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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office Day/Date: Wednesday, February 6, 2002 INCIDENTS 01-043 - Intermountain Region - Follow-up: Special Event - 2002 Winter Olympics The Olympic torch made its official entry into the state of Utah on February 4th in a dramatic sunrise ceremony beneath Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. On hand to witness the flame enter Utah were the director, the governor of Utah and other dignitaries, all of whom made the mile-and-a-half hike to the arch in the dark in temperatures well below freezing. Media from around the globe covered the event live from both Delicate Arch and from the Windows section of the park. Some 400 members of the public viewed the entry from the bowl beneath Delicate Arch. The events within the park and the subsequent torch relay through the nearby community of Moab presented a huge logistical challenge, with some 150 personnel dedicated to the event. Grand County SO and Moab PD were the primary players in a unified command structure with the NPS; support and personnel were supplied by Moab FD, Grand County SAR, Grand County Ambulance, BLM, Utah State Parks and Moab Public Works. Local outfitters supplied shuttle buses and drivers to provide transportation to both media and members of the public. Included among the torchbearers were Arches employees Gary Haynes and Natalie Hettman and Canyonlands employee Dan Greenblatt. Arches chief ranger Jim Webster was the IC. [Paul Henderson, IIO, IMT, 2/5] 02-031 - Glen Canyon NRA (UT) - Houseboat Fire Rangers responded to a fire on a houseboat at Wahweap Marina just after 10 a.m. on Monday, February 4th. Employees of Lake Powell Resorts and Marina were first on scene and removed the houseboat from the private slips area and towed it to the main ramp, where the fire was attacked and knocked down. "Gettin' Bye," a 59-foot Stardust Cruiser, sustained substantial damage, and a boat in the adjacent slip sustained minor scorching. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. [Marianne Karraker, GLCA, 2/5] 02-032 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Interdiction On the morning of February 2nd, supervisory ranger Karl Pearson detected "carpet tracks" (smugglers sometimes wear carpet scraps on their feet to cover their tracks) entering the U.S. along the park's boundary with Mexico. A dozen backpackers were tracked for several hours into the desert. Backup was summoned, and another ranger headed for Pearson's location, using GPS to find him. Just before the ranger arrived, Pearson encountered the smugglers. One was arrested, and the others fled into Mexico. After searching a large area of desert, the rangers found their camp in a wash. They confiscated 422 pounds of marijuana and about 100 pounds of food. A Customs helicopter was used to removed the suspect and the evidence. Customs is handling the case. [Dale Thompson, CR, ORPI, 2/5] PARKS AND PEOPLE Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - The park is seeking candidates for a GS-025-7/9 ranger position in its Resource and Visitor Protection Division. The position is 6c covered. Lassen Volcanic NP is largely wilderness, but also has frontcountry campgrounds and concessions. At full staff, the Branch of Ranger Operations has seven permanent and nine seasonal protection rangers. The 106,000-acre park has exclusive jurisdiction and the staff performs a full range of emergency services through the summer and winter. Government housing is available at Manzanita Lake in the northwest corner of the park, and this position has required occupancy. The closest large community, Redding, is about 50 miles to the west. The position is currently advertised on USA Jobs. Interested personnel may contact supervisory park ranger Mike LaLone at 530-595-4444 ext. 5156 or chief ranger John Roth at 530-595-4444 ext. 5150. [Mike LaLone, LAVO] Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - The park expects to fill from three to eight permanent full-time GS-025-5/7/9 ranger positions over the next six months. The positions will be in the Canyon District and South Rim District. The park is accepting applications for lateral reassignments from those that meet series, time and grade requirements. Interested applicants may contact Michael McGinnis (Canyon District, 928-638-7832) or Mark Law (South Rim District, 928-638-7833) for specific information concerning these positions. Application may be made by submitting a current resume, or OF-612, directly to Michael or Mark at Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon., AZ 86023. [Mark Law, GRCA] 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 Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate legislative specialist. For additional information on specific bills (full text, status, etc.), please check Congress's web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/.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 (January 29th): No new bills. HEARINGS/MARK-UPS Thursday, February 7 House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands (Radanovich): Hearing on: • H.R. 2628 (Cramer, AL), a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area in Alabama.• H.R. 2643 (Wu, OR), a bill to authorize the acquisition of additional lands for inclusion in the Fort Clatsop National Memorial in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes.• H. Res. 261, a resolutions stating that the aquia sandstone quarries on Government Island, Virginia, have historical significance. Witness: Randy Jones, Deputy Director, NPS. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in 1334 Longworth.Thursday, February 14 House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands (Radanovich): Hearing on: • H.R. 1712 (Faleomavaega, AS), a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make minor adjustments to the boundary of the National Park of American Samoa to include certain portions of the islands of Ofu and Olosega within the park, and for other purposes. The witness is to be announced. The hearing will be at 2 p.m. in 1334 Longworth.Thursday, February 14 Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation (Akaka): Hearing on: • S. 1694 (Cantwell, WA), a bill to increased the development ceiling for Vancouver NHR.• S. 1051 (Warner, VA), a bill to expand the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument, and for other purposes.• S. 1061 (McConnell, KY) and H.R. 2238 (Rogers, MI), a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire Fern Lake and the surrounding watershed in the States of Kentucky and Tennessee for addition to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, and for other purposes.• S. 1894 (Graham, FL), a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the national significance of the Miami Circle site in Florida and the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the national park system as part of Biscayne NP.• S. 202 (Warner, VA) and H.R. 2440 (Davis, VA), a bill to rename Wolf Trap Farm Park as ``Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts'', and for other purposes.• H.R. 2234 (Pastor, AZ), a bill to revise the boundary of the Tumacacori National Historical Park in the State of Arizona. Witness: Randy Jones, Deputy Director, NPS. The hearing will be at 2:30 p.m. in 366 Dirksen.Wednesday, February 27 House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies (Skeen): Hearing on the FY 2003 budget request for the Department of the Interior. Witness: Secretary Gale Norton. The hearing will be at 9:30 a.m. in 308 Rayburn. Thursday, March 21 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior (Byrd): Hearing on the FY 2003 budget request for the Department of the Interior. Witness: Secretary Gale Norton. Time and location TBA. FLOOR ACTION On January 29th, the Senate passed H.R. 400 by unanimous consent, clearing the measure for the president. The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site in Dixon, Illinois. It requires the secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home Foundation for the purpose of operating, maintaining, and using the historic site. A study must be conducted prior to designation. NEW LAWS The following bills have passed Congress and been signed into law by the President: No new laws. * * * * * Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |