Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 60047 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

34 CFR Part 36 

RIN 1801–AA12 

Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalties 

for Inflation 

AGENCY: Department of Education. 

ACTION: Final regulations. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) issues these final 

regulations to adjust the Department’s 

civil monetary penalties (CMPs) for 

inflation, as required by the Federal 

Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 

of 1990. 

DATES: These regulations are effective 

October 2, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peter Wathen-Dunn, Office of the 

General Counsel, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 

Room 6E207, Washington, DC 20202– 

2241. Telephone: (202) 401–8300. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 

8339. 

Individuals with disabilities can 

obtain this document in an accessible 

format (e.g., Braille, large print, 

audiotape, or compact disc) on request 

to the contact person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation 

Adjustment Act of 1990 (Inflation 

Adjustment Act) (28 U.S.C. 2461 note) 

provides for the regular evaluation of 

civil monetary penalties (CMPs) to 

ensure that they continue to maintain 

their deterrent value. The Inflation 

Adjustment Act requires that each 

agency issue regulations to adjust its 

CMPs beginning in 1996 and at least 

every four years thereafter. The 

Department published its most recent 

cost adjustment to each CMP in the 

Federal Register on January 4, 2005 (70 

FR 297), and those adjustments became 

effective on the date of publication. The 

Department previously adjusted its 

CMPs in 2002. It has been more than 

four years since the last adjustment. 

Accordingly, the Department is now 

making the necessary adjustments. 

A CMP is defined in the statute as any 

penalty, fine, or other sanction that is 

(1) for a specific monetary amount as 

provided by Federal law, or has a 

maximum amount provided for by 

Federal law; (2) assessed or enforced by 

an agency pursuant to Federal law; and 

(3) assessed or enforced pursuant to an 

administrative proceeding or a civil 

action in the Federal courts. 

The formula for the amount of a CMP 

inflation adjustment is prescribed by 

law and is not subject to the exercise of 

discretion by the Secretary of Education 

(Secretary). The adjustment reflects the 

percentage increase in the Consumer 

Price Index for all urban consumers 

(CPI–U) published by the Department of 

Labor from June of the calendar year in 

which the amount was last adjusted, to 

June of the calendar year preceding the 

adjustment. The Inflation Adjustment 

Act also requires agencies to round the 

inflation adjustment based on the 

amount of the penalty when last 

adjusted. 

• For penalties greater than $100 but 

less than or equal to $1,000, the 

adjusted amount must be rounded to the 

nearest $100. 

• For penalties greater than $1,000 

but less than or equal to $10,000, the 

adjusted amount must be rounded to the 

nearest $1,000. 

• For penalties greater than $10,000 

but less than or equal to $100,000, the 

adjusted amount must be rounded to the 

nearest $5,000. 

• For penalties greater than $100,000 

but less than or equal to $200,000, the 

adjusted amount must be rounded to the 

nearest $10,000. 

• For penalties greater than $200,000, 

the adjusted amount must be rounded to 

the nearest $25,000. 

The Department’s Civil Monetary 

Penalties 

The following analysis calculates new 

civil monetary penalties for penalty 

statutes in the order in which they 

appear in 34 CFR 36.2. The Inflation 

Adjustment Act provides that 

adjustments to an agency’s CMPs apply 

only to violations that occur after the 

effective date of the adjustments. These 

regulations become effective upon 

publication in the Federal Register. 

Therefore, the adjustments made by this 

amendment to the Department’s CMPs 

apply only to violations that occur after 

the date these regulations are published 

in the Federal Register. 

Statute: 20 U.S.C. 1015(c)(5). 

Current Regulations: The CMP for 20 

U.S.C. 1015(c)(5) [Section 131(c)(5) of 

the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 

amended (HEA)], as last adjusted in 

2005, is a fine of up to $27,500 for 

failure by an IHE to provide information 

on the cost of higher education to the 

Commissioner of Education Statistics. 

New Regulations: The new penalty for 

this section is $30,000. 

