NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, March 12, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-96 - Antietam (Maryland) - Arson

An arson-caused fire at Rohrback campground on the afternoon of February 25th
burned about four acres of grass and woods.  A 1993 Ford Aerostar van,
reported stolen from nearby Sharpsburg, Maryland, was found in the field near
the point where the fire began.  The state fire marshal's office is
investigating in concert with park staff.  [Bill Lynch, LES, NCAO]

EVENTS

No submissions.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Jurisdiction Ceded - On August 14, 1995, the State of New Jersey ceded to the
National Park Service concurrent legislative jurisdiction over lands and
waters owned, leased or administratively controlled, and those hereafter
acquired, leased or administratively controlled by the National Park Service,
within the boundaries of units of the National Park System within the State
of New Jersey (P.L. 1995, Chapter 212).  On March 8th, Deputy Director John
Reynolds signed the letter of acceptance of this concurrent jurisdiction for
the five parks covered by the legislation.  Those parks are Delaware Water
Gap NRA, the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway NRA, Morristown NHP, Edison NHS and
Ellis Island.  [Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.
 
UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service.  If you would like
further information on any of these hearings or bills, please contact Stacey
Rickard in WASO Legislation at 202-208-3636. 

March 14

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Murkowski): Hearing on S.
1425, to recognize the validity of rights-of-way granted under section 2477
of the Revised Statues (RS 2477).

March 20

House Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies (Regula):
National Park Service's FY 97 budget request.

House Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on historic preservation; H.R. 563, to amend the National
Historic Preservation Act to prohibit inclusion of certain sites on the
National Register of Historic Places.

March 21

House Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on federal lands and federal regulation of private
property.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation (Campbell): Hearing on S. 305, to establish the
Shenandoah Valley National Battlefields and Commission in Virginia; H.R.
1091, to improve the National Park System in Virginia; S. 1225, to require
the Secretary to conduct an inventory of historic sites, buildings and
artifacts in the Champlain Valley and the upper Hudson River Valley;  S.
1226, to require the Secretary to prepare a study of battlefields in the
Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 to establish an American Battlefield
Protection Program; S.J. Res. 42, designating the Civil War Center at
Louisiana State University as the United States Civil War Center.

March 28

House Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands (Hansen):
Markup of H.R. 2941, Housing Improvement Act for Land Management Agencies and
other pending legislation.

OBSERVATIONS

Today's park-related observation comes from John Quinley in Alaska Field Area
Office:

"We come to Denali to watch; to catch a glimpse of the primeval.  We come
close to the tundra flowers, the lichens, and the animal life.  Each of us
will take some inspiration home; a touch of the tundra will enter our lives -
and, deep inside, make of us all poets and kindred spirits." 

                                      Adolph Murie, "Mammals of Denali" 

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.

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

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