[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 19804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9922]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Request for Public Comment on Appropriate Studies on Winter Use 
in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. 
Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway

AGENCY: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Solicitation of public comment on appropriate research topics 
on winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the 
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway.

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SUMMARY: On September 24, 1998 the National Park Service and the Fund 
for Animals and other individuals and organizations signed a settlement 
agreement to resolve litigation concerning the National Park Service 
Winter Use Plan for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the 
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway. Under the terms of the 
agreement the National Park Service agreed to solicit comments on 
appropriate studies they should conduct on winter use in the parks for 
use in the ongoing winter use planning process. However, due to the 
time constraints imposed by the settlement agreement, some of the 
proposed and ongoing winter use research may not be completed in time 
for incorporation into the draft winter use plans and environmental 
impact statement. The information will be useful for long term 
management of winter use in the parks.
    The National Park Service requests that all individuals, 
organizations, agencies or entities that are interested in or affected 
by winter visitor use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and 
the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway share comments or 
concerns on appropriate topics of research for use in the winter user 
planning process.

Background

    Winter use research projects currently underway in the affected 
national parks include: the social carrying capacity of Yellowstone 
National Park for winter use, an assessment of winter recreation on 
wildlife in Yellowstone National Park, a winter visitor survey for 
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the Greater Yellowstone 
Area, a snowmobile emission survey in Yellowstone, Hayden Valley bison 
monitoring, Gibbon/Golden Gate bison monitoring, bison use of groomed 
roads in Yellowstone National Park, characterization of snowmobile 
particulate emissions, measurement of airborne toxics and regulated 
pollutants emitted from snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, and 
snowpack and snowmelt runoff chemical analysis at Yellowstone National 
Park. In addition, research projects are currently being conducted on 
bison ecology and brucellosis. These studies include forage 
availability, habitat use, and bison population dynamics.
    Proposed research topics include, but are not limited to, 
snowmobile mogul generation, a field evaluation of gasohol's ability to 
reduce snowmobiler exposure to carbon monoxide, and snowmobile sound 
monitoring.

Comments

    Written comments concerning appropriate research topics on winter 
use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. 
Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway should be postmarked no later than 
June 21, 1999. Comments should be addressed to Winter Use Research, 
Planning Office, Box 168, Yellowstone National Park WY, 82190.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Creachbaum, Planning Office, Box 
168, Yellowstone National Park WY, 82190, (307) 344-2024; or George 
Helfrich, Grand Teton National Park, Box 170, Moose WY, 83102 (307) 
739-3486.

    Dated: April 7, 1999.
John E. Cook,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region.
[FR Doc. 99-9922 Filed 4-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M