NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, April 22, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-163 - Death Valley NP (California) - Suicide

On the afternoon of Friday, April 11th, rangers were informed by local
residents that they'd found some abandoned personal belongings on a peak in
the Daylight Pass area on the west side of the park.  Among the items found
were an unused airline ticket, several empty blister packs of sleeping pills,
partially burned college identification cards, and a watch.  A fanny pack and
a leather knapsack were also found in the area.  Investigators determined
that K.P., 24, of Skokie, Illinois, had failed to return from a trip
to Las Vegas and had been missing since January 27th.  Family members said
that he'd been depressed due to a recent job loss.  A search was begun on
Corkscrew Peak on April 14th, but no sign of K.P. was found.  Searchers
discovered his body on a nearby unnamed peak the following day.  A register
entry indicated that K.P. had hiked to the peak on January 27th, the same
day he was to fly home.  He had taken a taxi from Las Vegas to Death Valley
and had made no arrangements to return.  Due to the difficulty of the terrain
and the fact that the body was in a wilderness area, it took ten park
employees over six hours to litter the body out.  [Ann Holeso, PIO, DEVA,
4/21]

97-164 - Big Cypress NP (Florida) - MVA with Fatality

L.H., 19, was heading eastbound on I-75 through the park early on the
morning of April 20th when his 1996 Ford Explorer left the roadway, rolled
over, bounced over the ten-foot-high panther fence which runs parallel to the
interstate, and came to rest.  L.H. was ejected from the vehicle and killed;
two passengers were seriously injured.  [Bob Reid, SERO]

                   [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Executive Order on Seat Belt Use - On April 16th, President Clinton signed an
executive order which recommits the federal government to the use of seat
belts.  Several questions have arisen regarding its particulars.  The order:

o restates that federal employees will use seat belts in any seat which
has one whenever they are in motor vehicles while on the job;
o directs the NPS to promulgate regulations that require seat belt or
child restraint use by all occupants in vehicles when in NPS units;
o states that no other probable cause is necessary to stop a vehicle for
failure to comply with the requirement to use seat belts; and
o encourages federal contractors, subcontractors and grantees to adopt
and enforce on-the-job seat belt use.

See "Memoranda" below for the full text of the order.  [Dennis Burnett,
RAD/WASO]

Cultural Resource Training Initiative (CRTI) - The announcement for the FY
1998 CRTI has gone out.  Since 1991, the CRTI has funded projects in history,
architecture, archeology, anthropology, landscape architecture, curation,
interpretation, and other fields of cultural resource preservation.  Projects
must be submitted by offices or units of the NPS, and must involve non-NPS
government agencies, universities, training institutes, professional
associations, museums, or other partners.  The maximum amount awarded will be
$25,000 per training activity.  The deadline for applications is June 13th;
selections will be announced on or shortly after September 15th.  For more
information, including copies of the application, instructions and selection
criteria, contact Michael Auer, CRTI coordinator, via cc:Mail, or call him at
202-343-9594.  [Mike Auer, CRM/WASO]

Visitor Studies - REMINDER: Nominations for the FY 1998 Visitor Services
Project visitor studies are due from each region to Dr. Gary Machlis' office
in Washington by May 1st.  Parks with questions or in need of nomination
forms should contact Margaret Littlejohn via cc:Mail or call her at 208-885-
7863.  [Margaret Littlejohn]

Flood Notice - Theodore Roosevelt NP, Fort Union Trading Post NHS and Knife
River Indian Village NHS have all been receiving calls and cc:Mail messages
expressing concern about this winter's blizzards and about flooding in the
area.  They appreciate the concern, particularly as it demonstrates the depth
of support from the NPS family, but none are experiencing serious flooding at
present.  Current floods are along the Red River on the eastern edge of the
state.  Thanks to everyone who called with expressions of support.  [Noel
Poe, Superintendent, THRO]

MEMORANDA

"Increasing Seat Belt Use in the United States," Executive Order, signed by
President Clinton on April 16th.  The text follows:

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States of America, including the Highway Safety Act of 1966, 23
U.S.C. 402 and 403, as amended, section 7902(c) of title 5, United States
Code, and section 19 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29
U.S.C. 668, as amended, and in order to require that Federal employees use
seat belts while on official business; to require that motor vehicle
occupants use seat belts in national park areas and on Department of Defense
('Defense')  installations; to encourage Tribal Governments to adopt and
enforce seat belt policies and programs for occupants of motor vehicles
traveling on highways in Indian Country; and to encourage Federal
contractors, subcontractors, and grantees to adopt and enforce on-the-job
seat belt use policies and  programs, it is hereby ordered as follows:
  
"Section 1.  Policies.  

(a) Seat Belt Use by Federal Employees.  Each Federal employee occupying any
seating position of a motor vehicle on official business, whose seat is
equipped with a seat belt, shall have the seat belt properly fastened at all
times when the vehicle is in motion.
  
