[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 174 (Thursday, September 7, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 54155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22859]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

36 CFR Part 51

RIN 1024-AC72


Concession Contracts

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Technical corrections.

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SUMMARY: This action makes technical corrections to regulations 
concerning the determination of a preferred offeror to correct a 
typographical error and to delete confusing and unnecessary provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wendelin Mann, Concession Program, 
National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240 (202/
565-1219).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Park Service published in final 
in the Federal Register on April 17, 2000 (65 FR 20630), an amendment 
to 36 CFR part 51 to reflect the changes in policies and procedures 
applicable to National Park Service concession contracts resulting from 
the passage of Title IV of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 
1998 (Pub. L. 105-391).
    Section 51.40(c) has been determined by the National Park Service 
to be confusing and unnecessary in light of the entirety of Sec. 51.40. 
Specifically, Sec. 51.40(c) has been misunderstood to suggest that in 
order for a portion of a park area to be determined ``backcountry'' for 
purposes of 36 CFR part 51, the area must be inaccessible by motorized 
vehicle.
    This is not the meaning of Sec. 51.40. Rather, the section is 
intended to mean that the accessibility of a portion of a park area to 
motorized vehicles is only one consideration that may be taken into 
account in determining the existence of ``backcountry'' for purposes of 
determining which concession contracts are outfitter and guide 
contracts under 36 CFR part 51. As stated in Sec. 51.40, determinations 
as to whether outfitter and guide operations are conducted in the 
backcountry of a park area are made on a park-by-park basis, taking 
into account the park area's particular geographic circumstances. 
Accessibility of an area by motorized vehicles is only a possible 
consideration in this determination.
    In order to correct the confusion caused by Sec. 51.40(c), the 
National Park Service has determined to delete 36 CFR 51.40(c) as 
confusing and unnecessary. The overall intentions of Sec. 51.40 remain 
the same with the deletion of Sec. 51.40(c), as Sec. 51.40(a) continues 
to provide that remoteness from roads and developed areas is a possible 
factor in determining ``backcountry'' for purposes of 36 CFR part 51.
    In addition, Sec. 51.46 of the final regulation contains a 
typographical error, the inadvertent inclusion of the date ``May 17, 
2000,'' in its text.

List of Subjects in 36 CFR Part 51

    Concessions, Government contracts, National parks, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    Accordingly, 36 CFR part 51 is corrected by making the following 
correcting amendments:

PART 51--CONCESSION CONTRACTS

    1. The authority citation for part 51 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: The Act of August 25, 1916, as amended and 
supplemented, 16 U.S.C. 1 et seq., particularly, 16 U.S.C. 3 and 
Title IV of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998 (Pub. 
L. 105-391).


Sec. 51.40  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 51.40, paragraph (c) is removed.

    3. In Sec. 51.40, paragraphs (d) and (e) are redesignated as 
paragraphs (c) and (d).

    4. In Sec. 51.46, the last sentence is corrected by removing the 
date ``May 17, 2000''.

    Dated: August 30, 2000.
Cynthia Orlando,
Acting Associate Director, Park Operations and Education.
[FR Doc. 00-22859 Filed 9-6-00; 8:45 am]
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