NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, May 18, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-185 - Joshua Tree NP (CA) - Drugs; Illegal Possession of Wildlife 

Rangers and state game wardens served a search warrant on an inholding within
the park on May 14th.  The action marked the culmination of a year-long
investigation into the unpermitted possession of large cats, confirmed by
surveillance and a videotape of the resident feeding the animals on the
property.  The search warrant resulted in the seizure of three leopards, two
servals (bobcat-sized animals native to Africa), tens of thousands of
suspected marijuana seeds and seedlings, suspected cocaine, a loaded pistol,
and numerous photos showing marijuana cultivation and other large cats
previously on the property, including lions, tigers, cougars, and ocelots. 
The animals were taken to a wildlife sanctuary in the Los Angeles area, where
they will be held until criminal proceedings are completed.  The owner is
currently on probation from a previous state conviction for possessing wild
animals without a permit.  [Todd Swain, SA, JOTR, 5/16]

99-186 - Little River Canyon NP (AL) - Search

On the evening of May 16th, rangers received a report that three people were
overdue from a rafting trip on the river.  A search of river access points
was conducted over the course of the night, but no sign of them was found. 
Local rescue squads joined the search the following day.  A state park ranger
found the group walking along one of the park's roads just as aircraft were
about to be brought in to help find them.  They said that their raft had been
punctured by a stick and that they came ashore and walked until dark, then
huddled together to keep warm and resumed walking at first light.  They were
in relatively good shape except for sunburns and exhaustion.  [Dwight Dixon,
CR, LIRI, 5/17]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                      Fri     Sun    %   Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident   IMT      5/14    5/16  Con  Con

NM   Mescalero Agency        Telephone        T2     2,000   2,962  100  CND

AZ   Coronado NF           * FHU 634          --         -     500  UNK  UNK

FL   Everglades NP           Brown            --     1,940   1,940  100  CND 
     State                   Bonita Springs   --       530     530   90  NEC
                             Tosohatchee      --     1,000   1,020  100  CND
                           * Normandy         --         -     400  100  CND
                           * Planted Pines    --         -     300  UNK  NEC

                                  Heading Notes

Unit        Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
            or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
            district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire        * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
            limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
            strategy
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

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Thursday, 5/13       0      2         5       0       38     10        55
Friday, 5/14         1      6         0       4       49     10        70
Saturday, 5/15       0      1         1       0       30      8        40
Sunday, 5/16         0      5         0       0       28     10        43

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Thursday, 5/13      19         29           6             6           118
Friday, 5/14        18         29           4             4           128
Saturday, 5/15      20         40           5             3            90
Sunday, 5/16        31         49           9             3           187

CURRENT SITUATION

Fire activity continued in the Southwest on Sunday and accelerated in the
South.  

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in Michigan, Arizona, New
Mexico, and Texas.  [NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/16-17]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No entries.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or kindred agencies.  For
inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to the NPS, please contact the
main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Tuesday, May 18

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Mark-up of the following:

o     H.R. 592 (Fossella, NY), a bill to redesignate Great Kills Park in
      Gateway National Recreation Area as "World War II Veterans Park at
      Great Kills" (see S. 497).
o     H.R. 1165 (McInnis, CO), a bill to redesignate the Black Canyon of the
      Gunnison National Monument as a national park and establish the
      Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area (see S. 323).

The mark-up will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

Wednesday, May 19

Senate Energy Subcommittee on Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation
(Thomas): Oversight hearing on NPS, BLM, FWS, and USFS youth programs.  The
hearing will be held at 2:00 p.m. in 366 Dirksen.

Tuesday, May 25

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on issues regarding the new NPS methodology used to
evaluate the achievement of natural quiet restoration standards in Grand
Canyon National Park.  The hearing will be at 10:00 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation, and Recreation (Thomas): Hearing on:

o     S. 140 (Moynihan, NY), a bill to establish the Thomas Cole National
      Historic Site in the State of New York as an affiliated area of the
      National Park System, and for other purposes.
o     S. 734 (Murkowski, AK), a bill entitled the "National Discovery Trails
      Act of 1999".   
o     S. 762 (Graham, FL), a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
      conduct a feasibility study on the inclusion of the Miami Circle in
      Biscayne National Park. 
o     S. 938 (Akaka, HI), a bill to eliminate restrictions on the acquisition
      of certain land contiguous to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and for
      other purposes.
o     S. 939 (Akaka, HI), a bill to correct spelling errors in the statutory
      designations of Hawaiian National Parks.
o     S. 946 (Moynihan, NY), a bill to authorize the Secretary of the
      Interior to transfer administrative jurisdiction over land within the
      boundaries of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
      to the Archivist of the United States for the construction of a visitor
      center.
o     S. 955 (Warner, VA), a bill to allow the National Park Service to
      acquire certain land for addition to the Wilderness Battlefield in
      Virginia, as previously authorized by law, by purchase or exchange as
      well as by donation.

The hearing will be held in 366 Dirksen.

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED

The following bills either directly or indirectly pertaining to the NPS have
been introduced since the last Morning Report listing of new legislation (May
11th):

o     H.R. 1749 (Ballenger, NC), a bill to designate Wilson Creek in Avery
      and Caldwell Counties, North Carolina, as a component of the National
      Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 
o     H.R. 1759 (Hastings, WA), a bill to ensure the long-term protection of
      the resources of the portion of the Columbia River known as the Hanford
      Reach. 
o     H.R. 1815 (Young, AK), a bill to rename Mount McKinley in Alaska as
      Denali.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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

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