(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the noncommercial cutting of live standing timber by local rural residents for appropriate subsistence uses, such as firewood or house logs, may be permitted in Alaska National Wildlife Refuges as follows:

(1) For live standing timber greater than six inches diameter at breast height (4 1/2 feet above ground level), the Refuge Manager may allow cutting in accordance with the specifications of a special use permit if such cutting is determined to be compatible with the purposes for which the refuge was established;

(2) For live standing timber between three and six inches diameter at breast height, cutting is allowed on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge south of latitude 68 degrees North and on the Innoko, Kanuti, Koyukuk, Nowitna, Selawik, Tetlin, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges unless restricted by the Refuge Manager, except that no more than 20 trees may be cut annually by an individual without a special use permit, no cutting may be done within 50 feet of a stream, lake, or river and no more than one tree in five (20%) may be cut in any specific stand; on the remainder of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and on all other Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, the Refuge Manager may allow cutting in accordance with the specifications of a special use permit if such cutting is determined to be compatible with the purposes for which the refuge was established;

(3) For live standing timber less than three inches diameter at breast height, cutting is allowed unless restricted by the Refuge Manager.

(b) The noncommercial gathering by local rural residents of fruits, berries, mushrooms, and other plant materials for subsistence uses, and the noncommercial gathering of dead or downed timber for firewood, shall be allowed without a permit.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the Refuge Manager, after notice and public hearing in the affected vicinity and other locations as appropriate, may temporarily close all or any portion of an Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to subsistence uses of a particular plant population only if necessary for reasons of public safety, administration, or to assure the continued viability of such population. For purposes of this section, the term “temporary” shall mean only as long as reasonably necessary to achieve the purpose of the closure.

(2) If the Refuge Manager determines that an emergency situation exists and that extraordinary measures must be taken for public safety or to assure the continued viability of a particular plant population, the Refuge Manager may immediately close all or any portion of an Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to the subsistence uses of such population. Such emergency closure shall be effective when made, shall be for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, and may not subsequently be extended unless the Refuge Manager establishes, after notice and public hearing in the affected vicinity and other locations as appropriate, that such closure should be extended.

(3) Notice of administrative actions taken pursuant to this section, and the reasons justifying such actions, shall be published in at least one newspaper of general circulation within the State and in at least one local newspaper if available, and information about such actions and reasons therefor also shall be made available for broadcast on local radio stations in a manner reasonably calculated to inform local rural residents in the affected vicinity. All closures shall be designated on a map which shall be available for public inspection at the office of the Refuge Manager of the affected refuge and the post office or postal authority of every affected community within or near the refuge, or by the posting of signs in the vicinity of the restrictions, or both.