NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, September 23, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

                            *** NOTICE ***

Due to the editor's out-of-country travel and to cc:Mail remote connection
problems here at the park, there will be no Morning Reports from Wednesday,
September 24th, through Tuesday, September 30th.  Morning Reports will resume
on October 1st. 

INCIDENTS

97-583 - Ozark NSR (MO) - Drug Lab

On August 18th, an informant told rangers and the county sheriff that
suspicious equipment and chemicals could be found in a park lodge cabin at
Big Spring.  The cabin was put under surveillance and a warrant was obtained. 
An adult female was apprehended as she attempted to leave the area at 1 a.m.
on the following morning.  Investigators found lab equipment and 66 grams of
chemical residue, indicating the presence of a methamphetamine laboratory
which was employing the ephedrine-iodine-red phosphorous process.  A second
suspect has been identified.  The investigation continues.  [Tim Blank,
Manager, South Unit, OZAR, 9/22]

97-584 - Big South Fork NRRA (KY/TN) - Marijuana Eradication

Rangers participated in a summer-long marijuana eradication effort known as
Operation Gray Day in conjunction with officers from the state police, Forest
Service and five county sheriff's departments and members of the Tennessee
National Guard.  A total of 120 hours of overflights were conducted by
airplane and helicopter.  Just under 6,000 plants were found and eradicated
in 167 plots in and around the park.  Rangers also arrested two people for
cultivation and assisted in seven other arrests on county and state charges. 
The value of the marijuana has been placed at $10.7 million.  The sheriff's
departments made other arrests and destroyed additional plants in one of the
most intense eradication efforts in the area in several years.  WASO Ranger
Activities provided the funding to support the operation, which is having a
perceptible effect on marijuana harvesting in the park.  [Frank Graham, CR,
BISO, 9/18]

                   [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Ranger-Park Police Report - The report which looked at perceptions that Park
Police officers and NPS rangers have toward each other has been completed and
transmitted to all regional directors, the associate director for park
operations and education, and the chief of the Park Police.  Copies of the
report may be obtained by sending a message to Rick Gale in WASO Ranger
Activities and typing the words Perceptions Report on the subject line.  No
message is necessary.  [Rick Gale, RAD/WASO]

MEMORANDA

"NPS Accessibility Management Program," signed on September 15th by the
associate director, park operations and education and sent to all field
areas.  The text follows:
     
"During the past two years, as we have reorganized and restructured
ourselves, some questions have been raised about the Service's continued
efforts regarding  accessibility for people with disabilities.  The purpose
of this memorandum is to reaffirm our continued concern for equal opportunity
for people with disabilities and our commitment to helping parks meet these
obligations.  
     
"Over the past several years, much effort has been expended to make the 
facilities, services and programs we offer more accessible to everyone,
including the portion of our population that happens to have a disability. 
These efforts have included conducting comprehensive evaluations to identify
barriers to access and making continuing modifications to our facilities and
programs to attempt to eliminate those barriers.  Through these efforts, many
parks have made significant progress by developing accessible campsites,
picnic areas, trails, and by modifying restrooms, visitor centers and other
park facilities.   We know that even though most parks have made significant
improvements, we still have a lot of work to do to achieve our ultimate goal
of  equal access.  We reaffirm our commitment to continue efforts, as stated
in NPS Policy, to assure that 'every reasonable effort will be made to make
the facilities, programs and services of the National Park Service accessible
to and usable by all people...'   We strongly encourage all units to renew
your commitment, within the resources available, to identify and remove
barriers that inhibit people with disabilities from having equal
opportunities.
     
"The NPS Accessibility Management Program is currently housed in the Park
Facility Management Division, which is part of the Associate Directorship for
Park Operations and Education.  The primary purpose of the program is to
provide direction, coordination, technical assistance and continuing
education to assure that we know what we are required to do, and more
importantly, to assist the parks in assuring that the actions taken are
appropriate and in accord with the changing and evolving codes and
regulations.  This involves establishing and maintaining liaison with the
Office of the Secretary, the U. S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers
Compliance Board, the Disability Rights Section of the Department of Justice
and the larger accessibility community in order to assure that we have the
latest information.  It also involves establishing appropriate communication
with all units of NPS to assure that you have the technical support you need.
     
"The NPS Accessibility Management Program currently consists of three,
full-time professional staff, David Park, Program Coordinator, Tom Coleman
and Ray Bloomer, Accessibility Specialists.  In addition, NPS has expanded
the scope of the program by establishing a cooperative agreement with the
Park and Recreation Department of Indiana University to create the National
Center on Accessibility (NCA).  This Center combines the expertise of NPS
with that of the University to provide technical assistance, continuing
education and some research and demonstration efforts with regard to access
in park and recreation environments.   One primary purpose of NCA is to
provide more technical support to the parks to assist you in meeting your
obligations.   For more information, or to request technical information, you
can reach Ray Bloomer at  NCA at 765-349-9240, or David Park and Tom Coleman
at WASO at 202-565-1244. 
     
"Finally, the NPS Accessibility Program is in the process of developing a
series of technical papers on some of the most frequently asked questions. 
We plan to post these technical papers on  several of the NPS Bulletin
Boards.  We will be discussing issues like the Americans with Disabilities
Act, the difference between the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard (UFAS)
and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), 
the status of new  design standards for accessible recreation facilities, and
many others.  We also are exploring the development of a cc:mail 'list
server,' so this information can be sent directly to individuals with 
specific responsibilities in access.  Anyone with questions they would like
to see addressed in these technical papers,  or anyone wishing to be added to
the mail list should contact David Park or Tom Coleman by cc:mail, or by
telephone at 202-565-1244."

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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coordinator.

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

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