NPS Mission - National Park Service

National Park Service FY 2013 Budget Justifications
The NPS also protects park natural resources from adverse impacts associated with past, current, and
future mineral development in and adjacent to parks. In parks containing mineral resources subject to
private development, including oil and gas, the NPS must approve formal plans incorporating appropriate
resource protection and mitigation measures prior to commencing mineral development. NPS lands
contain nearly 750 active private mineral exploration or development operations in 30 parks, most
involving the production of oil and gas. Abandoned mining and oil and gas exploration and production
sites represent a substantial portion of the disturbed lands requiring restoration in parks. The NPS is in
the process of completing the final year of a three year comprehensive inventory and assessment of AML
sites across the national park system in 2012. The information from this inventory will allow the NPS to
identify high priority AML project needs to address visitor and employee safety as well as mitigation of
AML impacts necessary to protect park natural and cultural resources.
The NPS will continue to be actively engaged in supporting the Department’s high priority for the
development of renewable energy projects on public lands and simultaneously fulfilling its mission. Many
of the proposed renewable energy development projects, including utility-scale solar, wind, geothermal,
and off-shore wind technologies, and their associated electric transmission lines to connect this green
energy to the regional electric grid have the potential for both direct and cross-boundary impacts on
natural and cultural resources in parks and the experiences of their visitors, as well as other special
status areas under NPS administration, such as national trails, historic sites and national natural
landmarks. Using key partnerships with other federal and state agencies to develop mechanisms through
which to identify, avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to parks and work with other federal and state
energy and environmental protection agencies, local zoning boards, and research institutions to better
understand how cross-boundary impacts may be avoided and minimized, the NPS is committed to joining
renewable energy permitting and leasing lead agencies as a cooperating agency on those projects
possessing significant resource concerns, and working with all parties to identify resource issues and
solutions at the earliest possible stage in the permitting processes of other agencies.
Find more information online about the geologic resource activities at
http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/index.cfm
Inventory and Monitoring (I&M): The NPS administers a Servicewide
Inventory and Monitoring effort designed to address the natural
resource inventory and monitoring needs of more than 270 parks by
completing 12 basic natural resource inventories and monitoring the
condition or “health” of key vital sign parameters. This science-based
information helps provide park managers, planners, and interpreters
with a broad-based understanding of the status and trends in the
condition of park natural resources as a basis for making and
assessing the results of management decisions, working with other
agencies, and communicating with the public to protect park natural
systems and native species.
I&M leverages its resources through partnerships with others as part of
a strategy to maximize the use and relevance of the data for key target
audiences. This integration and collaboration among other NPS natural
ONPS-16
At A Glance…
Natural Resource
12 Basic Data Sets
• Bibliographies
• Species Lists
• Biological Inventories
• Base Cartography Data
• Vegetation and Land Cover
Maps
• Soils Maps
• Geologic Maps
• Water Quality Data
• Water Resources Location
• Air Quality Related Values
• Air Quality Data
• Meteorological Data
resource stewardship activities (e.g., air quality, water resources) and other agencies, with an
interdisciplinary approach to compiling, analyzing, and reporting natural resource information, are key
aspects of the Service’s strategy to provide cost-efficient information of optimal use to park managers
while simultaneously meeting data quality requirements. The expertise and natural resource condition
information provided through the I&M networks are key sources of information for park managers and
routinely provide a basis for park Natural Resource Condition Assessments, integration with Resource
Stewardship Strategy development, and other park planning and management efforts.
Parks must determine appropriate levels and types of visitor use and permitted activities such as fishing,
river use, backcountry use, and hunting. Parks must also evaluate, plan, and design the appropriate type,
location, and level of activities that can be conducted without impairing resources. This often results in the