RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Wednesday, December 16, 1992

Release:   0800 EDT

INCIDENTS

92-642 - East Coast Areas - Follow-up on Winter Storm 

Additional information has been received on the impact of the storm on East
coast areas:

* Gateway (New York) - Park personnel are conducting interim cleanup
operations and refining damage assessments.  New appraisals indicate that
damage figures will be significantly higher than first estimated.  The park
staff is focusing on four main areas in the assessment process - erosion,
cleanup, replacement and rehabilitation/restoration.  Local electric
companies were to have restored power to Sandy Hook by yesterday evening. 
Employees there are currently utilizing generators as a power source.  Staff
from the regional engineering, maintenance and cultural resource
preservation offices are assisting in conducting damage evaluations.  A
four-person Park Police detail has been dispatched to Sandy Hook and will
remain on duty there for the next two weeks.

* Fire Island (New York) - Some trees were lost at the William Floyd estate
and there was some minor windblown rain damage to the front of the house. 
No further information is yet available on the status of park housing and
coastal areas.

* Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - A six-person crew has been dispatched to the
park to deal with roof damage to the Highland House, which is much more
extensive than first reported.  The crew is expected to complete work by
Friday.

* Morristown (New Jersey) - The park suffered a power outage in the New
Jersey Brigade area.  As a result, nine park employees who live in
government housing have been without electricity, hot water and heat since
Friday.  The local power company has assessed the problem and determined it
will take additional expertise to resolve.  Crews have been pulled off that
job to deal with emergencies along the coast, and it is unclear when power
will be restored.

* Fort Necessity/Friendship Hill (Pennsylvania) - The parks received nearly
two feet of snow and were closed on Thursday.  Fort Necessity remained
closed on Friday, but Friendship Hill opened with limited services.  The
parks lost electrical power on Saturday.  A special event was canceled at
Mount Washington Tavern and rescheduled for this coming weekend.

[John Lynch, RAD/NARO; Superintendents of GATE, FIIS, MORR and FONE/FRHI;
12/15]

92-647 - Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii) - Hazardous Environment

U.S. Geological Survey employees conducting tests at the eruption site with
representatives from the American Lung Association on December 10th noted
that there were periods of high concentrations of hydrochloric acid atomized
in the air at one of the primary viewing areas for the current eruption. 
The concentrations were high enough to conceivably exceed the eight-hour
exposure limits OSHA has set for such environments, so employees have been
issued respirators for use when fumes are strong enough to cause irritation. 
The park will initiate a study to test employee exposure levels at various
work sites in the eruption area.  Adjustments will then be made in schedules
and assignments to keep exposure within OSHA limits.  Atomized hydrochloric
acid can cause eye, nose and upper respiratory inflammation.  Employees
reporting these symptoms are being referred to doctors for medical
attention.  [Jim Martin, CR, HAVO, 12/14]

92-648 - Northwest Areas (Alaska) - Hunting Convictions

In September, 1991, rangers on routine hunting patrol in Noatak spotted a
Dall sheep carcass from the air near Kingaviksak Mountain and the Kugururok
River.  The sheep's horns and hide had been removed, but it had not been
gutted and none of its meat had been taken.  The rangers landed at a nearby
camp and learned that there were three hunters in the area who had taken
several animals, including moose, sheep, brown bear and caribou.  Observing
no violations in camp, they departed and called a state trooper to report
their observations.  When the hunting party arrived in Kotzebue, they were
met by the trooper.  B.S., a 28-year-old associate pastor with a
church in Anchorage, and his father, a 59-year-old construction worker from
Salem, Oregon, were charged with several hunting violations, including
transportation and possession of moose antlers and sheep horns without meat
and wanton waste of meat.  On August 12th, the S.'s pleaded no contest to
the charges; they were fined $500 each, had their hunting licenses suspended
throughout the United States for two years, were sentenced to two years
probation, and were required to forfeit all animal parts.  B.S. was
also ordered to spend 20 days in jail.  [Warren Rigby, CR, NWAK, 12/11]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Adjustments to FY93 Operations Budget - Director Ridenour sent the
following memorandum to all Regional Directors this morning.  The list of
operational adjustments will follow as a separate file on cc:Mail, and is
attached to locally distributed copies of the Morning Report:

Thank you for your prompt response to my call to analyze the operating
budget shortfalls for the parks.  Given the situation as presented to me, I
felt we had to take immediate action or we could not expect to realize the
savings that are going to be necessary.

Attached is a list of the more significant savings measures you have
submitted to me.  I approve these measures in concept with the understanding
that these adjustments may need to be modified as we move further into the
fiscal year.  These decisions are best made at the park level but I want
each major decision to be approved at the regional level.  I leave it to
your judgement on any decisions that should come to the Washington level for
review.

As you know, in addition to what you are doing in the parks, I have frozen
hiring at the Washington and regional levels.  I would call my action a
"flexible freeze" in that I know there are positions that must be filled in
order for operations to continue.)

