NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, January 19, 2001

INCIDENTS

99-731 - Kaloko-Honokohau (HI) - Follow-up: Murder of Park Ranger 

F.B., the suspect in the murder of ranger Steve 
Makuakane-Jarrell, was found competent to stand trail during a hearing 
in federal court in Honolulu on January 17th. F.B., who has been in 
custody since two days after the December 12, 1999, murder, will be 
arraigned today. [Scott Hinson, SA, YOSE, 1/18]

01-011 - Harpers Ferry Center (WV) - Follow-up: Serious Employee       
         Illness

Exhibit planner Jim Mount is doing well following his bypass surgery. 
Staff at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital are calling him a "miracle 
patient." He may be released from the hospital late next week. Cards 
may be sent to Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, 1200 N. Elm Street, Room 
2024, Greensboro, NC 27401. [Julie Schroyer, HFC, 1/19]

01-014 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Storm Damage Closure

Storm damage to the dock at Alcatraz Island forced the closure of the 
island to visitors on January 11th. A portion of the floating dock was 
damaged during stormy weather late that morning, making it impossible 
for concession ferries to land on the island. About 230 visitors and 
staff were on the island when the incident occurred and were stranded 
for about four hours until the concessioner could land a smaller boat 
on the island and evacuate them. Among them was former prisoner Whitey 
Thompson, who was on the island for a book signing. He told visitors 
that they now had some idea of what it was like not to be able to get 
off the island. The damage was repaired and regular operations resumed 
on January 13th. [Yvette Ruan, CR, GOGA, 1/18; Roger Scott, Public 
Affairs, GOGA, 1/19]

                      [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

No new information. Please check the NPS Fire Management Program 
Center web page (www.fire.nps.gov) for further information on fire 
plan projects.

Park Fires

No fires reported.

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Biscayne NP/Everglades NP (FL) - Commercial Airport Ruling

On January 15th, the Air Force announced that it would deny a plan to 
convert the former Homestead Air Force Base into a commercial airport. 
The key reason for the decision was Homestead's location between 
Everglades NP and Biscayne NP and the need to protect the two park's 
natural resources. Under the terms of a record of decision (ROD) 
signed on that date, the Air Force will retain the runway and airfield 
areas at the former base. More than 700 acres of surplus land will be 
offered to Miami-Dade County for mixed-use development, but not for 
construction of a commercial airport at the site. The decision 
partially reverses a 1994 ROD that called for transfer of more than 
1,800 acres, including the runway and aviation facility, to the county 
for creation of an airport. When that decision was made, the airport 
plan was the only active plan for bringing economic development to the 
area, which was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. After the 
decision in favor of an airport and changes to the airport development 
plan, the Air Force and FAA decided that a supplemental EIS was needed 
to better understand the effects of an airport. That EIS was completed 
in December and concluded that neither an airport nor mixed-use 
development was disqualified at the site because of environmental 
impacts. Since both options were possible and both would help in the 
economic redevelopment of the area, the Air Force decided against the 
more disruptive airport. Said the Air Force: "This decision strikes 
the proper balance between the federal interests in economic 
development in South Florida and the desire to protect to the greatest 
extent reasonable the national treasures represented in the two parks 
between which the air base is situated. If the only possible means to 
economic development had been a commercial airport (with strong 
environmental protections), that fact may have been a significant 
factor in any decision. Over time, it became clear that a commercial 
airport is not the only way of achieving desired economic development 
of southern Miami-Dade County. The choice is no longer simply between 
an airport and economic stagnation." The county has 90 days to make 
its decision. If they decline the transfer, the Air Force will 
consider a request from DOI whereby the land will be traded for other 
valuable properties. Copies of the ROD can be obtained by clicking on 
"Final Airport Decision" at www.nps.gov/bisc.  [USAF and NPS press 
releases, 1/16]

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

FLETC Communications Problem - The cc:Mail on Joe Johnson's computer 
at NPS/FLETC has gone toes up along with the machine's hard drive. He 
will likely be out of touch via email until at least Monday. If you 
emailed information to Joe and haven't received a reply, you should 
resend your message. [Don Usher, NPS/FLETC]

MEMORANDA

"Director's Order #12:  Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact 
Analysis, and Decision-making," signed on January 8th by the director 
and sent to the directorate, field directorate and all 
superintendents. The text follows:

"I am pleased to send you Director's Order #12:  Conservation 
Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-making and its 
accompanying Handbook.  Together, these documents set forth the policy 
and procedures by which the National Park Service carries out its 
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  
NEPA and the National Park Service Organic Act are recognized as the 
two pieces of 'landmark' environmental legislation passed by Congress. 
 The provisions of NEPA also supply the Service with a powerful tool 
we can use to accomplish our mission of protecting this country's 
parks for future generations.  
 
"Director's Order #12 and the Handbook lay the groundwork for a 
necessary evolution in the way we approach environmental analysis, 
public involvement, and making resource-based decisions.  They set 
forth a new direction in using interdisciplinary teams, incorporating 
scientific and technical information, and establishing a solid 
administrative record for our actions.  

"Recent court challenges have stopped or redirected some of the 
Service's actions and decisions.  Court decisions are generally based 
on the adequacy of environmental analysis under NEPA, and the 
accompanying administrative record.  Common themes seen in the court 
decisions indicate defects in the NPS decision-making process.  The 
courts have cited a lack of, or failure to incorporate, critical 
information in decisions.  In some cases, there has been a basic 
disregard of laws, regulations, and policies designed to foster 
resource preservation and conservation.  Because of this, I asked a 
subcommittee of the National Leadership Council to recommend actions 
to be taken to address these issues.  These recommendations, as well 
as others, are incorporated in the Director's Order and Handbook.  
They include:

o       Use of interdisciplinary approaches and principles in 
        decision-making;
o       Decisions based on technical and scientific information;
o       Establishment of benchmarks demonstrating best management 
        processes (such as resource councils and project review teams) 
        in development, analysis, and review of projects;
o       Use of alternative dispute resolution and other processes to 
        resolve internal and external disputes;
o       Peer review panels to address conflicts among resource 
        specialists regarding validity and interpretation of data and 
        resource information;
o       Analysis of impairment to resources as part of the 
        environmental impact analysis process; and
o       Post-litigation review and analysis of decision-making for 
        potential improvements to resource-based decisions.

"To assist in the implementation of the Director's Order, I am 
directing the Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and 
Science to re-direct resources and seek additional funding so that the 
Environmental Quality Division can provide increased technical 
assistance to parks and regions according to the general model adopted 
by other Natural Resource Program Center Divisions.  Service-wide 
funding proposals should also be developed so that parks, system 
support offices and regions have adequate resources to implement the 
order.  Lastly, an advisory group made up of regional environmental 
coordinators, and others from parks, regions, and SSOs should also be 
established to provide recommendations on improvement of methods and 
processes used in environmental impact analysis and policy 
implementation.

"No amount of policy, guidance, or oversight will be successful unless 
we make a personal commitment to affirmatively fulfill these 
responsibilities.  Our world and our jobs are more complicated now 
than in any time in history.  With this and other issues we must 
achieve a level of excellence that others will emulate in exercising 
our resource stewardship responsibilities."

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No submissions.

                            *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed 
by park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please 
address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your 
servicing hub coordinator.  The Morning Report is also available on 
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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