INTERIOR DEPARTMENT ASKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALASKA RULES -- -- February 28, 1979

DEPARTMENT of the I NTERIOR news release OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY For Release February 28, 1979 INTERIOR DEPARTMENT ASKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALASKA RULES -- Two Interior Department agencies today asked the public for advice on land management issues relating to 15 new National Monument areas in Alaska. and the Fish and Wildlife Service The Park Service manages 13 of the new +re-~r: manages two. e Fish and Wildlife Service today pub- Both the National Park Service and th in the Federal Register as the first lished "Notices of Intent to Propose Rules" The notices set step toward developing permanent regulati~ons for the monuments. forth a series of general questions regarding activities which will be the subject The public wilJ be given 30 days to comment. of permanent regulations. is to solicit public participation in "The purpose of the 'Notice of Intent' Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. the earliest phases of federal rulemaking," "We intend to seek the greatest possible public involvement in every Andrus said. Lands in Alaska before final rules phase of our management of the National 3ntcrest are adopted." A total of 55 million acres of new National Monuments were designated by President Jimmy Carter last December 1 under authority of the Antiquities Act of 1905. In addition to the 15 areas managed by Interior Department agencies, there are two additional areas in Southeast Alaska managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Although the Fish and Wildlife ...