NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Wednesday, October 5, 1994

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

93-513 - Great Smokies (North Carolina/Tennessee) - Follow-up on Fatal MVA

On July 20, 1993, Oconaluftee rangers responded to a motor vehicle accident on
Highway 441 at the entrance to Mingus Mill in which C.M. died from
massive head and chest injuries sustained when she was run over by the right
rear tire of her husband's pickup truck.  Her husband, W.M., reported
that she had jumped from their moving vehicle, but blood found within the truck
contradicted his account of the incident.  An eleven-month investigation
involving the park, the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, the U.S.
Attorney's Office, and the FBI resulted in W.M.'s confession to physically
assaulting his wife and pushing her out of the moving truck.  On September
19th, W.M. entered a plea of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to
ten months' home confinement, two years' probation, and a $450 fine.  Shortly
after the fatal accident, W.M. was involved in a motorcycle accident in which
he sustained injuries that left him paralyzed below the waist.  Home
confinement was granted because of the injury.  [Dave Panebaker, GRSM, 10/4]

94-587 - Pacific Areas - Earthquake

Following the magnitude 8.2 earthquake off northern Japan yesterday morning, a
tsunami alert was issued for coastal areas throughout the Pacific.  As a
consequence, the following actions were taken:

* Hawaii Volcanoes - The Hilina Pali Road was closed and the Chain of
Craters Road was closed at the Kealakomo picnic shelter, thereby barring
access to the current eruption site.  All coastal backcountry trails and
campsites were closed, including Halape, Keauhou, Apua Point, and Kaaha. 
Campers and hikers in those areas were air evacuated to higher ground. 
As of 6 p.m. PDT yesterday, no tsunamis had been reported in the islands,
and it appeared that all danger of a tsunami had passed.

* Alaska - The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for Sitka,
Juneau, Skagway, Haines, and all outlying communities in the area.  Sitka
accordingly evacuated low lying areas, closed schools, and generally
prepared for the worst.  The park office there also closed.  Since high
tide (11 feet) was expected at 12:44 p.m. and the tsunami was expected at
1:03 p.m., there was real potential for serious damage to coastal sites,
but no wave appeared and the alert was canceled.  The state was preparing
to conduct a disaster drill for an earthquake with a tsunami yesterday,
but elected to cancel the exercise because of the bonafide alert.

[Rich O'Guin, ARO, 10/4; Mardie Lane, HAVO, 10/4]

94-588 - Great Basin (Nevada) - Spill

A spill of 20 to 30 gallons of an unknown substance was found at the Summit
trailhead parking area on the afternoon of October 2nd.  The parking area is
being used as a staging point for heavy construction equipment working on the
lot.  Preliminary investigation indicates that the substance is probably
petroleum-based and may be associated with the construction project.  The
contractor and paving subcontractor have refused to accept responsibility for
either the spill or its clean-up.  Arrangements have been made to test the 
contaminated soil.  [Jim Bellamy, CR, GRBA, 10/3]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - II

The national preparedness level has dropped from PL III to PL II.  

2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY

                                                     Tue     Wed    %   Est
State    Area               Fire             IMT     10/4    10/5  Cont Cont

 MT    Kootenai NF      Koocanusa Cx          T2   15,890  15,890   90  10/5

 ID    Boise NF         Thunderbolt           T2   27,348  27,348   80  10/15
       Payette NF       Corral Creek -
                         Blackwell Cx         T1  171,509 171,509   67  10/12
                        Chicken Cx            T1  102,380 102,380   70  10/31

 CA    Kern County      Fort                  --      250   1,000  100  CND

HEADING NOTES:

     Fire     * = newly reported fire (on this report). Cx = complex.
     IMT      T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team.
     % Con    Percent of fire contained.
     Est Con  Estimated containment date.  NEC = no estimated date of
              containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report.

3) FIRES -

                NPS     BIA      BLM     FWS    States     USFS      Total

Number            0       0        0       0        79       30        109
Acres Burned      0       0        0      45       567       48        660

4) COMMITTED RESOURCES -

               Crews     Engines     Helicopters     Airtankers     Overhead

Federal           75        82           23               7            820
Non-federal       14        46           14               0            302

5) SITUATION - Fire activity continues to diminish due to cool temperatures,
high humidities and scattered precipitation.  Demobilization continues at a
steady rate.

6) OUTLOOK - Rain and snow are forecast for most of the West.  Initial attack
and large fire activity is expected to remain low. 

[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/5] 

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Feral Cat Court Case Ruling - On September 29th, the U.S. District Court
judge for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed a case brought against the
Department of Interior, National Capitol Region and George Washington Memorial
Parkway to stop the park from removing a colony of feral cats.  The plaintiffs,
"Alley Cat Allies" (ACA), had attempted to stop the removal of the cats through
restraining orders, but the court denied the requests.  A motion for dismissal
was then filed by the government based on the following four points: 

* the complaint was moot because the program had been completed;

* the agency action was unreviewable because it fell within the
Administrative Procedure Act's "agency discretion" exception;

* the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the Service's actions (ACA
failed to show that they'd suffered injury since they could not own the
cats; if they had, they would have been required to remove the cats
themselves); and

* the NPS program was in all respects a proper discharge of the duties and
responsibilities granted to the Service and its officers by statue and
regulation.

