NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, December 5, 1996

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-671 - NRPC (Colorado) - Follow-up on Employee Death

A memorial service for John Christiano, chief of the Air Resources Division,
has been scheduled for 7 p.m. this evening in Denver.  The family has
requested that donations be made to an as yet undetermined park foundation;
additional information will be provided when available.  On Wednesday, the
same day John died, Secretary Babbitt announced a final target solution for
resolving air emission problems from the Centralia Power Plant in the state
of Washington (see "Resource Management" below).  Assistant Secretary George
Frampton had this to say about John's involvement in that project: "At about
the same time today that Secretary Babbitt and others announced the
achievement of the final target solution in Seattle, John P. Christiano,
chief of the National Park Service's Air Resources Division and a prime
negotiator of this target solution, passed away in Denver as a consequence of
injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident last week in Denver.  Mr.
Christiano's sharp mind, technical expertise, and deep sense of fairness
played a major part in bringing the target solution to realization.  He cared
deeply about national parks, and he committed his life's work to reducing air
pollution's adverse effects on the public health and environmental resources. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with John's family and many friends."  [John
Bunyak, NRPC; Karen Malkin, MIB/WASO]

96-677 - Zion NP (Utah) - Special Event

Secretary Babbitt and the governor of Utah joined the park superintendent and
water conservancy directors from Kane and Washington counties in the signing
of a precedent-setting and historic water agreement on December 4th.  The
ceremony took place on the banks of the North Fork of the Virgin River at the
Temple of Sinawava, seven miles upstream from park headquarters.  This is the
first such agreement in Utah; it forever protects the park from major
reservoir developments upstream from Zion, while at the same time recognizing
the need for future water development in the fast-growing southwestern corner
of Utah.  The federal government first filed for water rights in 1987,
believing that the case would have to be adjudicated in state court.  In
1991, however, through the efforts of the Service's water office in Fort
Collins, the Department of Justice, and Utah water attorneys, the parties
determined to pursue a negotiated settlement rather than a litigated process
that would have been costly to all parties.  That process came to fruition
today with this signing ceremony.  Secretary Babbitt and the state and county
officials all congratulated those involved in this long process and commented
that they hoped this event will set a new tone of collaborative effort for
future state-federal agreements.  A total of 80 people witnessed the signing
in the outdoor event, which was covered by all three major network affiliates
from Salt Lake City, several radio stations, the Associated Press, and local
newspapers.  There were no incidents during the hour-long ceremony. 
Assistant chief ranger Dave Buccello was IC; IMFA law enforcement specialist
Brian Reiley and Park Police sergeant Norbert Bomjo coordinated security;
IMFA public information office Karen Breslin assisted with media affairs. 
[Denny Davies, PIO, ZION]

96-678 - Virgin Islands NP (Virgin Islands) - Special Event

The park commemorated its fortieth anniversary (December 1st) through a
series of events last weekend.  These events concluded with a ceremony on
Sunday, a barbecue after the program which was sponsored by the park's friend
group and attended by over 200 island residents, and the cancellation of a
commemorative stamp issued by the Postal Service.  A local third grade
student won the park-sponsored art competition to design the stamp.  Speaking
at the ceremony were NCFA field director and past superintendent Bob Stanton,
superintendent Francis Peltier, acting SEFA director Jerry Belson, and Henry
Diamond, representing Laurance Rockefeller.  [Chuck Weikert, CI, VIIS]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Pacific Northwest Parks - Air Pollution Control Agreement

On December 3rd, Secretary Babbitt joined representatives from PacifiCorp and
other members of a collaborative decision-making group in announcing the
group's final target solution for reducing air emissions from the Centralia
Power Plant in southwest Washington.  The group's recommendations, if adopted
by the state's air pollution control agency, will require:

     o full scrubbing to remove 90% of the plant's sulfur dioxide emissions by
       the end of 2002;

     o an annual sulfur dioxide limit of less than 10,000 tons per year
       beginning in 2003; and

     o low nitrogen oxide burners on both boilers by the end of 2002.

The agreement will reduce the adverse impacts the emissions were having on
resources at Mount Rainier, and will reduce visibility and acid deposition
impacts at Class I park and wilderness areas throughout the Pacific
Northwest.  The decision-making group was comprised of representatives from
the power plant, NPS, Forest Service, EPA and state of Washington.  The group
established a goal of arriving at pollution control options that would both
satisfy the environmental needs of park and wilderness protection and the
economic needs of the owners and workers at the power plant and associated
mine.  The group also sought to avoid adversarial alternatives that typically
consume excessive amounts of time and resources without achieving long-
lasting solutions.  [Paul Bledsoe, Office of the Secretary, DOI]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Strategic Plan - The final draft of the first National Park Service strategic
plan, which incorporates the requirements of the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), is now available for review on the Web at:

     http://www.nps.gov/planning/sp/

The strategic plan includes the NPS mission statement, our legislatively
mandated mission goals, and our long-term goals for the next five years.  The
long-term goals are stated as measurable outcomes/quantifiable results. If
you have a particular concern with this final draft, please include
suggestions for resolving it.  Comments are due by January 13th.  In order
for your comments to be considered, they must be referenced by title and
paragraph in the text rather than by page number. Please send written
comments by electronic mail only via any of the three following means:

     o Internet: waso_strategic_planning@nps.gov,
     o cc:Mail: WASO Strategic Planning
     o Mail: NPS Strategic Planning, WASO-STP, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO
       80225-0287

