FACACLASSIC

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DOI - 555 - National Park Service Subsistence Resource Commission-Gates of the Arctic National Park - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	National Park Service Subsistence Resource Commission-Gates of the Arctic National Park	Agency Name	Department of the Interior
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	555
Original Establishment Date	12/2/1980	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.nps.gov/gaar/learn/historyculture/s...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	9
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Superintendent
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Mr.
Current Charter Date	9/25/2023	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Mark
Date Of Renewal Charter	9/25/2025	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Dowdle
Exempt From Renewal*	Yes	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority	P.L. 96-487	Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(907) 455-0614
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(907) 455-0601
Specific Establishment Authority*	P.L. 96-487	Designated Federal Officer Email*	mark_dowdle@nps.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/2/1980
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Non Scientific Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Commission is an advisory group. Federal law and regulation provide the opportunity for continued subsistence uses, including hunting, within the Gates of the Arctic National Park. The Subsistence Resource Commission for Gates of the Arctic National Park is a forum that promotes effective communication and mutual understanding of subsistence uses and related cultural resources. The Commission consults with every appropriate local advisory committee and regional council for comment and input on draft hunting plan recommendations. In addition to the advisory committee and regional council consultation process directed by P.L. 96-847 (the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act), the Commission is required to hold public meetings in all areas affected by the subsistence hunting program.The Commission’s recommendations will help the NPS to ensure the continuation of the opportunity for local rural residents to engage in the subsistence use of resources in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. The NPS has adopted the following mission statement to guide its activities. Subsistence will be managed as a legislated use consistent with the provisions of ANILCA (Section 202), the Organic Act of 1916, and parks’s enabling legislation to:•protect the opportunity for qualified local rural residents to continue traditional subsistence activities •recognize that subsistence ways of life differ from region to region and arecontinuing to evolve, and where appropriate, park management practices may reflect regional diversity and evolution •promote local involvement and participation in processes associated withsubsistence management •ensure that management practices involving the utilization of public lands adequately consider the potential for restriction of subsistence uses and impacts upon subsistence resources •ensure that management of park resources is consistent with the conservation of unimpaired ecosystems and natural and healthy populations of fishand wildlife, incorporating scientific data and principles with traditional knowledge and cultural values and•promote effective communication and mutual understanding of subsistence uses and related cultural and social values, and park purposes and protection,between the NPS, subsistence users, the State of Alaska and the public. The NPS SRC program is authorized under Title VIII, Section 808 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Public Law 96-487.
How is membership balanced?*	Membership, as prescribed by the Commission's enabling legislation, consists of nine members as follows: (a) three members appointed by the Secretary of the Interior; (b) three members appointed by the Governor of Alaska; and (c) three members appointed by the regional council, as established by the Secretary or the State pursuant to section 805 of P.L. 96-487. The members include a range of individuals having personal knowledge of the region's subsistence conditions, and having an interest in Federal subsistence management.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Commission generally meets twice a year, or as often as circumstances require. Commission recommendations are vitally important on matters relating to the taking of wildlife within the park and are the foundation for the development and review of the subsistence hunting program. Commission meetings provided an opportunity for Commission members, National Park Service staff, other agency staff, and the public to share information on subsistence issues.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Subsistence Resource Commission for Gates of the Arctic National Park was established by Congress to devise and recommend to the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Alaska a program for subsistence hunting within Gates of the Arctic National Park. The Commission's unique insight on local customary and traditional patterns of subsistence use within the park has been important in developing workable subsistence hunting plan recommendations.
Why close or partially close meetings?	All meetings are open to the public. During each meeting time is allocated for public testimony. The public is welcome to present written or oral comments to the Commission.
Recommendation Remarks	The Gates of the Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission met twice during fiscal year 2025. These meetings were held on November 13-14, 2024 in Fairbanks, Alaska and via teleconference, and on April 16, 2025 via teleconference.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	Yes
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	Not Applicable
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The Commission and National Park Service are working together to address concerns for management of wildlife populations within the national park. During FY 2025, the Commission started to develop one formal hunting plan recommendation to the Secretary of Interior. The Commission continues to monitor issues related to Hunting Plan Recommendation 10-01. Fiscal year 2025 GAAR SRC comments were submitted to the Office of Subsistence Management for the Federal Subsistence Board meeting. The SRC voted to support the Western Interior Regional Advisory Council’s Sheep Management Strategy. Once Gates of the Arctic staff and SRC members have reviewed and commented on the document, the finalized document will be submitted as a hunting plan recommendation to the Secretary of Interior.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NA	Grants Review Comment	Not Applicable
Number Of Recommendations*	38	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The Commission made 7 recommendations: o Moved to support the Western Interior Regional Advisory Council’s Sheep Management Strategy. o Moved to submit a proposal for NPS Subsistence Advisory Council funding for NPS to do a land stat imaging project to document old caribou trails and include traditional knowledge on historical caribou movements and also to include data collection on the caribou habitat capacity for Gates of the Arctic. o Moved to support the Western Interior Regional Advisory Council’s Sheep Management Strategy. Once Gates of the Arctic staff and SRC members have reviewed and commented on the document, it will be discussed at the April 2025 SRC meeting with the intention of submitting the finalized document as a hunting recommendation plan to the Secretary of Interior. o Suggested adding the Gates SRC meeting minutes to the Gates Facebook site. Also, the SRC suggested adding caribou informational updates, so that people in the surrounding rural communities can be better informed. o Moved to make additional edits to the Western Interior Regional Advisory Council’s Sheep Management Strategy based off the discussion between the SRC and NPS staff. Suggested NPS create an outline for what the public process is for the Dall’s Sheep Management Strategy being submitted as a hunting plan recommendation from the Gates of the Arctic SRC. o Moved to adopt their current SRC Charter. o Moved to send an appreciation letter to former NPS Alaska Regional Director, Sarah Creachbaum.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	60.00%	Access Committee Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Charter is implemented and park staff are working on the implementation of other recommendations.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	40.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Park staff continue working on the implementation of recommendations.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	Information on Gates of the Arctic National Park may be found at: https://www.nps.gov/gaar/index.htm
Agency Feedback Comment*	NPS officials will provide oral or written briefings or status reports during meetings of the Council.	Narrative Description*	The Subsistence Resource Commission for Gates of the Arctic National Park has been established by the Congress to devise and recommend to the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Alaska a program for subsistence hunting within Gates of the Arctic National Park. The Commission's unique insight on local customary and traditional patterns of subsistence use within the park has been important in developing workable subsistence management recommendations.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$12,844.35	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$13,229.68
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$8,858.23	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$9,123.98
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$1,670.30	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$1,720.41
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$0.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$24,718.77	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$25,460.33
Date Cost Last Modified	9/15/2025 3:39 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.13
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.13	Est Cost Remarks	The estimated costs for the next FY are calculated based on the standard 3% inflation rate.
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Animals Fish and Wildlife Environment Environmental Issues Land National Parks, Sites, Trails, Recreational Areas Monuments

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