Reason: This CMP was last adjusted 

in 2005. Therefore, the inflation 

adjustment is the percentage change in 

the CPI–U from June 2005 (194.5) 

through June 2011 (225.722), or 16%. 

The new penalty is calculated as 

follows: $27,500 × 16% = $4,400, which 

increases the penalty, when rounded to 

the nearest $5,000, to $30,000. 

Statute: 20 U.S.C. 1027(f)(3)(now 20 

U.S.C. 1022d(a)(3)). 

Current Regulations: The CMP for 20 

U.S.C. 1027(f)(3) [Section 207(f)(3) of 

the HEA], as last adjusted in 2005, 

provides for a fine of up to $27,500 for 

failure by an IHE to provide information 

to the State and the public regarding its 

teacher-preparation programs. 

New Regulations: The new penalty for 

this section is $30,000. 

Reason: In 2008, Congress amended 

the HEA, redesignating this CMP as 

section 205(a)(3) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 

1022d(a)(3)) and setting the fine at 

$27,500. Because Congress reauthorized 

this penalty in 2008, the inflation 

adjustment for 20 U.S.C. 1022d(a)(3) is 

the percentage change in the CPI–U 

from June 2008 (218.815) through June 

2011 (225.722), or 3.2%. The new 

penalty is calculated as follows: $27,500 

× 3.2% = $880, which increases the 

penalty, when rounded to the nearest 

$5,000, to $30,000. 

Statute: 20 U.S.C. 1082(g). 

Current Regulations: The CMP for 20 

U.S.C. 1082(g) [Section 432(g) of the 

HEA], as last adjusted in 2002, provides 

for a fine of up to $27,500 for violations 

by lenders and guaranty agencies of 

Title IV of the HEA, which authorizes 

the Federal Family Education Loan 

Program. 

New Regulation: The new penalty for 

this section is $35,000. 

Reason: This CMP was last adjusted 

in 2002. Therefore, the inflation 

adjustment is the percentage change in 

the CPI–U from June 2002 (179.9) 

through June 2011 (225.722), or 25.5%. 

The new penalty is calculated as 

follows: $27,500 × 25.5% = $7,012.5, 

which increases the penalty, when 

rounded to the nearest $5,000, to 

$35,000. 

Statute: 20 U.S.C. 1094(c)(3)(B). 

Current Regulations: The CMP for 20 

U.S.C. 1094(c)(3)(B) [Section 

487(c)(3)(B) of the HEA], as last adjusted 

in 2002, provides for a fine of up to 

$27,500 for an IHE’s violation of Title IV 

of the HEA or its implementing 

regulations. Title IV authorizes various 

programs of student financial assistance. 

New Regulations: The new penalty for 

this section is $35,000. 

Reason: This CMP was last adjusted 

in 2002. Therefore, the inflation 

adjustment is the percentage change in 

the CPI–U from June 2002 (179.9) 


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60048 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

through June 2011 (225.722), or 25.5%. 

The new penalty is calculated as 

follows: $27,500 × 25.5% = $7,012.5, 

which increases the penalty, when 

rounded to the nearest $5,000, to 

$35,000. 

Statute: 20 U.S.C. 1228c(c)(2)(E). 

Current Regulations: None. 

New Regulations: The new penalty for 

this section is $1,100. 

Reason: The CMP for 20 U.S.C. 

1228c(c)(2)(E) [Section 429 of the 

General Education Provisions Act] was 

established in 1994 and has not been 

adjusted. It provides a penalty of up to 

$1,000 for an educational organization’s 

failure to disclose certain information to 

minor students and their parents. 

The Inflation Adjustment Act was 

passed in 1990 and required agencies to 

first adjust their CMPs in 1996. 

Although the percentage change in the 

CPI–U from June 1994 through June 

2011 is greater than 10%, the 1996 

statute that amended the Inflation 

Adjustment Act also limited the first 

adjustment of a CMP to no more than 10 

percent of the original penalty. Because 

the Department has never adjusted the 

CMP for 20 U.S.C. 1228c(c)(2)(E), the 

Department is limited to a maximum 

inflation adjustment of 10%, rounded to 

the nearest $100. The new penalty is 

calculated as follows: $1,000 × 10%, 

which increases the penalty, when 

rounded to the nearest $100, to $1,100. 

