Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 8/11/04
Series: Organization
Part 145: National Park Service
Chapter 8: Associate Director for Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands
Originating Office: National Park Service
145 DM 8
8.1 Associate Director for Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands. This Associate Director provides leadership, policy development, program accountability, and budget formulation in the functional areas of general management planning; park planning and development; special resource study development; land acquisition and related real estate operations; facility and infrastructure design and construction; facility asset management; interpretive and media planning and design; and construction program management. The Associate Director supervises the Harpers Ferry Center and the Denver Service Center managers. He or she provides Servicewide leadership in: sustainable development and green energy parks; design and facility excellence; and conducts liaison with the building industry.
8.2 Park Planning and Special Studies Division. This division has the lead responsibility for management planning within the National Park Service. It coordinates and provides policy direction and guidelines for studies authorized by Congress for potential additions to the National Park System, the National Trails System, the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and other special designations, such as national heritage areas. For existing National Park Service units, this division is responsible for coordinating policies, programs, and guidelines related to General Management Planning (GMP), and linkages of GMPs with other types of planning for specific programs including resource management, commercial services, and interpretation. It develops and recommends the adoption of policies, guidelines, criteria, and implementing procedures necessary to carry out park planning and special resource study programs throughout the National Park Service. This division also provides leadership and coordination for National Park Service programs and training, addressing the relationship between parks and gateway communities.
8.3 Construction Program Management Division. This division is responsible for the development and coordination of policies and activities relating to major capital construction improvements for the National Park System, and it performs the following:
A. Formulates strategies and programs for the line-item construction budget,
B. Formulates regulations and guidelines for value engineering/analysis principles as it relates to construction and administrative projects, managing and overseeing the distribution of construction planning and design funds,
C. Monitors implementation of line item construction planning and development projects,
D. Coordinates reviews of construction projects conducted by the Development Advisory Board, and
E. Coordinates directly with the Department of the Interior Capital Planning and Investment Control process as it relates to physical infrastructure.
8.4 Harpers Ferry Center. This national program center, located in Harpers Ferry, WV, provides technical support in the development and use of audio-visual technology, exhibit design, and educational media. It provides services including interpretive and museum exhibit planning, exhibit design and production, wayside exhibit design and production, production of films and other audio-visual media, and production of publications related to visitor information and education.
8.5 The Denver Service Center, located in Denver, CO, is the centralized planning, design, and construction project management office for the Service. This Center provides environmentally responsible products for the development of both the man-made and natural environments in park properties in partnership with planning, design, engineering and other consultants; construction contractors; industry organizations and other government agencies. The Center provides a broad range of planning and technical assistance to the parks, including sustainable park planning and development, facility and infrastructure design, major rehabilitation and preservation of historic structures, major construction activities for facilities and transportation projects, general management planning, special resource studies, and environmental documentation. The Center manages the Technical Information Center, which is the central repository for planning, design, and construction documents for the National Park Service.
8.6 Land Resources Division. This division is responsible for the overall direction of the National Park Service Land Acquisition Programs and performs the following:
A. Prepares land acquisition schedules consistent with approved land protection plans,
B. Provides cost estimates and other supporting information for legislative proposals,
C. Formulates and executes the federal portion of the Land and Water Conservation Fund budget,
D. Formulates and establishes policy, regulations, procedures, guidelines, and standards for acquisition of interests in real property,
E. Prepares and retains permanent records of ownership and park acreage,
F. Compiles the Payment in Lieu of Taxes data for units of the National Park Service, and
G. Prepares and maintains maps for acquisition, management, and disposal of lands and interests in lands within the National Park System.
8.7 Park Facility Management Division. This division is responsible for providing Servicewide leadership, policy development, external liaison, and accountability for programs associated with stewardship, maintenance, operation, accessibility and sustainability of national parks; park facility management; facility operations and maintenance management systems; utility engineering; hazardous waste management, solid waste management and pollution prevention; environmental audit; land acquisition environmental assessments; federal lands highway program; highway and traffic safety engineering; alternative transportation systems program; transportation planning; accessibility; employee housing; repair/rehabilitation program; and the recreation fee demonstration program.