Although the case was not heard by the court and was dismissed by agreement of
both the plaintiffs and the defendants based solely on the first point (that
the case is now moot), the strength of the work submitted by the U.S.
Attorney's Office probably played an important role in the plaintiff's decision
to sign the stipulation to dismiss the case.  Fortunately, no cats were killed
as a result of this particular action.  Colonies of feral cats are increasingly
becoming a problem in many areas of the United States.  Interested parks can
request copies of the motion for dismissal by contacting park resource
management specialist Dan Sealy at 703-285-2598 or on cc:Mail. 

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

CROSS-REFERENCE

The following cc:Mail publications, print newsletters or program bulletin
boards are available to interested employees.  Listings appear monthly. 
Information on other Servicewide or regional newsletters is solicited and
should be sent to this office.

Washington Office

* "The Electric Grapevine", produced weekly by WASO Public Affairs. 
Contents: News from the Washington Office and around the System. 
Contact: Debbie Dortch via cc:Mail (by name) or at 202-208-6843.

* "National Register Bulletin", produced periodically by the Interagency
Resources Division, WASO.  Contents: The bulletin series is a group of
technical publications about the National Register.  The bulletins are
available in print ONLY.  Requesters should send complete mailing
addresses.  Contact: Toni Lee via cc:Mail (by name). 

* "Wildlife and Vegetation Division Monthly Report", produced by WASO
Wildlife and Vegetation Division.  Contents: Up-to-date information on
division activities, programs, deadlines and other matters that affect
resource managers.  Contact: Tim Goddard via cc:Mail (by name).

* "Clear Text", produced intermittently by WASO Ranger Activities Division. 
Contents: Significant divisional program activities, upcoming meetings
and travel, job openings (principally in park ranger divisions), park
ranger operational activities.  Contact: Bill Halainen via cc:Mail (by
name or WASO Ranger Activities).

* "National Green Alert", produced monthly by Servicewide recycling
coordinator, WASO.  Contents: Exchange of ideas and information on solid
waste management and recycling efforts, together with updates on
hazardous waste program.  Ideas and information welcome.  Contact:
National Green Alert INBOX on cc:Mail.

* "Water Resources Division Monthly Report", produced by WASO Water
Resources Division.  Contents: Information on park water resource issues,
division activities, training and travel.  Contact: Judy Rouse via
cc:Mail (by name).

* "Air Quality Division Monthly Report", produced by WASO Air Quality
Division.  Contents: Information on monitoring activity in the parks;
federal state and outreach activities; visibility and biological effects;
permit review and coordination with other federal land managers regarding
air quality issues.  Contact: Diane Diedrichs via cc:Mail (by name), or
at 303-969-2070.

* "Federal Archeology Report", published quarterly by the Archeological
Assistance Division in WASO.  Contents: Each issue features a theme as
well as regular columns on archeological protection, repatriation, public
education, technology, and international news.  Upcoming themes focus on
African Americans and archeology, industrial archeology and illegal
trafficking in artifacts.  Available in print only.  Contact: David
Andrews via cc:Mail (by name).

* "Technical Briefs", published throughout the year by the Archeological
Assistance Division, WASO.  Contents: Past topics have included
sponsoring a state archeology week, training volunteers for field work,
using archeology in the classroom, and the role of archeology in the
National Historical Landmark program.  Available in print only.  Contact:
David Andrews via cc:Mail (by name).

* NPS Curatorial Bulletin Board, managed by WASO Curatorial Services
Division.  Employed to facilitate informal communications between
CSD/WASO, regional curators and field personnel involved or interested in
the management of museum objects and archives.  Provides updates on
special projects, meetings, publications, and other related topics.
Contact: Betty Browning via cc:Mail (by name) or NP-WASO-CSD.

* "Mining and Minerals Branch Monthly Report", produced by the WASO Mining
and Minerals Branch, Land Resources Division.  Contents:  Information on
in-park mineral development issues, including NPS use of sand, gravel and
similar construction materials; federal and state minerals planning and
leasing near parks; coordination with external agencies regarding
adjacent mineral permitting; and abandoned mineral site safety and
reclamation issues.  Contact:  Norma Clark via cc:Mail (by name).

* "Multi-Agency Fire Training Schedule", produced monthly by the Branch of
Fire and Aviation Management, NIFC.  Contents: Listings of all currently-
scheduled wildland fire training courses, with nomination deadlines,
course dates, locations, course coordinators, and phone numbers, and
more.  New inputs by regional fire management staffs.  Contact: Paul
Broyles, Darlene Larrondo, or Sheila Williams via cc:Mail (by name), or
call 208-334-1080.

Regional Offices

* "Southeast Regional Natural Resources and Science Newsletter", produced
monthly by the Natural Resources and Science Office in Southeast Region. 
Contents: Issues of interest to resource managers in Southeast Region. 
Contact: Bob Hickman via cc:Mail (by name at NP-SERO).

* "Morning Line", Southwest Region newsletter, produced by SWRO Public
Affairs.  Contents: Regional activities and employee news in all areas. 
Contact: Sandy Poole at 505-988-6016 or via cc:Mail to SWRO Public
Affairs.

* "DPRP Notes", a monthly newsletter produced by Mid-Atlantic Region
Division of Park and Resource Planning.  Contents: Brief and informative
reports of current and future activities on park planning and special
studies, as well as rivers, trails and conservation assistance and
national rivers and trails program projects in the Mid-Atlantic Region. 
Contact: Delores Mescher via cc:Mail (by name at NPS-MARO).

* "PNR Natural Resource Management News", a monthly bulletin produced by
PNR Division of Resource Management.  Contents: Update on PNR resource
management activities.  Contact: Kathy Jope via cc:Mail (by name at NP-
PNRO).

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
SkyPager:  Emergencies ONLY: 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843