NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, March 14, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1975, the U.S. frigate Constitution, "Old Ironsides," 
left Drydock No. 1 at the Boston Naval Shipyard, the last commissioned 
vessel to use the first naval drydock in New England.  Both are 
displayed at the shipyard, which is part of Boston National Historical 
Park.

INCIDENTS

00-090 - Dry Tortugas NP (FL) - Refugees

On the morning of March 1st, twenty Cuban refugees arrived on the 
southwest shore of Fort Jefferson in a 25-foot skiff. The fifteen men 
and five women aboard (including two teenagers) had fled Havana early 
in the week and had been at sea for five days. Their craft was 
constructed from assorted pieces of sheet metal and steel drums and 
was powered by a Soviet-made automobile engine. The craft was not 
under power at the time it made landfall. The refugees were treated by 
rangers for minor heat-related injuries, then were transported to the 
Coast Guard cutter Confidence. The Coast Guard took them to Key West 
and turned them over to INS officials. [Joe Williams, PR, DRTO, 3/10]

00-091 - Denali NP&P (AK) - Snowmobile Fatality

Fourteen-year-old B.E. of Chugiak died in a snowmobile 
accident on state land within the park on the afternoon of March 11th. 
The accident occurred when B.e. attempted to climb a near 
vertical, 15-foot embankment along the Tokositna River. His machine 
evidently became stuck in the alders lining the embankment, then fell 
backward on top of him. He was found about 25 minutes later by his 
father. The boundary between state and park land is the mean high 
water line of the river, which flows through a portion of the park. 
State troopers are investigating. [Ken Kehrer, DENA, 3/13]

00-092 - Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - Assist; Search, Helicopter Crash

Park staff assisted in the search for a missing Lifestar rescue 
helicopter on March 10th. The helicopter was returning to Amarillo 
from a flight to Boise City, Oklahoma, to pickup a four-month-old baby 
with respiratory problems when it went down in heavy fog. The wreckage 
of the helicopter was found 20 miles north of Dalhart, Texas; the 
pilot, flight nurse, paramedic and baby were killed in the crash. The 
park works closely with Lifestar on rescues; ranger Mike Smith's 
spouse is a Lifestar nurse, though she was not on the flight that 
crashed. [LAMR, 3/10]

FIRE UPDATE

A number of areas are reporting high to very high fire danger, as warm 
weather and sustained winds continue throughout portions of the 
country. The state of Florida is in the process of issuing a statewide 
burning ban, which may affect Big Cypress and Everglades, both of 
which are conducting very active prescribed burning programs. 
Everglades, New River, Indiana Dunes and Wind Cave all report new 
fires. All of them have been controlled.  [Mike Warren, NPS Fire 
Management Program Center, 3/13]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Fire Islands NS (NY) - The park has a seasonal announcement out for 
several GS-5 protection positions. The announcement is FIIS-00-05 and 
can be found on USA Jobs; it closes on March 16th. Housing is 
available on the island. If you're interested and have any questions, 
contact personnel officer Maria Solano at 631-289-4810 x 238 or Jay 
Lippert at 631-661-2556.

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, March 14th

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
(Hansen): Hearing on:

o       H.R. 2557 (Meek, FL), a bill to direct the Secretary of the 
        Interior to conduct a feasibility study on the inclusion in 
        Biscayne National Park, Florida, of the archaeological site 
        know as the Miami Circle. 
o       H.R. 3084 (Shimkus, IL), a bill to authorize the Secretary of 
        the Interior to contribute funds for the establishment of an 
        interpretative center on the life and contributions of 
        President Abraham Lincoln.

The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in Longworth 1324.

Wednesday, March 15th

House Resources Committee (Young): Markup of H. Res. 182 (Hansen, UT), 
a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the National Park Service should take full advantage of support 
services offered by the Department of Defense. The hearing will be at 
10 a.m. in Longworth 1324.

Wednesday, March 16th

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
(Hansen): Hearing on H.R. 3293, a bill to authorize a plaque at the 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in Longworth 
1324.

Tuesday, March 21st 

Senate Indian Affairs Committee (Campbell): Hearing on S. 2102 
(Inouye, HI), a bill to provide the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe with a 
permanent land base within its aboriginal homeland, and for other 
purposes. The hearing will be held at 10:30 a.m. in 485 Russell.

Thursday, March 23rd

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Historic Preservation and Recreation: Oversight hearing on the status 
of monuments and memorials in and around Washington, D.C. The hearing 
will be at 2:30 p.m. in 366 Dirksen.

Tuesday, March 28th

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Historic Preservation and Recreation: Oversight hearing on the 
incinerator component at the proposed Advanced Waste Treatment 
Facility at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental 
Laboratory and its potential impact on the adjacent Yellowstone and 
Grand Teton National Parks. The hearing will be at 2:30 p.m. in 366 
Dirksen.

Wednesday, March 29th

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior (Regula): Hearing on NPS 
FY 2001 budget request. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in Rayburn 
B-308.

Thursday, March 30th

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
(Hansen): Hearing on:

o       H.R. 3033 (Ros-Lehtinen, FL), a bill to direct the Secretary 
        of the Interior to make certain adjustments to the boundaries 
        of Biscayne National Park in the State of Florida, and for 
        other purposes.
o       H.R. 3241, a bill on franchise fee calculations for tours at 
        Fort Sumter NM.
o       H.R. 2919 (Portman, OH), a bill to promote preservation and 
        public awareness of the history of the Underground Railroad by 
        providing financial assistance, to the Freedom Center in 
        Cincinnati, Ohio. 

The hearing will be at 2 p.m. in Longworth 1324.

Tuesday, April 4th

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior (Regula): Oversight 
hearing on the Everglades. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in B-308 
Rayburn.

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 (March 7th):

o       H.R. 3860 (Klink, PA), a bill to provide that any visitor's 
        center or museum located in the proximity of or within the 
        boundaries of Gettysburg National Military Park that is 
        constructed or designated as a visitor's center or museum 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act shall be known and 
        designated as the "George D. and Emily G. Rosensteel Memorial 
        Visitors' Center".
o       S. 2181 (Bingaman, NM), a bill to amend the Land and Water 
        Conservation Fund Act to provide full funding for funding the 
        Land and Water Conservation Fund, and to provide dedicated 
        funding for other conservation programs,  including coastal 
        stewardship, wildlife habitat protection, State and local park 
        and open space preservation, historic preservation, forestry 
        conservation programs, and youth conservation corps; and for 
        other purposes.
o       S. 2194 (Collins, ME), a bill to direct the Secretary of the 
        Interior to provide assistance in planning and developing a 
        regional heritage center in Calais, Maine.
o       S. 2231 (Coverdale, GA), a bill to provide for the placement 
        at the Lincoln Memorial of a plaque commemorating the speech 
        of Martin Luther King, Jr., known as the "I Have A Dream" 
        speech.
o       S. 2247 (Byrd, WV), a bill to establish the Wheeling National 
        Heritage Area in the State of West Virginia, and for other 
        purposes.

NEW LAWS

The following bills have passed Congress and been signed into law: No 
new laws.

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address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your 
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the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport

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

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