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Subject: NPS Morning Report - 10/1/98
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Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 10:37:24 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Thursday, October 1, 1998
INCIDENTS
97-26 - Channel Islands NP (CA) - Follow-up: ARPA/NAGPRA Arrests
On January 14, 1997, NPS rangers and investigators concluded a two-year-long
undercover investigation into Archeological Resource Protection Act (ARPA)
and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)
violations on East Santa Cruz Island. The investigation revealed that
employees and hunting guides associated with a company called Island
Adventures had been responsible for the disturbance of Chumash Indian burial
sites, the removal of human remains, and the collection of archeological
artifacts. Three guides were arrested and charged with various state
offenses. On June 2, 1997, guides R.B. and D.M. each pled guilty
to charges of wounding another's animal while hunting (a misdemeanor) as part
of a plea agreement; each was fined $250. On September 5, 1997, guide B.K.,
who had been indicted on one felony and five misdemeanor charges, was
convicted on several of these counts in state superior court after a three-
week jury trial. B.K. was found guilty of obtaining or possessing Native
American human remains from a grave (a felony), injury to an archeological
object (a misdemeanor), and violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (also
a misdemeanor). On November 10, 1997, B.K. was sentenced to 250 hours of
community service and three years' probation and was fined $200. The 1,800-
year-old human remains which B.K. disinterred were repatriated by Chumash
descendants. B.K. appealed his conviction to the state appellate court.
On September 17th, the court returned its decision, which upheld the
conviction. Washington and regional ARPA and NAGPRA funds were used to pay
for the investigation and prosecution. [Todd Swain, JOTR, 9/28]
98-497 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Follow-up: Employee Arrest
Former park legal officer S.C. was charged with kidnapping and
several counts of child molestation by Fresno police on July 31st. He has
since pled guilty in state court to four felony counts involving unlawful sex
with minors. S.C. filed for retirement in August. There is no
information suggesting any criminal activity by S.C. in the park. [Bob
Andrew, CR, YOSE, 9/30]
98-625 - Kenai Fjords NP (AK) - Helicopter Accident with Injury
On the morning of Sunday, September 26th, a survey crew contracted by BLM was
completing a cadastral survey of lands within the park which were recently
conveyed to the Port Graham Village Corporation. As the crew was off-loading
from a helicopter via a "toe in" landing on a rocky point along the steep,
remote, marine shoreline, surveyor C.L. walked upslope into the main
rotors of the Hughes 500 helicopter. C.L. was struck on his hard hat and
shoulder and knocked down by the rotor blades. The pilot of the helicopter
managed to maintain control of the aircraft and landed it on a rock ledge
nearby, where he activated his ELT. The party's support ship was anchored
out of radio range in a bay some 25 miles away. When they realized the
helicopter was overdue, they began to get underway; at the same time, the
Coast Guard issued an alert regarding the ELT signal. The vessel eventually
got close enough to establish radio contact with the ground crew and called
the Coast Guard to request a rescue helicopter from Kodiak. C.L., his survey
partner, and the pilot were hoisted into the rescue aircraft around 2:30 p.m.
C.L. was flown to a hospital in Homer, where he was stabilized before being
flown on to a hospital in Anchorage. He sustained fractures and lacerations
to his shoulder. He will require skin grafts and more surgery, but is
expected to recover fully. At the time of the report, Temsco Helicopters,
the helicopter's owner, was planning on flying a mechanic to the stranded
helicopter with replacement rotors, rotor head, and drive shaft. If they
couldn't repair the aircraft in the field, they planned to sling it out with
a heavy lift helicopter. The forecast at the time called for winds building
from 25 to 50 knots. There was a possibility that the strong winds could
blow the unsecured helicopter off its small ledge and into the deep water.
[Peter Fitzmaurice, CR, KEFJ, 9/29]
98-626 - Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (MO) - Robbery Arrest
On September 28th, visitor L.D. was struck in the face and robbed of his
wallet, which contained $22, two credit cards and personal papers. L.D.
