Public Hearing on Proposed Changes to 2015 Katmai Compendium

Date: February 2, 2015
Contact: Tom Betts, [phone]

Katmai National Park and Preserve will host a public meeting and information session on Monday, February 9, 2015 from 7-9 p.m. at the Naknek Native Village Council Building (Dolly’s Hall) in Naknek. Park staff will be available to discuss upcoming construction projects at Brooks Camp, commercial use authorizations, park resources, the NPS centennial initiative in 2016, and changes to the 2015 superintendent’s compendium.

Only a handful of changes are proposed for this year’s compendium. These include...

• A continuation of temporary restrictions on taking wolves and coyotes from May 1 through August 9
• An automatic adoption of local fire bans by the NPS
• A prohibition of bicycle use in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, and
• Extending the closure dates at Brooks Falls from June 15 to October 31.

Participants at this meeting will have the opportunity to submit written comments on proposed changes to the superintendent’s compendium and National Park Service regulations which cover some related sport hunting issues as well as procedural changes for future closures. The NPS conducted 17 public hearings on these proposed regulations in fall 2014. In response to several requests, the comment period was re-opened, concurrent with the comment period on the superintendent compendiums.

For those unable to attend the meeting, written comments can be submitted online through February 15. More information about the proposed regulations can be found at https://www.nps.gov/akso/management/regulations.cfm. More information about changes to the 2015 superintendent’s compendium is available at https://go.nps.gov/15KatmComp.