[Russ Belknap, DSC]

MEMORANDA

"Recreation Fee Demonstration Program," signed by Deputy Director Galvin on
November 22nd and sent to all field directors.  Key passages of the
memorandum, which also contained information on the announcement of the list
of fee demonstration sites in accord with recent legislative requirements,
contained the following guidance on the project, which is to be implemented
in all areas by May 23, 1997:

"There are several key elements that are fundamental to the success of the
program.  First, the visiting public needs to see tangible results due to the
increased fees.  We must realize that this is a demonstration program that
has been authorized through September 30, 1999, and that these new fees
should be considered as supplemental to the current appropriated NPS funding. 
To that end, we have decided that those fees which will be retained by the
collecting park (80 percent of additional fee revenues) will be primarily
dedicated to addressing the identified non-recurring maintenance,
infrastructure repair, and resource management backlogged projects.  Fees may
be used to provide for a visitor service or recreational activity for which
there is a new charge (i.e. interpretive program fees, backcountry permit
fees, etc.).  However, no permanent positions will be funded by this new
money.  The revenue generated from the fee demonstration program will be
available through September 30, 2002.

"Secondly, and of equal importance, is the effort we put forward to clearly
explain the benefits of this program to both the visiting public and to our
own employees.  We are entering into this demonstration program with the hope
that this program will lead to permanent fee legislation.  How we conduct our
business of collecting fees and spending the additional fee revenues wisely,
and in support of our mission will fall squarely on those that collect the
fees and those that meet with the visiting public at the park level.  To this
end, I have tasked the WASO Public Affairs Office with leading in the
development of a 'roll-out' plan in concert with the field area offices and
the demonstration fee parks.  This 'roll-out' will focus on what the parks
will accomplish with anticipated new revenues and explain how the program
works along  with where the fees will go.  I am asking each superintendent to
meet with their respective park staffs to explain the program and to develop
a public information strategy on how to explain this program at the park
level.  I also would like to emphasize that the current level of recreation
fee collections ($80 million in FY 1996) is not to in any way be disparaged
as having any less value to the NPS.  Those fees are collected as required by
law where it is economically and administratively feasible and not
legislatively  prohibited.  Those fees will continue to come back to the NPS
through the appropriation process.  It is estimated that as much as $30
million to $50 million will be made available per year through this program.  
  
"WASO Ranger Activities Division working with Harpers Ferry Center and WASO
Public Affairs developed and produced a video and electronic brochure.  The
10-minute video features a 3-minute introduction by Secretary Babbitt
speaking on the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program.  The remaining 7
minutes gives general information about the history of fee collection. 
Demonstration parks were sent this video in August.  The electronic brochure
is in the form of a rack card.  It explains in general terms and gives some
talking points about why the different agencies need this fee demonstration
program.  It also allows for a personalized message from each of the parks. 
This brochure will be sent out over cc:Mail to the parks at a later date. 
The parks will then have a choice as to how it is printed. 

"I am asking that each recreation fee demonstration park review the
identified recreation fee and identified fee cost.  Each park should submit
several examples of how the new park fee revenue could be spent within the
above identified parameters.  Please consider a mix of projects that provide,
in some cases, an immediate example to the visiting public of how the new
revenues are being used to improve the visitor experience.  Please respond
through your field director no later than November 26, 1996 with a cc:Mail
copy to Tim Stone, WASO Fee Program Manager, who is putting the information
together.

"There will also be an additional cost of collection component to the
Recreation Fee Demonstration Program. This will allow the NPS to retain up to
15 percent of new demonstration fee revenue to support collection activities. 
Please see the attached document [Note: Attached to original memo] which
gives guidance on legitimate expenses for charging against cost of fee
collection.  Attached [to the original memo] is a form that each
demonstration park should complete and return through the Field Director to
the WASO Fee Program Office by December 18, 1996.  This information will
allow the NPS to develop funding strategies and will help to prepare a report
for Congress by December 31, 1996, on the status of the program and plans for
implementation in FY 1997.

"The NPS budget office is in the process of finalizing guidance on the
collection, accounting and dispersement of recreational fee demonstration
collections.  Prior to implementation of the program, information on how the
financial aspects of this program will work will be sent to the field.

"The NPS has also initiated an evaluation strategy...that will be managed
through a contract by Dr. Gary Machlis.  This component is required by the
demonstration authority and will be compiled into a final evaluation report
to be submitted to Congress at the end of the demonstration period.  We
believe that a thorough, non-biased evaluation program of recreation fees
will help the NPS in realizing long term fee collection authority based on
sound data.

"In announcing the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program, the NPS will also
notify the commercial bus tour industry in writing of new commercial bus tour
fees.  This complies with an understanding that any change in the commercial
bus tour fees will be accompanied with 1-year advance notice.

"Detailed information regarding the management of the Recreation Fee
Demonstration Program and direction on how the NPS will proceed in selecting
up to 100 recreation fee demonstration areas, sites, or  will be forthcoming
from Maureen Finnerty, Associate Director, Park Operations and Education."

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

                                *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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