suffered numerous facial lacerations which required sutures. He was able to
provide a description of his assailant. Shortly thereafter, a city police
officer arrested a young man meeting the description who was attempting to
use the stolen credit cards. He is being held in jail on prior warrants from
Illinois; a federal hold has also been placed on him while the park continues
its investigation. [CI, JEFF, 9/29]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE/INCIDENT ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Tue Wed % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 9/28 9/29 Con Con
----- ---- ------------- --- ---- ---- --- ---
WA Colville NF Hubbard T2 320 200 100 CND
PR Roosevelt Roads NB Hurricane Georges T1 Distribution center
Caribbean NF Hurricane Georges T1 Clean-up operations
FL Jacksonville Hurricane Georges T1 Distribution center
AL Montgomery Hurricane Georges T1 Distribution center
LA Camp Beauregard Hurricane Georges T1 Distribution center
Heading Notes
Unit Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex
IMT T1 = Type I; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team; FUT = Interagency
Fire Use Management Team
% Con Percent of fire contained; UNK = unknown
Est Con Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
--- --- --- --- ------ ---- ----
Sunday, 9/27 0 2 3 0 55 11 71
Monday, 9/28 0 0 3 0 133 12 148
Tuesday, 9/29 0 4 8 2 44 13 71
Wednesday, 9/30 3 0 5 1 57 12 78
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
---- ------- ----------- ---------- --------
Sunday, 9/27 15 77 9 2 239
Monday, 9/28 15 86 12 2 256
Tuesday, 9/29 21 105 15 2 249
Wednesday, 9/30 21 110 14 2 267
CURRENT SITUATION
Fire activity remains minimal.
Very high and extreme fire indices were reported yesterday in Nebraska,
Oregon, Texas, and Montana.
No fire weather watches or warnings have been posted for today.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/1]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION
No entries.
PARK DISPATCHES
Precedent-Setting Park-Tribal Agreement - Grand Portage NM and the Grand
Portage Band of Minnesota Chippewa have concluded a precedent-setting
agreement whereby the band will assume all maintenance activities at the park
on a government-to-government basis. The agreement was reached following the
mandates of the Indian Self-Governance Act of 1994. The act is largely
directed towards tribal governments and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but
includes stipulations that pertain to all Interior agencies. A team of NPS
employees and a DOI solicitor negotiated with the tribal council and tribal
attorney for over two years. The band is eligible for such an agreement
because of its special relationship with the park and because it is a
federally recognized tribe which has demonstrated fiscal and management
prudence under the provisions of the Indian Self-Governance Act. The
agreement will be renegotiated annually and contains many provisions, such as
NPS "reassumption" of maintenance activities if resources are threatened or
visitor or employee safety is jeopardized. Other provisions include the
following:
o permanent NPS employees will be retained;
o the park superintendent and staff will set yearly maintenance
priorities;
o the band will meet federal and state building codes;
o the band will meet all federal environmental and historic preservation
laws.
There are also many other provisions which address regular operational
concerns and standards. Other "self-governance" agreements have been reached
by Interior agencies and the NPS in Alaska, but none have involved primary
park operations. The agreement institutionalizes a partnership with a
professionally staffed, progressive tribal government that is committed to
preserving the park. The park is in the heart of their village and
reservation and reflects their tribal heritage. [Tim Cochrane,
Superintendent, GRPO]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
NPS Accessibility Achievement Awards - The NPS is soliciting nominations for
three accessibility awards - the park accessibility achievement award, the
individual architectural accessibility achievement award, and the individual
programmatic accessibility achievement award. The awards have been created
to stimulate and reward creative thinking and original program/project
activity among NPS personnel which leads to greater opportunity for persons
with disabilities throughout the NPS. An information package was sent to all
regions on September 2nd. Nominations are due by October 15th. For award
criteria and further information, contact David Park via cc:Mail at NP-WASO-
FMD, or at 202-565-1255. [Dave Park, FMD/WASO]
Environmental Achievement Awards - The Office of the Secretary is taking
nominations for the 1999 environmental achievement awards. This year, Mojave
NP won an award for its outstanding work in tracking down industrial
polluters who were dumping toxic waste on park lands. Submissions need to be
in by March 1st. Information on nominations will soon be posted on the Web
at www.doi.gov/oepc. [Bob Marriott, RAD/WASO]
MEMORANDA
No entries.
INTERCHANGE
Boundary Issue - Florissant Fossil Beds NM is seeking information on a
boundary issue. The 6,000-acre park is surrounded by private land and is
entirely fenced. There are over a dozen gates in the fence - some with NPS
locks, some with private locks, some with no locks. According to chief
ranger Tom Ulrich, "the reasons for having these gates have passed from
institutional memory." A new neighbor has requested permission to install a
gate in order to provide access for hiking; another has requested same for
access for horses. The park would like to hear from other areas with similar
situations. They'd like to develop consistency in dealing with gates and
access issues. A number of possible solutions have been suggested, but
they'd also like to hear your "cool, well-reasoned" analyses. Contact Tom
Ulrich via cc:Mail at NP-FLFO.
* * * * *
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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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