National Park Service Releases Draft Environmental
Impact Statement On Benefits Sharing For Public Review
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addressing whether the
National Park Service (NPS) should benefit from commercial applications
arising from research in the parks has been released for public review
and comment.
The Servicewide Benefits Sharing Draft EIS addresses the occasional
circumstance when researchers who analyze small genetic or biochemical
samples discover commercially useful scientific information. The
alternatives in the draft EIS do not change the way research permits are
issued or the way research is conducted in the national parks. The
alternatives only change the obligations some researchers would have to
parks as a result of their use of the research.
The alternatives address whether the NPS should benefit in some way
if the outcome of research conducted in the parks can be used for
commercial purposes, known as benefits-sharing.
The preferred alternative would require researchers to enter into an
agreement with the NPS before using their results for commercial
purposes. Researchers would have to qualify under the strict standards
for a park research permit before any discussion of a benefits-sharing
agreement could begin. The agreement would require researchers to
provide some benefit back to the park, such as staff training, new
research equipment, royalties or money to be used to support resource
conservation and management. Researchers would still be prohibited from
selling specimens or samples collected in parks. Researchers would not
be given any special privileges just because their research may result
in a commercial application.
The Draft EIS and an electronic form to submit comments on the
internet can be found at the National Park Service’s Planning,
Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov.
You need to select “Washington Office” and then click on “Benefits
Sharing”. The Draft EIS is also available on CD or in hard copy by
writing the Benefits Sharing DEIS Team, Yellowstone Center for
Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.
Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in
person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted over the phone, by
fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by
midnight, December 15, 2006.
