Changes to Katmai Superintendent's 2022 Compendium

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The Superintendent is seeking comment on proposed changes to the Superintendent's Compendium. The compendium is a written compilation of designations, closures, permit requirements and other restrictions adopted under the Superintendent's discretionary authority.

Information on how to submit comments is available at: https://www.nps.gov/locations/alaska/proposed-compendiums.htm

After review and consideration of the need for annual updates, the following substantive changes are proposed.

2.10(a)(9) Conditions for Camping:

NPS proposes to prohibit generator use in the Brooks Camp campground.

The use of generators is prohibited in the Brooks Camp campground.

The reason for this change is as follows:

Brooks Camp campground is a tent camping only facility that requires a reservation and is limited to an overnight capacity of 60 people. The campground is in a remote area only accessible by float plane or vessel and is usually pre-reserved to capacity in the busy season. Historically the park has not seen any personal generator use in the campground and it was never considered by the park as something that would occur. In 2021 a visitor indicated their intention to bring and utilize a generator in the campground. While it could be interpreted under current regulations that generator use in the Brooks Camp campground would constitute unreasonable noise and/or prohibited use of a portable motor or engine, there is some room for ambiguity. The Park would like to establish that the noise and exhaust of a generator in the campground would be inappropriate for the confined natural setting of the camping area. Generator use would have an unsuitable impact to other permitted occupants, visitors and those hiking through on the Dumpling Mountain trail.

With the wide availability and low-cost of portable battery power stations, solar chargers, and portable USB charging stations, there is no reasonable need to run internal combustion engine generators in the natural setting of the Brooks Camp campground.