NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, December 14, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-775 - Pacific Western Area Parks - Storm Damage

The strong storm which struck the Pacific coast from California to Washington
on Tuesday produced very heavy rains and winds of near hurricane force, with
gusts at some locations exceeding 100 mph.  Reports on the storm's impacts have
been received from several parks:

* Golden Gate - The park was closed on Tuesday and will remain closed until
further notice.  The closure affects such areas as Alcatraz Island, the
Presidio, Muir Woods, Marin Headlands, Fort Point, Fort Funston, and Fort
Mason.  Heavy rains and high winds have caused significant damage
throughout the park.  Over 100 trees are reported down; many have fallen
on buildings, live power lines, vehicles, roads and trails.  Many
buildings have been damaged and were still without utilities yesterday. 
The park is managing this incident through ICS.  About 150 employees were
engaged in efforts to reopen portions of the park yesterday.  Storm
conditions were continuing at the time of the report and are forecast to
persist through the remainder of the week.  The current damage estimate
has been placed at $1.2 million.

* Redwood - The park closed all facilities on Tuesday morning and released
all non-emergency staff.  All facilities were without power for at least
a portion of the day, and most were still without power at the time of
the report yesterday afternoon.  Most roads are closed by downed trees
and powerlines and/or by high water.  Efforts to assess damages have not
yet begun.

* Olympic - Reports from the field indicate that several trees have fallen
across roads and that there have been power outages in coastal areas. 
Three to four inches of rain fell over the 24-hour period ending late
Wednesday morning - an amount, however, that is not uncommon in the park. 
Utility companies expect restoration of power some time today.  Roads are
being cleared by park and state highway crews.  There is no known damage
to facilities.

* Pinnacles - The park has been experiencing high winds and heavy rain
since Monday.  The east side of the park was without power for most of
Tuesday, but there has been no damage to resources or structures.  Some
branches are down, but there have been no major tree or limb falls.  Both
east and west sides of the park are open and fully functional. 

* Eugene O'Neill - The 250-year-old oak tree near the Tao House blew down,
numerous ornamental trees and shrubs were damaged, and thee was some
damage to facilities.

[J.R. Tomasovic, IC, GOGA; Andy Ringgold, Superintendent, REDW; Curt Sauer,
OLYM; Gary Candelaria, Superintendent, PINN; Superintendent, EUON]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Appropriations - As you know, discussions are continuing between the
Congress and Administration in an effort to resolve the impasse over the
budget.  The draft Interior appropriations legislation that came out of the
conference on Tuesday night had a few changes affecting the Service.  The NPS
will get $500,000 (up from $100,000 in previous versions) to produce a multi-
use management plan at Mojave - but ONLY to produce a plan, as BLM is still to
manage the area in FY 1996.  There is also language saying that the World
Heritage Committee cannot affect the planning process regarding establishment
of buffer zones around Yellowstone, and language that gives the Service broad
authority for cooperative agreements.  The House passed this bill yesterday,
and it's expected to come up in the Senate today.  The Administration, however,
has indicated that the President will veto it if it gets to him.  A shutdown is
still a definite possibility for this Saturday, and it appears likely that a
decision on a shutdown will not come until late on Friday.  Information on a
possible shutdown will be coming to you later today or tomorrow.  [Jim
Giammo/Geary Fischer, Budget, WASO]

2) Park Management Legislation - Several weeks ago, H.R. 2677, the "National
Parks Freedom Act," was introduced in the House of Representatives.  The bill
would require the Secretary of the Interior to accept "state donations of the
services of state employees to perform, in a period of Government budgetary
shutdown, otherwise authorized functions in any unit of the National Wildlife
Refuge System or the National Park System."  This bill was brought up under
suspension of rules on Tuesday, but did not pass because it did not receive the
votes (157 yeas, 253 nays) for the two-thirds majority required under rules
suspension.  The bill may be added to an upcoming continuing resolution to keep
the government open.  [Don Hellmann, Legislation and Congressional Affairs,
WASO]

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

OBSERVATIONS

"(T)he size of a park is directly related to the manner in which you use it. 
If you are canoe traveling at three mph, the lake on which you are paddling is
ten times as long and ten times as broad as it is to the (person) in a
speedboat going 30 mph.  An hour's paddle will take you as far away as an hour
in a speedboat - if there are no speedboats.  In other words, more people can
use the same space with the same results...Every road that replaces a foot
path, every outboard that replaces a canoe paddle, shrinks the area of the
park."

                                              Conservation writer Paul Brooks

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

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