Statute: 31 U.S.C. 1352(c)(1) and 

(c)(2)(A). 

Current Regulations: The CMPs for 31 

U.S.C. 1352(c)(1) and (c)(2)(A), as last 

adjusted in 2002, provide for a fine of 

$11,000 to $110,000 for recipients of 

Government grants, contracts, etc. that 

improperly lobby Congress or the 

Executive Branch with respect to the 

award of Government grants and 

contracts. 

New Regulations: The new penalties 

for these sections are $15,000 to 

$140,000. 

Reason: These CMPs were last 

adjusted in 2002. Therefore, the 

inflation adjustment is the percentage 

change in the CPI–U from June 2002 

(179.9) through June 2011 (225.722), or 

25.5%. The new penalties are calculated 

as follows: For the minimum fine of 

$11,000, $11,000 × 25.5% = $2,805, 

which increases the minimum penalty, 

when rounded to the nearest $5,000, to 

$15,000. For the maximum penalty of 

$110,000, $110,000 × 25.5% = $28,050, 

which increases the maximum penalty, 

when rounded to the nearest $10,000, of 

$140,000. 

Statute: 31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(1) and 

(a)(2). 

Current Regulations: The CMPs for 31 

U.S.C. 3802(a)(1) and (a)(2), as last 

adjusted in 2002, provide for a fine of 

up to $5,500 for false claims and 

statements made to the Government. 

New Regulations: The new penalty for 

this section is $7,000. 

Reason: This CMP was last adjusted 

in 2002. Therefore, the inflation 

adjustment is the percentage change in 

the CPI–U from June 2002 (179.9) 

through June 2011 (225.722), or 25.5%. 

The new penalty is calculated as 

follows: $5,500 × 25.5% = $1,402, 

which increases the penalty, when 

rounded to the nearest $1,000, to 

$7,000. 

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 

Regulatory Impact Analysis 

Under Executive Order 12866, the 

Secretary must determine whether this 

regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and, 

therefore, subject to the requirements of 

the Executive order and subject to 

review by the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive 

Order 12866 defines a significant 

regulatory action as an action likely to 

result in a rule that may— 

(1) Have an annual effect on the 

economy of $100 million or more, or 

adversely affect a sector of the economy; 

productivity; competition; jobs; the 

environment; public health or safety; or 

State, local, or tribal governments or 

communities in a material way (also 

referred to as ‘‘economically significant’’ 

regulations); 

(2) Create serious inconsistency or 

otherwise interfere with an action taken 

or planned by another agency; 

(3) Materially alter the budgetary 

impacts of entitlement grants, user fees, 

or loan programs or the rights and 

obligations of recipients thereof; or 

(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues 

arising out of legal mandates, the 

President’s priorities, or the principles 

stated in the Executive order. 

Based on the number and amount of 

penalties imposed under the CMPs 

amended in this final regulation, we 

have determined that this final 

regulatory action will have none of the 

economic impacts described under the 

Executive order. These final regulations 

are required by statute, are not at the 

Secretary’s discretion, and, accordingly, 

do not have any of the policy impacts 

described under the Executive order. 

Because this final regulatory action is 

not a significant regulatory action, it is 

not subject to review by OMB under 

section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866. 

