NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, February 28, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-80 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Rescue

Rangers at Paradise received notification that D.O., 44, of Kent,
Washington, had fractured his ankle while descending the Ingraham Glacier at
the mountain's 13,000-foot level on Sunday, February 26th.  A cooperative
rescue effort was initiated by rangers, Rainier Mountaineering guides, members
of Tacoma Mountain Rescue, and aircraft and crews from the county sheriff's
office and the Army.  D.O. was stabilized, then airlifted from the site by an
Army Chinook helicopter.  [Comm Center, MORA, 2/27]

95-81 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon (California) - Falling Fatality

On February 25th, H.B., 15, of Los Angeles, was killed while descending
from the summit of Big Baldy.  H.B. and three others left the Motecito-
Sequoia Lodge in Sequoia National Forest and skied to Big Baldy.  Just short of
their goal, they removed their skis to walk to the summit.  On the descent,
H.B. slipped and slid about 2,100 feet down a steep slope, sustaining fatal
injuries.  H.B. was participating in a "Naturalists At Large" outdoor
education program for high school students at Montecito-Sequoia.  The accident
is under investigation.  [CRO, SEKI, 2/27]

FIRE ACTIVITY

Ozark (Missouri) - The park and surrounding area have been in extreme fire
danger since February 20th, and park personnel have responded to 15 wildfires
since that date - nine of them on February 25th.  Red flag warnings for low
humidity, record high temperatures and strong southwesterly winds were issued
that day.  Three NPS engines and park personnel were busy responding to the
fires through Saturday and into Sunday, which burned about 46 acres.  The park
also sent six people to assist firefighters in the Mark Twain National Forest. 
The Forest Service and Missouri Department of Conversation have fought several
large fires adjacent to the park during this period.  [Jim Desmond, FMO, OZAR]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

"Reorganization", sent to all employees by Deputy Director Reynolds on February
27th.  The full text follows:

"I am very pleased to provide all employees with the following verbatim copy of
the House Appropriations Committee letter to Secretary Babbitt approving the
NPS reorganization plan (final approval of the plan is dependent on action by
both House and Senate Appropriations Committees; the Senate Committee is still
considering the plan):  

Honorable Bruce Babbitt
Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
Washington, D.C.  20240

Dear Mr. Secretary:

A letter dated January 17, 1995, from George Frampton, Assistant Secretary of
Fish, Wildlife and Parks, proposes a major reorganization plan for the National
Park Service.  The effort was driven by the demands of an expanding system,
higher visitor use and increasing resource protection problems.

The plan would result in the direct downsizing of the headquarters office, it
would establish 16 System Support Offices and reduce the number of field
offices (formally regional offices) from ten to seven.  The proposal's primary
objective is to reduce overhead and administrative costs in the central office
while focusing additional funding and personnel closer to the park resources. 
The proposal attempts to promote a field-oriented organization with delegated
decision making authority to managers in the field.

The Committee understands that implementation of the plan will occur over the
next four years and funding will be addressed not only in the fiscal year 1996
request buy in subsequent years.  The projected completion date is 1999.  

The Committee agrees with the goal of shifting resources and personnel from
central offices to the field.  However, given the size of the federal deficit,
and the recent mandate from the American people to downsize government, the
Committee urges the National Park Service to minimize the costs of the
reorganization plan.

Based on the above understanding, the Committee does not object to the proposed
reorganization.

     Sidney R. Yates                                  Ralph Regula   
     Ranking Minority Member                          Chairman
     Subcommittee on Interior                         Subcommittee on Interior
     and Related Agencies                             and Related Agencies  

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service.  If you would like further
information on any of these hearings or bills, please contact WASO Legislation
at 202-208-3636.

February 28

House Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and
Lands [Hansen]: CANCELED - Hearing on H.R. 629, a bill to authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to participate in the operation of certain visitor
facilities associated with, but outside the boundaries of, Rocky Mountain
National Park.

March 7

Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation (Thomas) and House Resources' Subcommittee on
National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen): Joint hearing on changes to the
National Park Service.

March 9

House Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen):
Hearing on H.R. (unnumbered), Virginia parks bill.

March 15

House Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies [Regula]:
NPS FY96 budget.
-
-
March 23

House Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen):
Markup of H.R. 260, to provide for the development of a plan and management
review of the National Park System and to reform the process by which areas are
considered for addition to the National Park System.

March 28

House Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen):
Hearing on H.R. (unnumbered), heritage area bill.

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

Telephone: 202-208-4874
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