NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, March 5, 1998

Broadcast: By 1000 ET (DELAYED)

INCIDENTS

98-89 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Arson

A fire destroyed the restroom complex at the Klamath River overlook on
February 26th.  Evidence and witnesses indicate that the fire was
arson-caused and that an accelerant was used.  Damage is estimated at
$25,000.  The privacy walls surrounding the chemical toilets were made
of recycled plastic lumber.  The lumber burned very quickly and hotly. 
When the local volunteer fire department applied water to the fire, it
spread the way a grease fire would spread and became very difficult to
control.  The material safety data sheet indicates that Class B foam or
a fog pattern should be used on this kind of fire.  Parks using this
type of plastic lumber need to be aware of the material's properties
and inform their firefighters, as it may not be immediately obvious to
them that they are dealing with a petroleum-based fire.  Parks should
also take this into consideration before using this type of material
near other, more valuable structures or exposures.  The plastic lumber
was donated to the park.  At least 30 other NPS units evidently also
received such donations.  [Curt Vade Bon Coeur, REDW, 3/5]

98-90 - Harpers Ferry NHP (WV/MD) - Probable Arson

The operator of a passing train reported a fire in an empty park
building around 4:50 a.m. on February 21st.  Responding rangers
and volunteer firefighters found a small office area engulfed in
flames.  The fire was quickly extinguished.  It appears that asbestos
wall panels prevented it from spreading throughout the building. 
Rangers found that the front door had been forced open; arson was
accordingly suspected.  An investigation was conducted that day by an
ATF arson investigator brought to the scene by regional law enforcement
specialist Bill Lynch.  The building, constructed in 1925 on an old
mill site dating back to 1854, had housed two water-powered generators.
The damage has been estimated at $10,000.  [Harvey Sorenson, CR, HAFE,
3/5]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Clarification - Yesterday's Morning Report carried a report on
Cardinal FG's decision to withdraw an application to Virginia DEQ
for permission to build a potentially air-polluting factory near
Shenandoah NP.  An editorial abridgment of one section of the original
report inadvertently gave the impression that the park initiated the
grass roots effort to oppose the plant. Both that effort and the
referenced web site were entirely the work of local residents.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Fire Teleconference - REMINDER: An interagency satellite teleconference
on managing wildland fire will be held on April 8th.  Secretary
Babbitt will head a distinguished cast of presenters that will include
the director, an assistant secretary, three state foresters, and at
least ten other top-level agency administrators from the NPS, BLM,
USFS, USFWS and BIA.  The teleconference will provide a unique
opportunity for agency administrators and resource and fire management
personnel to get the latest information on the new fire policy and have
a chance to ask questions via telephone or fax while it is underway. 
If your office does not have satellite downlink capabilities, check
with other federal agencies, local schools, libraries and hospitals to
find out what is available.  Another option is to rent a satellite dish
from a private satellite equipment vendor.  The program will be
broadcast live from the BLM National Training Center (NTC) in Phoenix. 
The broadcast will be a C-Band transmission on satellite Galaxy 3R (or
"G3"), which is located at 95 degrees west. The signal will be
transmitted on Transponder 21 - Horizontal, with a downlink frequency
of 4120 MHz - Horizontal.  Further information can be found on the NTC
homepage at www.ntc. blm.gov under "Products/Transcripts."  On the day
of the broadcast, you can obtain help from the NTC satellite reception
help hot line at 602-906-5629. The broadcast schedule is as follows:

  City                   Test Signal     Program Starts     Program Ends

  Anchorage                7:00 am         7:30 am            10:30 am 
  Phoenix/Portland (PDT)   8:00 am         8:30 am            11:30 am 
  Denver/Boise (MDT)       9:00 am         9:30 am            12:30 pm 
  Milwaukee/Tulsa (CDT)   10:00 am        10:30 am             1:30 pm 
  Washington D.C. (EDT)   11:00 am        11:30 am             2:30 pm

For further information, please contact Elizabeth Anderson at
303-969-2883 or via cc:Mail.  [Elizabeth Anderson, Denver Support
Office, IMR]

MEMORANDA

"Recreational Fee Demonstration Program Update," signed on March
2nd by the associate director, park operations and education, and
sent electronically (no hard copy to follow) to all regional directors
and recreational fee demonstration park superintendents.  There is a
reply due date of April 3rd. Because of its informational content
and consequence, the full text is being incorporated into the Morning
Report.  The original memo has four ATTACHMENTS which are neither
referenced nor included here.  Please contact the appropriate office to
obtain these and hard copies of the memo itself.  "It has been
only a little more than one year since the first recreational fees were
collected under the new authority of the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program.  In that time, the National Park Service (NPS) has generated
an additional $40 million in new fee revenue which will improve parks
and services for the visiting public.  Our successes to date are due,
in large part, to the cooperative efforts and partnerships that have
developed among parks, agencies and all levels of Government. I
want to thank everyone involved for bringing this program 'on
line' in an expeditious and professional manner.