(b) Seat Belt Use in National Parks and on Defense Installations.  Each
operator and passenger occupying any seating position of a motor vehicle in a
national park area or on a Defense installation,  whose seat is equipped with
a seat belt or child restraint system, shall have the seat belt or child
restraint system properly fastened, as required by law, at all times when the
vehicle is in motion. 
  
(c) Seat Belt Use by Government Contractors, Subcontractors and Grantees. 
Each Federal agency, in contracts, subcontracts, and grants entered into
after the date of this order, shall seek to encourage contractors,
subcontractors, and grantees to adopt and enforce on-the-job seat belt
policies and programs for their employees when operating company-owned, 
rented, or personally owned vehicles.
  
(d) Tribal Governments.  Tribal Governments are encouraged to adopt and
enforce seat belt policies and programs for occupants of motor vehicles
traveling on highways in Indian Country that are subject to their
jurisdiction.

"Section 2.  Scope of Order.  All agencies of the executive branch are
directed to promulgate rules and take other appropriate measures within their
existing programs to further the policies of this order.  This includes, but
is not limited to, conducting education, awareness, and other appropriate
programs for Federal employees about the importance of wearing seat belts and
the consequences of not wearing them.  It also includes encouraging Federal
contractors, subcontractors, and grantees to conduct such programs.  In
addition, the National Park Service and the Department of Defense are
directed to initiate rulemaking to consider regulatory changes with respect
to enhanced seat belt use requirements and standard (primary) enforcement of
such requirements in national park areas and on Defense installations,
consistent with the policies outlined in this order, and to widely publicize
and actively enforce such regulations.  The term 'agency' as used in this
order means an Executive department, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 101, or any 
employing unit or authority of the Federal Government, other than those of
the legislative and judicial branches.  
  
"Section 3.  Coordination.  The Secretary of Transportation shall provide
leadership and guidance to the heads of executive branch agencies to assist
them with the employee seat belt programs established pursuant to this order. 
The Secretary of Transportation shall also cooperate and consult with the
legislative and judicial branches of the Government to encourage and help
them to adopt seat belt use programs.
  
"Section 4.  Reporting Requirements.  The Secretary of Transportation, in
cooperation with the heads of executive branch agencies, and after
consultation with the judicial and legislative branches of Government, shall
submit an annual report to the President.  The report shall include seat belt
use rates and statistics of crashes, injuries, and related costs involving
Federal employees on official business and occupants of motor vehicles driven
in national park areas, on Defense installations, and on highways in Indian
Country.  The report also shall identify specific agency programs that have
made significant progress towards achieving the goals of this order or are
notable and deserving of recognition.  All agencies of  the executive branch
shall provide information to, and otherwise cooperate with, the Secretary of
Transportation to assist with  the preparation of the annual report.
  
"Section 5.  Other Powers and Duties.  Nothing in this order shall be
construed to impair or alter the powers and duties of the heads of the
various Federal agencies pursuant to the Highway Safety Act of 1966, 23
U.S.C. 402 and 403, as amended, section 19 of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. 668, as amended, or sections 7901, 7902, and
7903 of title 5, United States Code, nor shall it be construed to affect any
right, duty, or procedure under the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C.
151 et seq.
  
"Section 6.  General Provisions.  

(a) Executive Order 12566 of September 26, 1986, is revoked.  To the extent
that this order is inconsistent with any provisions of any prior Executive
order, this order shall control.
  
(b)  If any provision of this order or application of any such provision is
held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and other applications of
such provision shall not be affected.
  
(c)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to create a new cause of action
against the United States, or to alter in any way the United States liability
under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. 2671-2680.

(d)  The Secretary of Defense shall implement the  provisions of this order
insofar as practicable for vehicles of the Department of Defense.
  
(e)  The Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, consistent with
their protective and law enforcement responsibilities, shall determine the
extent to which the requirements of this order apply to the protective and
law enforcement activities of their respective agencies."


EXCHANGE

Mounted Unit - Cuyahoga Valley NRA is in the process of establishing a
volunteer mounted assistance unit.  The unit will provide information and
first aid to park visitors who are using the approximately 40 miles of bridle
trails in the park.  They're interested in hearing from any parks with
similar programs; any information you can provide will be greatly
appreciated.  Contact Dale Silvis or Rose Akins at 216-657-2794.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service.  For inquiries regarding
legislation pertaining to the NPS, please visit the Office of Legislative and
Congressional Affairs Website at http://www.nps.gov/legal, or contact the
main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist.

Thursday, April 24

House National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee: CANCELED: Oversight
hearing on National Park Service budget issues and to receive a GAO report on
budget formulation with the National Park Service.

House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, Subcommittee on Civil
Service: Oversight hearing on federal hiring from welfare roles, with a focus
on the NPS perspective.  Witness: Not yet determined.

Thursday, May 1

Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee: Hearing on Department of
Interior FY 98 budget request.  Witness: Secretary Babbitt.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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.

                                  --- ### ---