Comments close: Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve; Use of Off-Road Vehicles for Subsistence Purposes by Residents of Anaktuvuk Pass

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a proposed rule to amend regulations for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. The rule formally recognizes that off-road vehicles (ORVs) used by local rural residents of Anaktuvuk Pass constitute a 'traditionally employed' means of surface transportation for subsistence purposes under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). This action reverses a 1986 NPS interpretation that had prohibited such use. The proposal establishes a regulatory framework allowing the Park Superintendent to implement mitigation measures if ORV use causes or is likely to cause adverse impacts to public health, safety, resources, or scientific values. These measures must be based on clear evidence, supported by an administrative record, and require a 30-day notice period, public consultation, and at least one public hearing. Emergency mitigation measures may be implemented with Regional Director concurrence but are limited to a 45-day duration. This rulemaking follows a May 16, 2026, Memorandum from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, which directed the NPS to correct the General Management Plan and initiate this regulatory process. The rule clarifies that it does not authorize recreational ORV use and emphasizes that mitigation measures must be the least restrictive necessary to address identified adverse impacts.