We have also reviewed these 

regulations under Executive Order 

13563, which supplements and 

explicitly reaffirms the principles, 

structures, and definitions governing 

regulatory review established in 

Executive Order 12866. To the extent 

permitted by law, Executive Order 

13563 requires that an agency— 

(1) Propose or adopt regulations only 

upon a reasoned determination that 

their benefits justify their costs 

(recognizing that some benefits and 

costs are difficult to quantify); 

(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the 

least burden on society, consistent with 

obtaining regulatory objectives and 

taking into account, among other things, 

and to the extent practicable, the costs 

of cumulative regulations; 

(3) In choosing among alternative 

regulatory approaches, select those 

approaches that maximize net benefits 

(including potential economic, 

environmental, public health and safety, 

and other advantages; distributive 

impacts; and equity); 

(4) To the extent feasible, specify 

performance objectives, rather than the 

behavior or manner of compliance a 

regulated entity must adopt; and 

(5) Identify and assess available 

alternatives to direct regulation, 

including economic incentives—such as 

user fees or marketable permits—to 

encourage the desired behavior, or 

providing information that enables the 

public to make choices. 

Executive Order 13563 also requires 

an agency ‘‘to use the best available 

techniques to quantify anticipated 

present and future benefits and costs as 

accurately as possible.’’ The Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs of 

OMB has emphasized that these 

techniques may include ‘‘identifying 

changing future compliance costs that 

might result from technological 

innovation or anticipated behavioral 

changes.’’ 

We are issuing these final regulations 

as required by statute. The Secretary has 

no discretion to consider alternative 

approaches as delineated in the 

Executive order. Based on this analysis 

and the reasons stated in the preamble, 

the Department believes that these final 

regulations are consistent with the 

principles in Executive Order 13563. 

Waiver of Rulemaking and Delayed 

Effective Date 

Under the Administrative Procedure 

Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the 

Department generally offers interested 

parties the opportunity to comment on 

proposed regulations. However, the 

APA provides that an agency is not 

required to conduct notice- andcomment rulemaking when the agency, 

for good cause, finds that notice and 

public comment thereon are 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 60049 

impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary 

to the public interest (5 U.S.C. 

553(b)(B)). There is good cause to waive 

rulemaking here as unnecessary. 

Rulemaking is ‘‘unnecessary’’ when 

the agency is issuing a minor rule in 

which the public is not particularly 

interested. It applies in those situations 

in which ‘‘the administrative rule is a 

routine determination, insignificant in 

nature and impact, and inconsequential 

to the industry and to the public.’’ 

Utility Solid Waste Activities Group v. 

EPA, 236 F.3d 749, 755 (D.C. Cir. 2001), 

quoting U.S. Department of Justice, 

Attorney General’s Manual on the 

Administrative Procedure Act 31 (1947) 

and South Carolina v. Block, 558 F. 

Supp. 1004, 1016 (D.S.C. 1983). 

These regulations merely implement 

the statutory mandate to adjust CMPs 

for inflation. The regulations reflect 

administrative computations performed 

by the Department as prescribed by the 

statute and do not establish or affect 

substantive policy. The Secretary has no 

discretion in determining the new 

penalties. 

The APA also generally requires that 

regulations be published at least 30 days 

before their effective date, unless the 

agency has good cause to implement its 

regulations sooner (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)). 

Again, because these final regulations 

merely implement non-discretionary 

administrative computations, there is 

good cause to make them effective on 

the day they are published. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification 

The Secretary certifies that these 

regulations will not have a significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities. The formula 

for the amount of the inflation 

adjustments is prescribed by statute and 

is not subject to the Secretary’s 

discretion. These CMPs are infrequently 

imposed by the Secretary, and the 

regulations do not involve any special 

considerations that might affect the 

imposition of CMPs on small entities. 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

These regulations do not contain any 

information collection requirements. 

Intergovernmental Review 

This program is not subject to 

Executive Order 12372 and the 

regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 

Assessment of Educational Impact 

Based on our own review, we have 

determined that these final regulations 

do not require transmission of 

information that any other agency or 

authority of the United States gathers or 

makes available. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. Free Internet access to the 

official edition of the Federal Register 

and the Code of Federal Regulations is 

available via the Federal Digital System 

at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you 

can view this document, as well as all 

other documents of this Department 

published in the Federal Register, in 

text or Adobe Portable Document 

Format (PDF). To use PDF you must 

have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 

available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number does not apply) 

List of Subjects in 34 CFR Part 36 

Claims, Fraud, Penalties. 

