NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, August 22, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

94-429 - Big Bend (Texas) - Follow-up on Operation Rockcut

In 1994, rangers at Big Bend initiated Operation Rockcut, a lengthy
undercover investigation into illegal reptile poaching in the park.  The
operation eventually led to the discovery of poaching activities in which
many protected species were being illegally collected in Big Bend,
Chiricahua, Organ Pipe, Coronado, Fort Davis and on other non-NPS public
lands.  Cases against 13 of the 27 individuals subsequently identified by
investigators were submitted to the U.S. attorney in Austin, Texas, and
another nine were referred to the state for possible prosecution (the
remaining individuals were cited for 36 CFR violations).  Of the nine
referred to Texas, three resulted in plea convictions; of the 13 federal
cases, four were adjudicated via pleas to 36 CFR violations, and four to
Arizona state charges.  The remainder were not prosecuted for various
reasons.  Three cases are still pending.  [Phil Young, SA, OSFT, IMFA]

96-460 - Appalachian Trail (Georgia-Maine) - Follow-up on Aircraft Accident

The victim of the August 13th air crash on Catawba Mountain in southwest
Virginia has been identified as P.B., 28, a former native of
India.  He was flying the single-engine Beech Bonanza for an air cargo
company that transports mail and loan documents for a Virginia bank. 
P.B. was flying IFR from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Roanoke,
Virginia, but strayed from his route on the approach to the airport and
crashed into the mountain.  Conditions were rainy and foggy at the time.  The
plane's wreckage was removed by an insurance company contractor.  There was
little resource damage to the trail.  [Robert Gray, APPA]

96-482 - Gateway (New York/New Jersey) - Larceny/Tampering/Fraud Arrest

On July 21st, Park Police officer Ernest Long recovered two identical
Bombardier personal water craft at Plumb Beach and noticed that both had the
same New York state registration numbers, stickers and identification
numbers.  He impounded the craft for further investigation.  Criminal
investigations branch personnel determined that one of the craft had been
stolen last November, and that both were registered to the same person, one
J.B. of Brooklyn, New York.  J.B. had been paid $4,000 by his
insurance company for the loss of the craft.  J.B. admitted to removing
the identification plate from one craft and using it on the other.  He was
arrested and charged with felony VIN tampering and insurance fraud and with
misdemeanor larceny.  [Tom Pellinger, USPP, GATE]

FIRE ACTIVITY

The fire report is not available this morning.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

CIRS Update - The main computer for collecting and collating criminal
incident reporting system (CIRS) data from the parks will be ready to receive
data by November.  This will permit the generation of annual reports for 1996
if all parks are set up with CIRS and have their data up to date.  The LAN
version of the CIRS program should be ready by this December.  Any parks
experiencing difficulty in getting the program on line should notify Bob Reid
at NP-SERO.  [Bob Reid, RAD/WASO @ SEFDO]

Regs/Jurisdiction Update - The following actions have recently taken place: 

o 36 CFR 1.2, 1.4 and 13.2 - Applicability and Scope:  The final rule was
printed in the Federal Register on July 5, 1995.  It became effective
on August 4th.

o 36 CFR Part 2: The proposed rule is still being reviewed by the
solicitor.  We hope to have this package moving shortly and would like
to have it printed in the Federal Register this fall.
o 36 CFR 2.1(d): The Interim Rule clarifying this section of the CFR has
been shelved in favor of the Part 2 package that addresses this same
issue.

o 36 CFR Part 3 - Boating and Water Use Activities: The work group
revising these regs, headed by Bob McKeever (Lake Mead), hopes to hold
its initial meeting by late summer or early fall.

o 36  CFR 9B - Non-Federal Oil and Gas Rights:  The NPS is resubmitting
this proposed rule, which has been on hold since 1994.  The rule will
clarify existing regulations that were promulgated in 1978 to make them
consistent with existing laws, policies and practices.  The rule will
also implement Congressional mandates for park resource protection
contained in the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition Act of 1988.

o 36 CFR Part 11 - Arrowhead and Parkscape Symbols: This proposed rule
will provide protection for the NPS arrowhead, the USPP insignia, the
park ranger badge, and park ranger, special agent and criminal
investigator credential shields.  It will also delete references to the
Parkscape symbol from the section.  The rule is still with the
assistant secretary.

o 36 CFR Part 14 - Rights-of-Way: This proposed rule will revise existing
regulations relating to the issuance of right-of-way permits across NPS
lands.  The NPS has been using interim regulations since 1980.  This
rulemaking is a complete revision of the interim regulations and will
provide a process for the review, consideration and approval, or
denial, of requests for rights-of-way across all areas of the National
Park System.  The proposed rule is with the assistant secretary.

o 36 CFR Part 31: The final rule to delete the zoning standards for
Indiana Dunes was printed in the Federal Register on August 7th and
became final on that date.

o 36 CFR Part 61 - Procedures for State, Tribal and Local Government
Historic Preservation Programs: The proposed rule was signed by the
Assistant Secretary on May 29th and will be under review by the Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on
Resources until August 26th.

o 36 CFR Part 62: This final rule revises the current regulations for the
National Natural Landmarks Program and is with the assistant secretary.

o ANILCA 1307: This final rule establishes procedures for granting rights
and preferences in the award and renewal of competitive visitor service
authorizations for visitor service providers to conduct business on
national park system lands in Alaska.  This rule implements section
1307 of ANILCA which protects certain visitor service providers in
operation prior to January 1, 1979, and which directs that a right of
preference for any future new visitor service be given to local
residents and Native corporations.  The rule was signed by the
assistant secretary on July 10th and is currently being reviewed by
OMB.

o Badlands National Park: The proposed rule dealing with commercial
vehicle use in the park was signed by the assistant secretary on July
15th and was printed in the Federal Register on August 7th.
o Lassen National Park: The final rule deleting 36 CFR 7.11 is with the
assistant secretary.

o Cumberland Gap: Work is underway for a concurrent jurisdiction package
for Cumberland Gap in the state of Virginia.

[Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
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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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