NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, March 29, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-125 - Death Valley (California) - Search and Rescue

G.V., 32, and her boyfriend, J.W., went on what was
to be a day hike in the Desolation Canyon area of the park on March 25th. 
J.W. employed a 30-foot section of climbing rope to raise and lower
G.V. in steep, hazardous, technical climbing areas.  The pair climbed up
about a thousand feet and covered several miles.  They were unable to find a
route back to their car, though, and spent the night out, clad only in shorts
and t-shirts.  They tried again the next day.  G.V. made it as far as a
steep canyon, then refused to go further.  J.W. found his way out and
reported the incident to rangers.  A three-person park SAR team attempted to
reach her at 9 p.m. that evening, but had to turn back due to very high
winds, hazardous terrain, and total darkness.  The crew of a rescue
helicopter from China Lake Naval Weapon Station located G.V. at 7 a.m. on
the 26th.  She was dehydrated and hypothermic; once warmed and rehydrated,
however, she declined to go to a hospital and was released.  [Eric Inman, IC,
DEVA]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Great Smokies/Mammoth Cave (Tennessee) - Air Quality

Last April, the Department of Interior and the state of Tennessee signed a
memoranda of understanding (MOU) which was to serve as a working agreement in
the processing of permit applications for businesses proposing to locate near
the two parks.  On March 13th, before the MOU could be applied to a single
application, the state informed the Department that it was rescinding the
MOU, effective immediately.  It appears that some business interests were
concerned that the MOU would adversely affect the prospects for industries
interested in moving to the state.  The state also indicated that it would
prefer to wait for federal rules that would address this issue nationwide. 
Assistant Secretary George Frampton has expressed his dismay with the state
for unilaterally reneging on this agreement.  The governor subsequently
called the park to discuss the issue, and has proposed the creation of an
eleven-person panel to review the decision to rescind the MOU and make
recommendations on further action.  Representatives from the Air Resources
Division are working closely with the park and the Department to resolve this
issue to the benefit of park air quality.  [Abby Miller, WASO]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

National Wilderness Steering Committee Report - The first meeting of the
Service's National Wilderness Steering Committee (NWSC) was held in Denver on
March 13th and 14th.  The establishment of this committee was one of the key
proposals identified in the 1993 Wilderness Task Force Report and reflects
the Service's initiative on improving the management and protection of its
wilderness resources.  Members of the NWSC include: 

    o Randy Jones (Chair, ROMO)           Uwe Nehring (Co-chair, CRLA)
    o Judy Alderson (AK/SSO)              Dick Anderson (DEVA)
    o Bill Briggle (MORU)                 Tim Cochran (AK/SSO)
    o Maureen Finnerty (WASO)             Wes Henry (WASO)
    o Craig Holmquist (NOCA)              Doug Morris (SAGU)
    o Alan Schmierer (WPFA)               Ralph Tingey (AK/SSO)
    o Karen Wade (GRSM)                   Jim Walters (IMFA)

The committee reviewed all elements of the 1993 task force report and
developed goals and actions for improving the Service's management and
protection of its wilderness resources. The goals included: (1) development
of an education and constituency building strategy, (2) improvement in
accountability for those who manage wilderness, (3) development of a set of
guidelines to help improve coordination and consistency of the Service's
wilderness management, and (4) development of a Servicewide training
initiative to assist managers in their efforts to protect wilderness
resources.  Detailed information on each aspect of the NWSC outline will be
made available through a variety of mediums including the Director's bulletin
board, a proposed wilderness bulletin board, training announcements, and
specific cc:Mail messages and memos soliciting your input and/or
participation in these programs.  The NWSC is very concerned that the field
have maximum input into all aspects of the Service's wilderness program.  You
are encouraged to contact any of the NWSC members for further information. 
[Wes Henry, RAD/WASO]

United States Codes and Regulations - ALL titles of the United States Code
(USC) and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) are now available on separate
CD-ROMs.  One CD-ROM contains all the volumes for each title.  The USC and
the CFR are available from West Publishing Corporation.  The USC costs $495
and includes monthly updates for one year; the CFR runs $1,495 and also
includes monthly updates for one year.  There is a savings of $500 if both
CD-ROMs are purchased.  Call 1-800-333-9378 for further information.  The USC
can also be purchased from the Government Printing Office for $36.  The
search and retrieve capability of this ROM is fairly antiquated.  Call
202-512-1800 for information.  The USC is also accessible via the Internet at
the following addresses: //hamilton1.house.gov/11d%3a/uscode, and
//www.law.cornell.edu/uscode.  [Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

Colorado River Flow Info - Those of you who are interested in following the
"beach/habitat-building test flow" on the Colorado River (Glen Canyon
Dam/Grand Canyon) can do so by logging on to a Web site that scientists from
the USGS have established where the project can be monitored in real time. 
Check out http://wwwdaztcn.wr.usgs.gov.  [Bob Huggins, I&ED/WASO]

OBSERVATIONS

"In the Western Hemisphere we have only the tiniest number of buildings that
can be called temples or shrines.  The temples of our hemisphere will be some
of the planet's remaining wilderness areas...The rocky icy grandeur of the
high country - and the rich shadowy bird and fish-streaked southern swamps -
remind us of the overarching wild systems that nourish us all and underwrite
the industrial economy...The wilderness as a temple is only a beginning.  One
should not dwell in the specialness of the extraordinary experience nor hope
to leave the political quagg behind to enter a perpetual state of heightened
insight.  The best purpose of such studies and hikes is to be able to come
back to the lowlands and see al the land about us, agricultural, suburban,
urban, as part of the same territory - never totally ruined, never completely
unnatural.  It can be restored, and humans could live in considerable numbers
on much of it."

                                 Gary Snyder, "The Practice of the
                                 Wild", 1990

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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