(a) Caribou calving and post-calving special areas. The Regional Director shall designate within the coastal plain specific caribou calving and post-calving special areas which shall be closed to all exploratory activities for such periods between May 10 and July 15 of each year as those areas are determined by the Regional Director to be used for caribou calving and post-calving or both so as to ensure that exploratory activities do not significantly adversely affect calving and post-calving caribou. No exploratory activities shall be conducted in such designated areas during such periods.

(b) Muskoxen calving special areas. Whenever he deems it necessary or appropriate to ensure that exploratory activities do not significantly adversely affect calving muskoxen, the Regional Director shall designate within the following areas specific areas which shall be closed to all exploratory activities for such periods between April 15 and June 5 of each year as those areas are determined by the Regional Director to be used for muskoxen calving. No exploratory activities shall be conducted in such designated areas during such periods.

(1) One generally encompassing the Tamayariak uplands bordered on the east by the Tamayariak River, on the northwest by the Canning River, on the east by a north-south line intersecting the benchmark “Can”, and on the south by an east-west line also intersecting the benchmark “Can”.

(2) One generally encompassing the Carter Creek uplands, bordered on the east by the Sadlerochit River, on the north by the mainland coastline, on the west by Carter Creek, and on the south by an east-west line approximately six miles inland from the coastline.

(3) One generally encompassing the Niguanak hills, bordered on the east by the Angun River, on the north by the mainland coastline, on the west by a line parallel to and two miles west of the Niguanak River, crossing portions of the Okerokovik River, and extending south to the southern boundary of the coastal plain, and on the south by the southern boundary of the coastal plain.

(c) Brown bear and polar bear denning special areas. Whenever he deems it necessary or appropriate to ensure that exploratory activities do not significantly adversely affect denning bears, the Regional Director shall designate within the coastal plain brown bear and polar bear denning sites within 1⁄2 mile of which all exploratory activities shall be prohibited for such periods between October 1 of one year and April 30 of the following year as are prescribed by the Regional Director.

(d) Snow goose staging special areas. Whenever he deems it necessary or appropriate to ensure that exploratory activities do not significantly adversely affect staging snow geese, the Regional Director shall designate within the general area bordered on the east by the Aichilik River, on the north by the mainland coastline, on the west by the Hulahula River, and on the south by the southern boundary of the coastal plain, specific snow goose staging special areas which shall be closed to all exploratory activities during such periods between August 20 and September 10 of each year as those areas are determined by the Regional Director to be used for snow goose staging. No exploratory activities shall be conducted in such designated areas during such periods.

(e) In addition, the Regional Director may designate specific areas within the coastal plain that are important for other wildlife or that encompass lands the surface estate in which is owned by holders of approved native allotments or the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation as special areas in which exploratory activities may be prohibited, conditioned or otherwise restricted in such manner and for such period as prescribed by the Regional Director to avoid significant adverse effects from exploratory activities.

(f) The Regional Director shall notify the permittee of the locations of designated special areas and of the applicable limitations on its exploratory activities as far in advance of the effective dates of such limitations as is possible. The Regional Director may modify or remove such designations and limitations whenever he determines that they are no longer necessary to protect the resources or values of such special areas from significant adverse effects.

(g) No exploratory activities shall be conducted by any permittee at any time within 1⁄2 mile of the source of the Sadleochit Spring or within 1⁄4 mile on either side of Sadlerochit Spring Creek for a distance of 5 miles downstream from its source.