36 CFR - Parks, Forests, and Public Property

The National Park Service is reopening the public comment period for the proposed rule to amend its regulations for sport hunting and trapping in National Preserves in Alaska. The proposed rule also includes updates to procedures for closing an area or restricting an activity in National Park Service Areas in Alaska and other minor changes. Reopening the comment period for 31 days will allow more time for the public to review the proposal and submit comments.

This proposed rule would establish regulations for hunting and trapping seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means related to taking of wildlife for subsistence uses during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 regulatory years. The Federal Subsistence Board is on a schedule of completing the process of revising subsistence taking of wildlife regulations in even-numbered years and subsistence taking of fish and shellfish regulations in odd-numbered years; public proposal and review processes take place during the preceding year. The Board also addresses customary and traditional use determinations during the applicable cycle. When final, the resulting rulemaking will replace the existing subsistence wildlife taking regulations. This rule would also amend the general regulations on subsistence taking of fish and wildlife.

This final rule removes regulations for the Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP) from the Code of Federal Regulations in conformity with Sec. 8001 of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), in which Congress repealed FLEP. The Program's funding authority expired in fiscal year 2007.

The National Park Service is proposing to construct a paved, multi-use visitor path in Bryce Canyon National Park. The path would be approximately 6.2 miles long and be open to several uses, including running, walking, and bicycling. National Park Service regulations require promulgation of a special regulation to designate new routes for bicycle use off park roads and outside developed areas.

The National Park Service proposes to amend the regulations for the curation of federally-owned and administered archeological collections to establish definitions, standards, and procedures to dispose of particular material remains that are determined to be of insufficient archaeological interest. This rule would promote more efficient and effective curation of these archeological collections.

Through the preparation of a Final Trail Management Plan, the National Park Service proposed to expand recreational bicycling opportunities in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Final Trail Management Plan evaluated approximately 10 miles of new, single-track, off-road bicycle trails in undeveloped regions of the park; 3.1 miles of new cross-country trails; and 1.35 miles of new connector, multi-use trails for bicycle use. The National Park Service general regulation pertaining to bicycles requires promulgation of a special regulation to authorize bicycle use on new trails constructed outside of developed areas.

We are amending our concessions contracts regulations to clarify that the Director may amend or extend a prospectus soliciting proposals for a concession contract prior to and including the proposal due date and may award a temporary concession contract. We are also updating consolidated information collection requirements.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) is correcting a document that appeared in the Federal Register of May 7, 2014 (79 FR 26125). The document was a final rule that amended the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines to specifically address emergency transportable housing units provided to disaster survivors by entities subject to the ADA or ABA.

NARA has revised our regulations governing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) access to NARA's archival holdings and NARA's own operational records. The revisions include clarification as to which records are subject to the FOIA, NARA's authority to grant access, and adjustments to our FOIA procedures to incorporate changes resulting from the OPEN FOIA Act of 2009, the OPEN Government Act of 2007, and the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 (E-FOIA). The rule affects individuals and organizations that file FOIA requests for access to NARA operational records and archival holdings.

The National Park Service proposes to amend its regulations for sport hunting and trapping in National Preserves in Alaska. This proposed rule would not adopt state laws or regulations that authorize taking of wildlife, hunting or trapping activities, or management actions involving predator reduction efforts with the intent or potential to alter or manipulate natural predator-prey dynamics and associated natural ecological processes to increase harvest of ungulates by humans. The rule would maintain long-standing prohibited sport hunting and trapping practices; update procedures for closing an area or restricting an activity in National Park Service areas in Alaska; update obsolete subsistence regulations; prohibit obstructing persons engaged in lawful hunting or trapping; and authorize use of native species as bait for fishing.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is changing its list of facilities to include the new George W. Bush Presidential Library and to update addresses and contact numbers for records centers and archival research rooms outside of the Washington, DC area.

The National Park Service is amending its special regulations for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve to designate trails in the portion of the Nabesna District located within the National Preserve where motor vehicles may be used off roads for recreational purposes. The rule prohibits the use of certain types of vehicles based upon size and weight, and closes certain areas in designated wilderness within the Nabesna District that are located outside of established trails and trail corridors to the use of motor vehicles for subsistence.

The Presidio Trust (Trust) is adopting an interim rule imposing a public use limit on persons who are walking four or more dogs at one time in Area B of the Presidio of San Francisco (Presidio) for consideration (Commercial Dog Walkers). The limit will require any such Commercial Dog Walker in Area B to possess a valid commercial dog walking permit issued by the National Park Service (NPS), Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). Commercial Dog Walkers will be allowed a maximum of six dogs at any one time. Commercial Dog Walkers will be required to comply with the terms and conditions of the GGNRA permit as well as those rules and regulations otherwise applicable to Area B of the Presidio, and to visibly display their badges when engaging in commercial dog walking activities within Area B. To obtain a GGNRA permit, applicants must submit a business license, proof of liability insurance, and proof of dog-handling training from an existing training course provider (such as the San Francisco SPCA). The GGNRA commercial dog walking permit requirement is a compendium amendment for all GGNRA sites in San Francisco and Marin Counties that allow dog walking, and is being implemented concurrently with the Trust's rule. Both are interim actions and will remain in effect until the final special regulation for dog walking in the GGNRA is adopted as anticipated in late 2015, at which time the Trust expects that it will adopt a final rule following public input and comment. The Trust is no longer pursuing its proposed rule on Commercial Dog Walkers published in the Federal Register on November 21, 2012.

We are proposing to amend our concessions contracts regulations to clarify that the Director may amend or extend a prospectus soliciting proposals for a concession contract prior to and including the proposal due date; and award a temporary concession contract. We are also updating consolidated information collection requirements.