Latest park proposal still worries some
Mail Tribune
October 20, 2005
By PARIS ACHEN
A second draft of proposed revisions to national park management policies released Tuesday dropped language that could have opened national parks to cell phone towers, snowmobiles and private watercraft.
The new proposal “continues the tradition we’ve always had of protecting park resources unimpaired for future generations,” said Elaine Sevy, a Park Service spokeswoman in Washington, D.C.
The first proposal, by Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Paul Hoffman and leaked to the media in early September, would have changed the definition for park impairment from “an impact to any park resource or value” to one proven to “irreversibly harm” resources.
“Paul Hoffman’s proposal was submitted to get the Park Service to begin looking at new options and incur debate,” Sevy said. “There never were any hard-lined regulations.”
Crater Lake National Park officials said it was too early to know how the proposed revisions would impact Oregon’s only national park, on 183,224 acres in Klamath County northeast of Medford.
“We just started reviewing the draft, so we don’t have a consensus on what revisions should be made,” said Michael Justin, Crater Lake spokesman.
But some Park Service retirees said some of the language in the new proposal is still worrisome.
“It’s better than the Hoffman draft, but it’s too early to see a good picture of how it is going to impact national parks,” said George Buckingham, retired chief ranger at Crater Lake National Park. “The devil is in the details.”
One concern is a proposal to delete a part of the policy that gives priority to conserving park resources over providing enjoyment of the park to the public.
“If you don’t have the park preserved, you can’t have enjoyment,” said Buckingham, president of Friends of Crater Lake.
Sevy said the proposal would not change the Park Service’s mission to protect park’s resources.
The move to revise the policies was prompted by a congressional request in 2002 and increasing public demand for modern comforts and activities in parks, Park Service officials said.
About 100 Park Service employees participated in the revision process, they said.
Park Service management policies are based on congressional intent, case law and the 1916 Organic Act, which created the National Park Service and have given parks the most natural resource protection of any federally managed land.
The public has until Jan. 19 to comment on the proposal.
Park Service Director Fran Mainella said the Department of Interior and Congress could play a part in which version is ultimately adopted.
Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail pachen@mailtribune.com.
Other pages in this section
- Writers on the Range: Panhandling in our national parks – November 21, 2005
- Anniversary: Altorfer – 50 years – November 20, 2005
- New parkway signs go up – October 21, 2005
- Scientists gather to save pines – October 09, 2005
- Prescribed burns planned at Crater Lake – October 4, 2005
- Crater Lake pines in peril – October 01, 2005
- ‘Rockin’ in the Klamath Basin – September 26, 2005
- Park rangers cleared in camper’s shooting death – September 23, 2005
- Seismic monitoring stations wanted at Crater Lake – September 17, 2005
- Editorial: Don’t let parks become political battleground – September 15, 2005
- Proposal: Parks need an update – September 6, 2005
- Hike of the Week: enjoy solitude, panorama on top of Crater Peak – September 2, 2005
- Spending a night on Crater Lake’s Wizard Island – September 04, 2005
- Longtime Crater Lake ranger retires – September 02, 2005
- Basin residents honor Crater Lake – August 26, 2005
- Oregon Governor just another tourist – August 26, 2005
- Crater Lake bicycle ride: 100 years, 100 miles – August 25, 2005
- Kulongoski, Walden in town for Oregon quarter celebration – August 23, 2005
- Jack Batzer dies after a household accident – August 22, 2005
- Crater Lake plates boost park funds – August 20, 2005
- Teens rehabilitate trails near Crater Lake – August 18, 2005
- Rim runs, marathon an oxymoron – August 15, 2005
- Bricco wins despite pain – August 14, 2005
- Hawkes wins marathon – August 14, 2005
- Layne claims victory in first trip to Crater Lake Rim Runs – August 14, 2005
- Hill, Glidden remember ’84 race well – August 13, 2005
- Parking a concern at Rim Runs – August 11, 2005
- Crater Lake National Park has seven rangers with authority to carry guns – August 02, 2005
- Man shot at Crater Lake arrested a year ago – August 02, 2005
- Ranger details Crater Lake shooting – July 30, 2005
- Ranger shoots violent camper at Crater Lake – July 29, 2005
- Teachers wanted for outdoor science school workshop – July 26, 2005
- Construction Projects Update – June 30, 2005
- Make the most of Crater Lake quarter – June 02, 2005
- Mint strikes Oregon quarter – May 27, 2005
- Celebrations planned for state quarter –
- Construction projects beginning at Crater Lake – May 24, 2005
- Multiple construction projects Begin! – May 23, 2005
- Since you asked: It would take centuries to drink up Crater Lake – May 6, 2005
- Officials unveil plan of action for tourism – April 27, 2005
- Postcards from the camps – April 25, 2005
- Wintery classroom at Crater Lake National Park – April 25, 2005
- Festival blooms in Jacksonville – April 7, 2005
- Project to Rehabilitate Rim Village Begins! – April 01, 2005
- Courses set on Karuks, bats, Crater Lake biology – March 21, 2005
- Education Afoot: a local teacher takes the lesson out of doors – February 7, 2005
- Streamflow signs buried in the snow – February 1, 2005
- How Rogue forest began – January 30, 2005
- Winter fun at Crater Lake – January 6, 2005
- Crater Lake ski races set for this weekend – February 02, 2005