RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Tuesday, April 25, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-73 - Cape Cod - Oil Spill

An oil slick was discovered along 3 1/2 miles of the seashore's beaches on
the 21st. The thick, brown oil clumped in globules along the high tide line
and stretched from the southern tip of Coast Guard Beach to Nauset Light
Beach. Most of the oil had settled in a swath no more than a yard wide, and
the globules were the size of nickels, dimes and quarters. Two volunteer
groups of about 75 people joined Coast Guardsmen and park staff in racking
up the oil, shoveling it into plastic bags and removing it from the beaches.
The Coast Guard Marine Safety Office has taken overall responsibility for
the spill and is working closely with the park to remedy the situation. As
of late Sunday, the Coast Guard had boarded 17 of 24 ships which passed the
Cape over the 24 hour time period prior to the spill to take samples and
attempt to identify the responsible party. The Coast Guard believes that
the oil was dumped intentionally and hopes to trace the oil back to the ship
through its "fingerprint". Samples from the spill site and from each vessel
boarded will be compared at the Coast Guard's research and development
center. (Dennis Burnett, DR, CACO).

89-74 - New River - Visitor Fatality

On the morning of April 23rd, R.L.R., 40, of Charlestown, West
Virginia, was hit and killed by a train while backpacking with three friends
along railroad tracks four miles from Thurmond. R.L.R., who was deaf, did
not see the train and could not hear his companions' warning shouts. None
of the other three people was hurt. (Rick Brown, NERI, via Ginny Paci,
RAD/MARO).

89-75 - C & O Canal - Conviction for Resource Violation

On April 18th, a federal judge sentenced 45-year-old I.F. of Potomac,
Maryland, to 15 days in jail and fined him $20,000 for cutting down 138
trees in the park in order to get a view of the Potomac River. I.F. had
been convicted earlier this year of destruction of government timber, a
misdemeanor, and disposing of government property, a felony. I.F. bought
his house in 1982. Despite discussions with the park about what timber
could be cut, I.F. hired a tree service company in 1985 to cut down the
trees, valued at more than $30,000. I.F. and his wife later listed the
house and four acres for sale, advertising it as having a river view. The
house, which has not been sold, was assessed in 1986 for $381,510. I.F.
was also ordered to serve two years' probation and perform 300 hours of
community service. (Alex Dominguez, Associated Press).

FIRE ACTIVITY

No fire activity of any significance reported this morning.

STAFF STATUS

Ringgold and Healy at regional chief rangers' meeting in El Paso through
Friday, Hodapp in Denver through Friday, Loach in Atlantic City at MARO
NPS-53 training course through Friday. Butch Farabee is acting chief
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
FTS 343-4874/4875 or 202-343-4874/4875