Dated: September 27, 2012. 

Arne Duncan, 

Secretary of Education. 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Secretary amends part 36 

in title 34 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations as follows: 

PART 36—ADJUSTMENT OF CIVIL 

MONETARY PENALTIES FOR 

INFLATION 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 36 is 

revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e–3 and 3474; 28 

U.S.C. 2461 note, unless otherwise noted. 

■ 2. The authority citation for § 36.1 is 

revised to read as follows: 

§ 36.2 Purpose. 

* * * * * 

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e–3 and 3474; 28 

U.S.C. 2461 note, unless otherwise noted) 

■ 3. Section 36.2 is amended by revising 

Table I and the authority citation to read 

as follows: 

§ 36.2 Penalty adjustment. 

* * * * * 

TABLE I, SECTION 36.2—CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS

Statute Description 

New maximum 

(and minimum, if 

applicable) 

penalty amount 

20 U.S.C. 1015(c)(5) (Section 131(c)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA)).Provides for a fine, as last adjusted, of up to $27,500 for failure by an institute of higher education to provide information on the cost of higher education to the Commissioner 

of Education Statistics.

$30,000. 

20 U.S.C. 1022d(a)(3) (Section 205(a)(3) of the HEA) ............. Provides for a fine, as set by Congress in 2008, of up to 

$27,500 for failure by an IHE to provide information to the 

State and the public regarding its teacher-preparation programs.

$30,000. 

20 U.S.C. 1082(g) (Section 432(g) of the HEA) ....................... Provides for a civil penalty, as last adjusted, of up to $27,500 

for violations by lenders and guaranty agencies of Title IV 

of the HEA, which authorizes the Federal Family Education 

Loan Program.

$35,000. 

20 U.S.C. 1094(c)(3)(B) (Section 487(c)(3)(B) of the HEA) ...... Provides for a civil penalty, as last adjusted, of up to $27,500

for an IHE’s violation of Title IV of the HEA, which authorizes various programs of student financial assistance.

$35,000. 

20 U.S.C. 1228c(c)(2)(E) (Section 429 of the General Education Provisions Act).Provides for a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for an educational 

organization’s failure to disclose certain information to 

minor students and their parents.

$1,100. 


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60050 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE I, SECTION 36.2—CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS—Continued 

Statute Description 

New maximum 

(and minimum, if 

applicable) 

penalty amount 

31 U.S.C. 1352(c)(1) and (c)(2)(A) ............................................ Provides for a civil penalty, as last adjusted, of $11,000 to 

$110,000 for recipients of Government grants, contracts, 

etc. that improperly lobby Congress or the Executive 

Branch with respect to the award of Government grants 

and contracts.

$15,000 to 

$140,000. 

31 U.S.C. 3802(a)(1) and (a)(2) ................................................ Provides for a civil penalty, as last adjusted, of up to $5,500 

for false claims and statements made to the Government.

$7,000. 

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e–3 and 3474; 28 

U.S.C. 2461 note, unless otherwise noted) 

[FR Doc. 2012–24248 Filed 10–1–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

36 CFR Part 7 

[NPS–SAGU–10884; 8671–0004–SZM] 

RIN 1024–AE08 

Special Regulations; Areas of the 

National Park System, Saguaro 

National Park, Bicycling 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This rule designates the Hope 

Camp Trail as a route for bicycle use 

and allows for management of bicycle 

use within Saguaro National Park. 

Further, the rule meets the provision of 

the National Park Service general 

regulation pertaining to bicycles 

requiring promulgation of a special 

regulation to designate bicycle routes 

outside of developed areas. 

DATES: This rule is effective November 

1, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Darla Sidles, Superintendent, Saguaro 

National Park, (520) 733–5101. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Legislation and Purposes of Saguaro 

National Park 

In 1933, in order to protect lands with 

exceptional growth of various species of 

cacti, including the so-called giant or 

saguaro cactus, President Herbert 

Hoover established what would later be 

known as Saguaro National Monument 

through Proclamation No. 2032 (47 Stat. 

