1, annually. Possessing or storing food - solid or liquid substance that is or may be consumed by any person or animal (including pet and stock food and harvested fish and game but excluding water or hay without additives) - or refuse, including items that may have remnants of or smell like food (such as recycling, empty containers, cooking equipment, or personal care products), unless it is:
•    Possessed or attended by an adult person (18 years old or older) who is physically within 100 feet, awake, and within line-of-sight of the items;
•    Stored in a U.S. Forest Service provided trash, recycling or food storage containers located at a developed recreation site;
•    Stored in a bear-resistant container certified by the lnteragency Grizzly Bear Committee Courtesy Inspection Program;
•    Stored in a closed, locked vehicle where the storage compartment is constructed of solid, non-pliable material without any openings (such as open doors or windows), hinges, lids, or coverings that would allow a bear to gain entry;
•    Stored in a hard-sided building, such as a cabin, with doors and windows closed and secured;
•    Suspended at least 10 feet off the ground at all points and 4 feet horizontally from any supporting tree or pole;
•    Stored or secured by other methods approved by the Forest Supervisor or the District Ranger responsible for the area; or
•    Stored or secured in a container or method approved in a special-use authorization or operating plan.* 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(cc)

Collectively, these methods are "Forest Service-Approved Storage Methods:

2.    Possessing, storing, or transporting any bird, fish, animal, or other parts thereof, unless they are:
•    Possessed or stored according to Forest Service-Approved Storage Methods; and
•    At least 100 yards from any developed recreation site, NFS road or trail, or occupied area. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(s)

EXEMPTIONS:
Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.S0(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1.    Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order or a written determination by a Forest Service authorized officer that a permit is not required under 36 C.F.R. § 251.50(e)(1) or (2).
2.    Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
3.    Any Federal, State, or Local Officer placing baits to capture animals for research or management purposes in the performance of an official duty.

DESCRIBED AREAS:
The Described Areas are the following developed recreation sites and dispersed recreation areas: 
 

PURPOSE 
The purpose of this Order is reducing the risk of adverse interactions between bears and humans to protect wildlife and public safety. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

1.    This Order shall be in effect from May 15, 2024, at 12:00 a.m. through December 31, 2029, at 12:00 a.m., unless rescinded.
2.    For a digital version of this Order, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/whiteriver/ alerts-notices
3.    Unless otherwise expressly defined in this Order, the terms used in this Order are defined by the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture, 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299. If there are terms in this Order that are not expressly defined in the Order or 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299, their meaning shall be determined by their plain language definitions.
4.    A violation of the above prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551; 18 U.S.C.
§    § 3559, 3571, and 3581.
5.    Contact the White River National Forest Supervisor's Office in Glenwood Springs CO, 970-945-3201, for more information about this Order.
6.    This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same or similar acts in the same Described areas.

Signed and issued on April 30, 2024.

Digitally signed:
Heather Noel, April 30, 2024
Acting Forest Supervisor White River National Forest