Search Results for keywords:"National Park Service"

The National Park Service (NPS) issued a final rule under the Visitor Experience Improvements Authority (VEIA) to enhance visitor services in National Park System units. This rule allows the NPS to use new contracting models like management and percentage lease agreements to improve facilities and services such as lodging, food services, and recreational activities. The VEIA grants flexibility in contract solicitation and selection processes, aiming to attract more businesses and improve visitor experiences while ensuring the preservation of park resources. The rule outlines criteria for awarding contracts, prohibits certain types of commercial services, and includes provisions for record-keeping and access to information.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) approved a program comment aimed at facilitating the ongoing use and preservation of historic properties from the Mission 66 era (1945-1972). This initiative, which supports the National Park Service (NPS), serves as an alternative procedure for meeting obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The program comment offers a streamlined review process, allowing superintendents to consider these properties as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, potentially reducing the need for extensive reviews. The ACHP collaborated on this initiative with various stakeholders, including State Historic Preservation Officers and Tribal representatives, to address concerns and incorporate feedback.

The National Park Service proposes to update regulations for using personal watercraft at the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The proposal includes reducing flat wake speed zones in specific areas and officially closing certain parts of West Petit Bois Island and around the Fort Pickens ferry pier to watercraft. These changes aim to protect the natural and cultural resources of the seashore and enhance visitor safety. Public comments on this proposed rule must be submitted by March 16, 2021.

The National Park Service (NPS) has revised the rules for right-of-way (ROW) permits, which allow the use of lands and waters they manage for infrastructure like power lines and cell towers. These updates make the NPS's process more similar to other Department of the Interior bureaus, introduce pre-application meetings, and require standardized application forms. The new rules also broaden the ways to determine fair market value and highlight the need for construction permitting, address advances in technology, and align with recent laws. These changes aim to protect park resources while making the process clearer for applicants.

The National Park Service has finalized new regulations for motor vehicle use in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. These rules update the use of off-road vehicles (ORVs), including prohibiting certain vehicles from using specific roads to protect natural resources, cultural features, and improve visitor experiences. The regulations also address issues like lake access, by requiring closures of specific areas below certain water levels, and establish longer quiet hours in designated areas to reduce noise pollution. The rules result from settlements over previous legal challenges, aiming to balance recreation and conservation efforts in the park.

The National Park Service has issued a final rule to regulate motor vehicle use in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The rule requires permits for operating vehicles off designated roads in certain areas and allows the superintendent to create closures and restrictions. It designates specific routes and areas for off-road vehicles and sets noise and speed limits. The rule aims to protect natural resources while providing recreational opportunities, and it becomes effective on February 16, 2021, with some provisions starting on April 15, 2021.

The National Park Service is proposing changes to how the U.S. participates in the World Heritage Convention. These updates aim to align U.S. regulations with the latest guidelines from UNESCO regarding cultural and natural heritage sites. The proposal includes refining procedures for nominating U.S. sites to the World Heritage List, ensuring adequate legal protection for nominated sites, and encouraging public involvement in heritage preservation. The public is invited to comment on these proposed rules, with feedback due by February 3, 2025.

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing a new rule to allow bicycles on approximately 79.8 miles of multi-use trails in the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area. This proposal is part of a comprehensive trail management plan aimed at improving access, accommodating the needs of the growing nearby city of Redding, and reopening trails impacted by the Carr Fire in 2018. The NPS plans to designate these trails for bicycles in a way that balances recreational use with the conservation of natural and cultural resources. Public comments on the proposed rule are being accepted until February 28, 2025.

The National Park Service has issued a new rule allowing bicycles on approximately 20.6 miles of trails in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, effective January 22, 2025. This decision came after a public feedback process and an environmental assessment that concluded the expansion of trails for bicycles would not harm the area’s natural resources. The amendments designate specific trails for bicycle use and give the Superintendent authority to manage bicycle access if needed. The changes aim to enhance visitor experiences while ensuring the trails are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

In December 2024, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued a proclamation to establish the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in Pennsylvania. This monument commemorates the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, the first Federal off-reservation boarding school for Native children, notorious for its role in forcibly assimilating Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children. The proclamation acknowledges the historical trauma inflicted by the Federal Indian boarding school system and aims to promote healing and reconciliation by preserving the site's history. The monument will be managed jointly by the National Park Service and the U.S. Army, with a focus on ensuring that the story incorporates Tribal perspectives and acknowledges the resilience of Indigenous communities.