"The fee demonstration program has been well received during its
first year of implementation.  In mid-November, I participated in an
interagency briefing for the Honorable Ralph Regula, Chairman,
Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies, Committee on
Appropriations, House of Representatives and Honorable Slade
Gorton, Chairman, Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies,
Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, on the status of the
fee program.  Both Subcommittee Chairmen are very supportive of the
program and its continued success.  In particular, they are encouraged
by the NPS implementation and management of the program and the general
acceptance of the new fees by the public.  Both have expressed strong
interest in how funds will be spent, tracked and monitored.  There is
also interest in how new fee revenues will be spent on fee collection
and how new technologies and strategies will be used.  Mr. Regula has
acknowledged that the collection of fees has resulted in other benefits
to the agencies such as a reduction in crime and vandalism.  He has
also expressed interest in how signage and techniques are being used to
identify fee demonstration projects to the public.

"On January 31, 1998, the NPS, Bureau of Land Management, U. S. Fish
and Wildlife and U. S. Forest Service presented a joint report to the
respective Subcommittees on the status of the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program after the first year as required by the fee
demonstration authority.  This report included an overview of the
program, general recommendations on future fee authority for the NPS,
and a summary of initial successes and shortcomings of the program. 
The four participating agencies agree that the demonstration program
should run its full course to determine the best way to collect fees
while measuring public opinion about this new program.  The report is
available on the Internet at

     http://www.ios.gov/nrl/Recfees/ RECFEE.HTM
                and
     http://www.ios.doi.gov/nrl/Recfees/RECFEE.PDF

"Congress has discussed the possibilities of either authorizing
permanent fee authority or extending the current demonstration fee
authority.  On February 26, the Subcommittee on National Parks and
Public Lands held an oversight hearing on the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program.  Honorable Craig Thomas, Chairman, Subcommittee
on National Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation, Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, has proposed NPS
legislation (S.1693-Vision 2020) that also addresses recreation fee
collection.

"The Recreational Fee Demonstration Program is undoubtedly a dynamic
program, as evidenced by three amendments since the original authority
was passed in 1996.  Most recently, an amendment was made in the
Department of the Interior (DOI) FY 1998 Appropriations Act allowing
the NPS to retain ALL recreational fee revenue collected by
the demonstration sites, with 80 percent of the revenue remaining at
the site where it was collected.  The amendment also specified that
demonstration parks would no longer be eligible to receive cost
of collection funding from the '15 percent authority' but would
instead cover the cost of collections from the 80 percent retained by
the park.  These changes and other lessons learned over the first year
of the program must now be addressed.  The following policies are,
therefore, the first steps in making necessary changes to allow the
program to continue with its main objective: to generate additional
funding to address long overdue backlogged repair and maintenance of
infrastructure and resource management needs while demonstrating to the
public that the additional fees are well spent and provide both
immediate and long-term benefits.

"Funding for the cost of collection: With the change in
authority to allow the NPS to retain all recreational fee revenue from
the demonstration sites, each demonstration site is now required to use
the 80 percent funds retained at the site to pay for cost of
collection.  Each demonstration site will submit a cost-of-collection
funding project proposal for approval by the respective Regional
Director.  These projects will be forwarded to my office on April 3,
1998, for review and concurrence.  Current policy regarding direct
cost-of-collection criteria will remain in effect.  Permanent
salaries for persons involved in the direct collection of recreational
fees can be included, but must be limited to the portion of the salary
that is attributed to fee collection operations.  No new permanent
positions should be established using fee funds.

"Program management costs that previously were funded from the 15
percent funds will be covered from the 20 percent funds for FY 1998.  A
work group has been established to make recommendations for funding the
program in FY 1999 and beyond.

"Projects funded by the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program
revenues: There has been much discussion over both the projects
funded with the 80 percent and 20 percent revenues and the timeliness
in which funds are returned to the parks to undertake these projects. 
Projects that have been approved for 80 percent and 20 percent revenues
have been thoroughly reviewed by WASO for the purposes of substantially
reducing the identified 'backlogged list.'  My staff is working
closely with the Comptroller to put the necessary processes in place to
ensure accountability for demonstration funds at the park level.