2557). In 1961 President John F. 

Kennedy enlarged the national 

monument to include certain lands in 

what was then known as the Tucson 

Mountain Park through Proclamation 

No. 3439 (76 Stat. 1437). In 1976 

Congress designated 71,400 acres of the 

national monument as wilderness (Pub. 

L. 94–567, 90 Stat. 2692, 2693). Then, in 

1991, through the Saguaro National 

Monument Expansion Act of 1991, 

Congress authorized the addition of 

approximately 3,540 acres of lands to 

the Rincon Unit of the national 

monument (Pub. L. 102–61, 105 Stat. 

303). Finally in 1994, through the 

Saguaro National Park Establishment 

Act of 1994, Congress again expanded 

the park area and renamed it Saguaro 

National Park (Park) (Pub. L. 103–364, 

108 Stat. 3467, codified at 16 U.S.C. 

410zz through 410zz–3). 

The Park is an important national 

resource visited by approximately 

700,000 people annually. It 

encompasses approximately 91,450 

acres, 71,400 acres of which are 

designated as wilderness. The Park has 

two Districts—the Rincon Mountain 

District east of Tucson and the Tucson 

Mountain District west of Tucson. Both 

are within Pima County, Arizona, and 

are separated by the city of Tucson. The 

Park protects a superb example of the 

Sonoran Desert ecosystem, featuring 

exceptional stands of saguaro cacti. The 

saguaro is the tallest cactus in the 

United States, and is recognized 

worldwide as an icon of the American 

Southwest. 

The Hope Camp Trail is a 2.8-milelong hiking and equestrian trail that 

originates at the Loma Alta Trailhead 

and travels east through the 

southwestern portion of the Park’s 

Rincon Mountain District to the Arizona 

State Trust Lands boundary beyond 

Hope Camp. The trail generally 

traverses relatively even terrain and 

rolling hills and is lined with a variety 

and abundance of desert trees and 

shrubs. The trail is not within eligible, 

proposed, recommended, or designated 

wilderness. 

Prior to the National Park Service 

(NPS) acquisition in the mid 1990s, the 

land was part of a privately-owned 

ranch, and the trail route was a graded 

dirt road used to support ranching 

operations. The former owner also 

allowed the route to be used for 

recreational purposes, including hiking, 

equestrian, and bicycle use. Shortly 

after acquiring the land, the NPS closed 

the route to motor vehicles and bicycles. 

The trail is currently open to hiker and 

equestrian use only. Although closed to 

vehicular traffic, the route remains 

approximately 14 feet wide, allowing 

adequate room for two-way passage of 

diverse user groups. 

General Management Plan 

The Park’s General Management Plan/ 

Environmental Impact Statement (GMP) 

was completed in 2008. The GMP may 

be viewed online at http:// 

parkplanning.nps.gov/sagu. 

The purposes of the GMP are as 

follows: 

• Confirm the purpose, significance, 

and special mandates of the Park. 

• Clearly define resource conditions 

and visitor uses and experiences to be 

achieved at the Park. 

• Provide a framework for NPS 

managers to use when making decisions 

about how to: 

Æ Best protect Park resources; 

Æ Provide quality visitor uses and 

experiences; and 

Æ Manage visitor uses and what kinds 

of facilities, if any, to develop in/near 

the Park. 

• Ensure that a foundation for 

decision making has been developed in 

consultation with interested 

stakeholders and adopted by NPS 

leadership after an adequate analysis of 

the benefits, impacts, and economic cost 

of alternative courses of action. 

The GMP identifies six different 

management zones, which are specific 

descriptions of desired conditions for 

Park resources and visitor experiences 

in different areas of the Park. As 

identified in the GMP, the Hope Camp 

Trail lies within the Natural Zone. 

Under the GMP, activities within the 

Natural Zone would include hiking, 

horseback riding, running, bicycling, 

and viewing flora and fauna. The zone 


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