NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, November 9, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-661 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Filming Permit Violation

M.H. of Pulse Communications contacted the park this fall to obtain
a permit to film grizzly collaring and bison helicopter net-gunning
operations in the park for a documentary.  After careful consideration, the
permit was denied due to safety concerns and potential detriment to these
research projects.  Park staff agreed, however, to allow M.H. to mount a
remote camera on the helicopter during the net-gunning operations and to film
the ground darting of bison that was also taking place at the same time. 
Although M.H. was told the specifics of these provisions on several
occasions prior to the company's arrival in the park, M.H. ignored them
and chartered a helicopter with the intent of filming the net-gunning
operations.  This was discovered and prevented when the helicopter pilot
contacted the park to ensure that he had the proper permits.  When M.H.
arrived with members of his crew, he met with public affairs staff to obtain
the filming permit and acted surprised when informed that he wouldn't be
allowed access to the helicopter net-gunning operations.  M.H. proved to
be very difficult to deal with during the application process, refusing to
accept the terms and conditions established in the permit.  He was again
expressly told that neither he nor his crew members were to fly over or enter
any areas on foot or by any other means where bison helicopter operations
were taking place.  This was all specified in the addendum to the company's
filming permit, which also contained a map of the restricted area.  On
October 20th, a law enforcement ranger spotted the crew about a half mile
off-road in the restricted area where bison helicopter operations were taking
place.  M.H. was fined and his filming permit was revoked for violation
of its terms and conditions.  The park will deny all future filming permits
to Pulse Communications, or any representative thereof, for a probationary
period of three years.  Parks wishing additional information can contact the
park's public affairs staff by phone at 307-344-2013 or via cc:Mail at YELL
Public Affairs.  [Public Affairs, YELL, 11/8]

99-662 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Special Event
     
The park's Fort Wadsworth site was transformed into the athlete's village and
starting line for the 30th annual New York City marathon, run on November
7th.  Over 32,000 participants from all over the world gathered on the
grounds in Staten Island for five hours prior to the starting gun.  The event
was managed under a special use permit and coordinated jointly by the park,
the Coast Guard, the Army Reserve (both property owners in the park), and
NYPD.  Physical preparations began more than three weeks in advance. NBC
broadcast the race live, using Fort Wadsworth as its anchor point for several
hours.  Event organizers tried a new feature, staging a third of the field of
runners on neighborhood streets outside the park for about an hour before the
start.  Although helpful in relieving congestion within the fort, there were
numerous complaints from local residents regarding the runners' poor
behavior, the lack of toilets and barricades, and so forth.  It remains to be
seen if Staten Island officials will allow this change to become permanent. 
[Marty O'Toole, Site Manager, Fort Wadsworth, GATE, 11/8]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION 

San Antonio Missions (TX) - Environmental Property Assessment

Staff from the park's Resource Management and Visitor Protection Division
recently completed recertification with the National Registry of
Environmental Professionals as environmental property assessors.  This
designation permits the three certified park rangers to conduct Level I
surveys of properties identified for acquisition in accordance with the NPS's
Level I pre-acquisition environmental site assessment guidance manual.
Certification makes it possible for park protection staff to learn about the
resources and determine the overall condition of lands slated for purchase
before acquisition actually takes place. [Dan Steed, CR, SAAN]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Independence NHP - The park is accepting applications through OPM for
permanent park ranger GS-025-05 positions.  These positions have promotion
potential to GS-09.  The announcement number is PH-HB-0-0127.  The register
will open on November 9th and close on November 23rd.   If you have any
questions, please contact the Human Resources Office at 215-597-1506.  [Lisa
Mann, INDE]

CALENDAR

The biweekly calendar of training courses and meetings now appears as a
separate addendum to the Morning Report and follows in the next message.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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