"I cannot overstate the concerns regarding program accountability. 
The General Accounting Office (GAO) is currently conducting a review of
the demonstration program, and DOI is taking a more active role in
reviewing the priorities and funding decisions for the Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program revenues.  I recognize the frustrations of the
field regarding timeliness, oversight of funds and the expediency of
showing the visiting public some demonstrable improvements this summer.
 We will continue to work with DOI to develop a system of reviews and
priorities for demonstration funds with the purpose of releasing this
information to the field as expeditiously as possible.  It is important
to note that the demonstration funds retained by the NPS are available
through September 30, 2002.

"As you know, Congress must agree to propose projects that exceed
$500,000.  The NLC recently decided that these projects must be
reviewed by the NPS Development Advisory Board prior to being sent to
the Department and Congress.  Those parks with projects in this
category must prepare 10-238's. They should be forwarded to me as
soon as possible so that they can be reviewed by the Development
Advisory Board and forwarded to the Hill.    In the meantime, we intend
to ask appropriations committee staff permission to proceed with
planning on these projects so that we can refine the proposal and
estimate prior to asking for approval.  This procedure would parallel
the approach used to program and budget appropriated line item
construction projects.  We will notify you shortly on the outcome of
these discussions.

"All 80 percent projects that have been approved as of September 3,
1997, remain approved; 80 percent funds that have been released to date
may be obligated on approved projects.  At present, the 20 percent
funds and approved projects remain 'frozen' pending further
review by the DOI working group.  It is anticipated that they will be
released shortly.  A new call will go out soon for additional 80
percent and 20 percent projects relative to the increased funding
available to many of the demonstration sites as well as for those newly
approved demonstration sites.  Instructions regarding project criteria
will be issued after the DOI work group makes final recommendations to
support the FY 1999 budget.

"The NPS has purchased a software program (Future Projects) to manage
and track all demonstration projects.  This is a critical component of
the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program and central to the overall
ability of the NPS to report on backlogged projects to Congress.  I
have tasked this component of the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program to the WASO Facilities Management Office.  Training for
application of the Future Projects software is underway and will
continue to be provided throughout the NPS; I encourage all facility
managers and fee management staff to become familiar with this program.

"Refinement of the Demonstration Fees: Now that the first year
of the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program has been completed, it is
time to evaluate the fees and make any necessary changes.  It has been
the intent of the Directorate not to make any major changes in the
admission prices that were agreed to by the Secretary. Many
demonstration parks identified multiple components of the demonstration
program but did not fully implement their approved fee structure.  I
encourage approved demonstration parks to evaluate and propose new
projects that are unique and outside the mainstream of traditional NPS
fee collection.  This is the time to look at fees for special
interpretive programs, and fee incentives for encouraging participation
in interpretive activities or visitation by groups that may not
traditionally visit national park areas.

"Approved Recreational Fee Demonstration sites are advised to
submit new proposals, modifications or initiation of already approved
demonstration fees not yet undertaken through their respective
Regional Directors to the WASO National Fee Program office by April 3,
1998.

"Communication of the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program to the
visiting public and NPS employees: I encourage all Recreational Fee
Demonstration Program parks to evaluate their communication with both
internal and external audiences.  The long-term success of this program
will be measured in the public acceptance of new fees by the visible
tangible benefits of the projects undertaken.  I ask that all divisions
work together in getting this message out to the public through the use
of signage, park newsletters, interpretive displays and programs,
informal discussions with local communities and interest groups, and
inclusion of program messages in interpretive talks.  I also ask park
managers to regularly communicate with all park staff on how the
program is affecting the park and what new projects will be undertaken.
 Fee demonstration logos have been sent to each fee demonstration park.
 If additional logo materials are needed, or if there are questions
regarding the use of the logos, please contact the National Fee Program
Office.

"A full-scale evaluation of the Recreational Fee Demonstration
Program is being undertaken through contracts with two research groups.
Each demonstration project site will be contacted to gather basic
information about the fee program.  A more in-depth survey will be
conducted at selected demonstration parks to evaluate visitor attitudes
regarding the new fees.  Three in-depth case studies will be undertaken
to evaluate whether new fees have impacted local and regional economies
or restricted visitation to the parks by specific socio-economic
groups.  My office is working with the Division of Social Sciences to
develop and manage these evaluation contracts. Information regarding
the results of the first year evaluation of selected demonstration
sites has been sent to each regional office for distribution to all
parks.  For more detailed information regarding these evaluations,
please contact the National Fee Program office.

"Additionally, the National Leadership Council has endorsed several
work groups to make recommendations for the long-term management
objectives of the NPS recreational fee collection program.  These
groups will have their initial meetings in March.

"Thank you for your continued interest and support in the
Recreational Fee Demonstration Program.  Your assistance and
cooperation in this pivotal, dynamic program is appreciated."

EXCHANGE

No entries.

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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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