You may take action to curtail hiring, defer maintenance and delay equipment
purchases at the park level if you believe it necessary to stay within
budget.  The protection of our park resources and the health and safety of
our visitors must take first priority.

If you have major additions or deletions to your present plans, contact Jack
Davis before making the change so we can coordinate with appropriate
Washington Office personnel and the committees of Congress.

Make sure you or your Superintendents communicate your plans as broadly as
possible.  The congressional delegations should be alerted as well as State
and local interest groups.  Our public information offices are going to need
to stay right on top of this issue as individuals and professional travel
planners from around the world need to know if we are going to make any
changes that might significantly alter their plans.

Do not miss this opportunity to learn something positively or negatively
about visitor use patterns during this time.  We may find that some areas
should routinely be closed on a seasonal basis.

Thanks for your help.  Let's closely monitor this situation as the year
progresses.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady at Branch of R&VP annual planning meeting (12/1512/16).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: All staff at annual planning
meeting (12/15-12/16).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Update pending.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

cc:Mail     Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation

TENTATIVE FY 1993 SERVICEWIDE OPERATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS


ALASKA REGION

No park closures are proposed in the Alaska Region due to the budget
shortfall.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION

Independence NHP will continue with their previously approved closures of
nine buildings for various lengths of time.  However, since their initial
announcement of the closures on November 20, the regional office has
committed $20,000 to the park.  This will allow for the extended summer
hours of visitation for the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

Shenandoah NP's modified proposal includes the closing of Mathews Arm
Campground for calendar year 1993, delaying the opening of the Big Meadows
Campground from March 1 until May 28, 1993, closing Camp Hoover for calendar
year 1993 and a reduction in visitor center hours with consolidation of
interpretive programs.

Friendship Hill NHS will be closed 2 days a week for FY 1993.  The Gallatin
House has fully opened to the public only recently now that the restoration
is virtually complete.

Fort Necessity NB will close 2 days per week for FY 1993.

MIDWEST REGION

Apostle Islands - Close least-used campsites on outer islands in September
rather than October.  

Close Little Bay Sand Contact Station 30 percent of the season.

Pictured Rocks - Close Grand Sable Visitor Center and Maritime Museum for 4
weeks.

Sleeping Bear Dunes - Will not open new amphitheater at Platte River
Campground.

Voyageurs - Close Ash River Visitor Center approximately 38 percent during
the summer months.

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

District of Columbia

National Mall and downtown monuments and memorials.  The tree removal and
replacement program throughout in East and West Potomac Parks and the
smaller downtown Federal parks will be curtailed.

Rock Creek Park - Rock Creek Nature Center will only be open Wednesday
through Sunday instead of daily.

Maryland

C&O Canal National Historical Park, Great Falls to Cumberland, Maryland.

Historic restoration work will cease on the Four Locks School which was
slated to become a heritage community center.

Glen Echo Park - repairs to a leaky roof and a new exterior paint job on the
historic carrousel will be deferred.

Oxon Hill Farm - all special seasonal events and weekend demonstrations such
as sheep shearing, corn planting and the country music program have been
canceled.

Virginia

Arlington House, the Home of Robert E. Lee - scheduled maintenance and
repair work on the stucco exterior of the historic home will not be funded,
nor will funds be available to marbleize the classic columns of the portico
overlooking Arlington Cemetery.

George Washington Memorial Parkway - maintenance of floral displays along
the parkway will be reduced along with mowing schedules.

Bike patrols along the 18-mile long Mount Vernon bicycle-pedestrian trail
will be eliminated during winter and reduced to weekend only operation at
other times of the year.

The deteriorated seawall at Belle Haven Marina will not be replaced.

The visitor contact station at Turkey Run Park will be eliminated and
restrooms closed.

Prince William Forest Park - the park visitor center may have to be closed 2
days per week for a portion of the year.

Major preservation work on all the historic cabin and mess halls, which are
grouped into five Cabin Camp sites for group use, will have to be deferred.

The park's environmental education program for about 5,000 area school
children will be delayed for at least 1 year.

West Virginia

Harpers Ferry NHP - several historic buildings in the old town area and the
administration building will not get new roofs as planned.

NORTH ATLANTIC REGION

Springfield Armory National Historic Site will close museum on Mondays
between January 4 and Memorial Day.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION

Craters of the Moon NM visitor center will be closed on Martin Luther King
Day and President's Day.

Mount Rainier NP will not groom and staff the "Snow Play" area at Paradise.

North Cascades NP - Colonial Creek Campground (190 sites) and Hozomeen
Campground (140 sites) will only operate between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The Stehekin Shuttle Bus service will be cut by reducing the number of vans
rented from GSA and a number of interpreters and drivers hired.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION

Bighorn Canyon NRA  (parkwide) - 50 percent reduction in number of seasonal
law enforcement rangers hired and 50 percent reduction in number of seasonal
interpretive rangers hired.

