[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 109 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1367]]


    INTRODUCTION OF NATIONAL PARK SCENIC OVERFLIGHT CONCESSIONS ACT

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                          HON. DAVID E. SKAGGS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 1995
  Mr. SKAGGS. Mr. Speaker, I am today introducing a bill to clarify the 
authority of the Secretary of the Interior to properly regulate 
airborne tourism in units of the National Park System.
  The bill responds to a growing problem at a number of parks. In 
particular, I am concerned about current proposals for helicopter 
sightseeing at Rocky Mountain National Park, in Colorado, which could 
seriously detract from the enjoyment of other park visitors and also 
could have serious adverse impacts on the resources and values of the 
park itself.
  While I believe that the National Park Service has both the mission 
and the authority to properly regulate such overflights, I think 
Congress should act to remove any doubts about that authority and to 
make sure that the American people--who own the National Parks--receive 
an appropriate share of the profits from such operations, through the 
payment of concession franchise fees. My bill is intended to achieve 
those goals.
  The bill is entitled the ``National Park Scenic Overflights 
Concessions Act of 1995.'' It is similar to legislation introduced in 
the 103d Congress by our colleague from Montana, Mr. Williams.
  The bill would amend the 1965 law under which the National Park 
Service awards and manages concession contracts, to provide that 
commercial sightseeing flights over National Parks System units could 
be carried out only by companies who had been awarded a concession 
contract for such services.
  In addition, the bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to 
develop guidelines for deciding whether or not to award proposed 
concession contracts for commercial sightseeing flights over National 
Park System units, taking into consideration the laws, policies, and 
plans that govern management of the parks and the recommendations of 
the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] concerning aircraft safety.
  The bill would require the FAA to place greater emphasis on reducing 
the problem of aircraft noise in parks and to work with the National 
Park Service to develop better ways of identifying and reporting low-
overflight incidents in the parks.
  Finally, the bill would require a report from the National Park 
Service and the FAA on progress made in the next 3 years in mitigating 
the adverse impact of overflights at National Park System units.
  Mr. Speaker, I was very disappointed that comprehensive reform of 
National Park System concessions was not achieved last year, especially 
since the House passed a sound, balanced concessions reform bill by an 
overwhelming vote only to see the measure die in the Senate's end-of-
session gridlock. I continue to support comprehensive concession 
reform, and have cosponsored a concession reform bill introduced by our 
colleague from Kansas, Mrs. Meyers. I urge the Resources Committee to 
either include the provisions of the bill I am introducing today as 
part of any comprehensive concessions bill they report to the House, or 
to act promptly on my bill as a free-standing measure.


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