NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, March 24, 1998

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

98-112 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Resource Violations

On October 21, 1997, a river trip leader reported that he'd contacted a group
of 30 people on a beach area in South Canyon several days previously.  He
said that members of the group were poorly prepared and had caused serious
damage to the area, that most of them were dressed in camouflage fatigues,
and that they'd referred to one of their leaders as "Colonel G." 
Wilderness rangers Patrick Brasington and Stephen Willis hiked to the remote
trail head, which is three hours from the South Rim village, and contacted a
group of 28 people just leaving the trail.  The trip leaders were Dr. G.B.,
38, and Dr. R.G., 52, both from The University of The
Incarnate Word, located in San Antonio, Texas.  The backcountry permits which
they produced were not valid, as they were issued for a group no larger than
eleven people.  Further investigation revealed 14 resource violations, the
most serious being the disposal of human waste at over 30 locations on the
beach, the abandonment of property (backpacks, walking sticks, water bottles,
and sleeping bags were found along the trail), the dumping of bags of trash
in rock piles, the gathering and burning of vegetation in ground fires, and
the creation of fire scars all over the beach.  Mandatory appearance
citations were issued to both R.G. and G.B., but no affiliation to a
militia group was found.  Last week, rangers received information of a large
group camping in Salt Water Wash.  The group reportedly had no permit and was
led by a man named G.B.  Brasington and Willis responded, located
several vehicles at the trail head, and soon spotted four backpackers dressed
in camouflage fatigues heading up the trail.  They found that the four were
from the University of the Incarnate Word and that they were members of a
group of 19 led by G.B. and R.G.  Neither R.G. nor G.B. had a
backcountry permit.  They admitted that the group had been camping for
several days at the beach.  Both were arrested, and an investigation is
underway.  The first case against the two men is still pending in court. 
[GRCA, 3/21]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Benchmark Position Descriptions for Seasonal Park Rangers - WASO Personnel
has released the six Ranger Careers benchmark position descriptions for
seasonal park rangers.  These Servicewide benchmarks describe the work of
non-career-ladder park rangers in the areas of resources interpretation,
resources law enforcement, and resources monitoring at the grades GS-5 and
GS-7.  Several important points need to be noted:

The seasonal resources law enforcement positions have been
pre-designated for 6c coverage, so law enforcement pay enhancement and
other 6c requirements apply to these positions.

The Department of the Interior has again reinforced the requirement
that ALL law enforcement positions MUST comply with background
investigation requirements.  For seasonal law enforcement positions,
the requirement is a limited background investigation (LBI).  This
year, all investigations must be completed by OPM and favorably
adjudicated PRIOR to issuing a law enforcement commission (there is a
35-day minimum delivery time from OPM for LBI investigations).

Rigorous duty medical standards apply to 6c-designated law enforcement
positions.  Medical standards have been developed, and pre-hire and
periodic medical examinations for all designated law enforcement
positions will be required in the near future.  However, pre-hire
rigorous duty medical examination procedures for seasonal law
enforcement positions are still in the developmental phase.  Ranger
Activities is seeking parks or regions to serve as pilots for the new
medical procedures.  Interested parks or regions should contact Bill
Sanders in Ranger Activities via cc:Mail for further information and
instructions.

Ranger Activities would like to provide medical examinations for as
many new and returning seasonals as possible this year.  The Service
will pay the costs of meeting background investigation and medical
examination requirements from a central account this year, PROVIDING
PARKS USE THE NEW 6C-DESIGNATED BENCHMARK SEASONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
POSITION DESCRIPTIONS.  Parks using local law enforcement position
descriptions must accomplish the background investigations via their
park benefitting account.
     
Please keep in mind that, under the Ranger Careers concept, there is no
"professional park ranger" work below GS-5.  Work below GS-5 should be
described in other appropriate series.  The work of seasonal park rangers is
designed to support and supplement the field work of the full performance
level (GS-9) of the park ranger occupation.  Most seasonal rangers do this by
accomplishing ranger work that is of lesser complexity, narrower scope, and
provided closer supervision than is typical at the GS-9 level.  However,
seasonals can perform park ranger work at the full performance level (GS-9),
if the work is only available for a limited time and if the seasonal has the
necessary qualifications.  Seasonals should be appropriately compensated for
the work they perform.  Seasonal ranger work is different than the work of
career-ladder (permanent) park rangers.  While serving at the entry level
(GS-5) and developmental level (GS-7) of the park ranger occupation, GS-5 and
GS-7 permanents are being trained and developed toward attaining career-long
competencies.   Seasonal rangers are not trainees.  Seasonals are employed to
perform work necessary to enable parks to handle the higher volume of
visitation and the seasonal variations in our other ranger functions such as
resource monitoring. These new benchmark position descriptions are also fully
consistent with proposed revisions to the GS-025 Series qualification
standard and classification standard.  Ranger Activities hopes to enter
discussions with OPM on these new standards in the near future, asks that
parks using these six position descriptions this season help evaluate them. 
If they accomplish their intended purpose, they will be used in future years. 
Other features will also be introduced which will help to simplify the entire
seasonal process and to help diversify the seasonal ranger force in the
future.  See your servicing personnel office for copies of these position
descriptions.  [Ranger Activities Division, WASO]
     
MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

No entries.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or kindred agencies.  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.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Tuesday, March 24

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 887, the National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1997; Senate Joint Resolution 41,
legislation approving the location of a Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial in
the Nation's Capitol; S. 1695, the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
Preservation Act of 1998; and S. 991, technical corrections to the Omnibus
Parks and Public Lands management Act of 1996 (and for other purposes). 
Witness: To be determined.

House Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer
Protection: Oversight hearing on the implementation of the 1996
Telecommunications Act.  Witness: Deputy Director Galvin.

Wednesday, March 25

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Public Land
Management: Hearing on several bills, including S. 1683, a bill to transfer
administrative jurisdiction over part of the Lake Chelan NRA from the
Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of Agriculture for inclusion in
the Wenatchee NF.

House Resources Committee: Hearing on several bills, including H.R. 1522, to
extend the authorization for the National Historic Preservation Fund (and for
other purposes).  

Thursday, March 26

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands: Hearing on
H.R. 2776, acquisition amendment, Morristown NHP; and H.R. 3047, expansion
authorization, Fort Davis NHS.  Witness: To be determined.

Tuesday, March 31

House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations and Related Agencies: Hearing
on the FY99 budget request for the National Park Service.  Witness: Director
Stanton.

Thursday, March 26

House Committee on Resources, Budget Committee, and Appropriations Committee:
Joint oversight hearing on the management of the U.S. Forest Service.

Wednesday, April 1

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, the Vision 2020 National
Parks Restoration Act, "a bill to renew, reform, reinvigorate, and protect
the National Park System," focusing on four sections of the bill - Title I
(management reforms), Title II (procedures for establishment of new parks),
Title III (recreation fee demonstration program), and Title V (park passport
program).  Witness: Director Stanton.

Thursday, April 30

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, Title IV (concessions); and
S. 624, concessions reform.  Witness: Deputy Director Galvin.

Thursday, May 7

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, Title VI (national parks
resource inventory and management), Title VII (designation of tax refunds and
contributions for the benefit of national parks), Title VIII (National Park
Foundation) and Title XI (miscellaneous).  Witness: To be determined.

Thursday, May 14

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, Title IX (commercial filming
in national parks) and Title X (capital improvement project bond
demonstration program); and S. 1614, commercial filming.  Witness: To be
determined.

FLOOR ACTION

No action scheduled on NPS legislation.

                           *  *  *  *  *

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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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