North Unit - no lifeguards at Ok-A-Beh and Fort Smith Visitor Center closed
weekdays during winter and early spring.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NM - limiting snowplow effort on South Rim and
seasonal closure of small Gunnison Point Visitor Center.

Bryce Canyon NP - cease snowplowing on roads to Bryce and Inspiration
Points.

Curecanti NRA - 21 percent of seasonal staff will be cut.

Devils Tower NM - visitor center will open 1 month later.

Glacier NP - reduce seasonal bear management and eliminate fall maintenance
work.

Glen Canyon NRA - close three campgrounds (Wahweap, Bullfrog, Halls Crossing
from December 15 - March 15), close Bullfrog Visitor Center and ground the
"Goose"--amphibious aircraft.

Mesa Verde NP - operate Wetherill Mesa from Memorial Day to Labor Day only
and Far View Visitor Center would be cut 4 weeks in the spring and 1-1/2
weeks in the fall.

Rocky Mountain NP - reduced hours of operation for park facilities including
entrance stations and visitor centers and the opening of Fall River Road to
be deferred.

Timpanogos Cave NM - reduce operating season at the cave.

SOUTHEAST REGION

In some parks it will be necessary to shorten camping seasons, cancel
interpretive programs or close visitor centers earlier in the day.  Will
consider closing lesser-used parks on certain holidays.

Alabama

Horseshore Bend NMP, Russell Cave NM and Tuskegee Institute NHS will meet
budget reductions by trimming seasonal jobs and cutting back on interpretive
talks and programs.

Florida 

Canaveral NS and Fort Matanzas NM will reduce operating hours.  Gulf Islands
NS will eliminate some summer lifeguard jobs.  Other parks such as Castillo
de San Marcos NM, Dry Tortugas NP, De Soto and Fort Caroline National
Memorials and Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve will reduce
interpretive programs.  Three parks in south Florida -- Everglades NP,
Biscayne NP and Big Cypress NP already are operating at reduced visitor
levels due to damages from Hurricane Andrew.

Georgia

Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP, also in Tennessee, will limit weekend
interpretive programs in the off season.  Fort Pulaski NM will cut back
summer operating hours of its visitor center.  Kennesaw Mountain NBP will
cancel anniversary programs and reduce summer operating hours for the
visitor center.

Kentucky

Mammoth Cave NP will close two campgrounds from December through February. 
Cumberland Gap NHP will delay opening of seasonal picnic areas and reduce)
visitor shuttle service to Hensley Settlement.

Mississippi

Reduced roadside mowing, litter pickup and cutbacks in other maintenance
services are planned at Natchez Trace Parkway, which also extends into
Alabama and Tennessee. 

North Carolina

Cape Hatteras NS might be forced to close Salvo Campground.  The park also
may eliminate summer lifeguard jobs at three beaches.  No closings are
planned for the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia, but
seasonal employment will be reduced or curtailed. 

Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains NP, also in North Carolina, will terminate its exotic
wild hog reduction program.  Fort Donelson NB may close the historic Dover
Hotel to visitors.

Puerto Rico

Seasonal maintenace jobs will be eliminated at San Juan NHS.

Virgin Islands

Would cut back on seasonal workers and leave permanent positions unfilled at
Virgin Islands NP, Christiansted NHS and Buck Island Reef NM.

SOUTHWEST REGION

Capulin Volcano NM - close road to crater rim from January 1, 1993 through
March 15, 1993.

Carlsbad Caverns NP - close Slaughter Canyon Cave to visitor use from
December 15, 1992 through March 15, 1993.

Chickasaw NRA - close Central and Guy Sandy Campgrounds all year, close the
last loop of Rock Creek Campground all year and close Point Campground April
5 through September 30.

WESTERN REGION

Coronado NM - close visitor center for seven holidays.

Death Valley NM - extending the normal seasonal closures of the Texas
Spring, Sunset, Stovepipe Wells and Emigrant Campgrounds.

Lassen Volcanic NP - Butte Lake Campground water system will remain closed
throughout FY 1993.

Lava Beds NM - close visitor center 3 days-a-week and close campground
Monday through Thursday.

Petrified Forest NP - reduce hours at Painted Desert VC, Rainbow Forest
Museum.

Point Reyes NS - Bear Valley Visitor Center will be closed 2 days per week,
May - September.

Santa Monica Mountains RA - close Happy Hollow Campground from January -
April.  Visitor center will remain closed on holidays and Sundays.

Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP - reduce hours at visitor centers and seasonal
closure of some campgrounds.

Tonto NM - curtail guided weekend tours to the upper and lower ruins.

Whiskeytown NRA - close group reservation areas, reduce hours at visitor
information center and increase closure of one swim beach area.

Yosemite NP - depending on weather conditions, defer opening of Tioga Road
in the spring, reduce visitor center hours, decrease coverage of information
stations and seasonally close some campgrounds in outlaying areas.