[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 252 (Tuesday, December 31, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69356-69357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-33147]



  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 252 / Tuesday, December 31, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 69356]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Proposed Air Tour Routes for the Grand Canyon National Park

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed commercial air tour routes 
for the Grand Canyon National Park and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests 
comments on proposed commercial air tour routes for the Grand Canyon 
National park (GCNP). The proposed commercial air tour routes are not 
being published in today's Federal Register because they are on very 
large and very detailed charts that would not publish well in the 
Federal Register. The proposed new routes, or modifications of existing 
commercial air tour routes, are related to airspace changes contained 
in a final rule affecting the special flight rules in the vicinity of 
GCNP and issued concurrently with this notice. The proposed commercial 
air tour routes are also related to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(NPRM) proposing the phase out of noisier aircraft operating in the 
vicinity of GCNP, also issued concurrently with this notice.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 30, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed air tour routes may be delivered or 
mailed, in triplicate, to: Federal Aviation Administration, Attention: 
Dave Metzbower, Air Carrier Operations Branch, Flight Standards 
Service, AFS-220, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591. 
Comments may be examined at the above address between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. 
weekdays, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Daniel V. Meier, Jr., Air Carrier Operations Branch, AFS-220, 800 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, Telephone (202) 267-
3749 or Dave Metzbower, Air Carrier Operations Branch, AFS-220, 800 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, Telephone (202) 267-
3724.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed commercial air tour routes are 
not being published in today's Federal Register because they are on 
very large and very detailed charts that would not publish well in the 
Federal Register. A copy of the proposed air tour routes may be 
obtained by contacting Denise Cashmere at (202) 267-3717, by faxing a 
request to (202) 267-5229, or by sending a request in writing to the 
Federal Aviation Administration, Air Transportation Division, AFS-200, 
800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591. Interested persons 
are invited to comment on the routes as they may desire. Commenters 
must identify that they are commenting on the proposed air tour routes 
for Grand Canyon National Park. All comments received on or before the 
closing date for comments will be considered by the Federal Aviation 
Administration before finalizing the air tour routes. Late-filed 
comments will be considered to the extent practicable.

Discussion

    The FAA, in consultation with the NPS, has developed proposed air 
tour routes as a result of the final rule affecting the special flight 
rules in the vicinity of GCNP issued concurrently with this notice. The 
proposed air tour routes, which complement the final rule affecting the 
Special Flight Rules in the Vicinity of GCNP and the NPRM concerning 
noise limitations for aircraft operations in the vicinity of GCNP, will 
establish new routes or modify existing commercial air tour routes to 
accommodate airspace changes included in the final rule concerning 
GCNP. The final rule, which is to be effective May 1, 1997, and the 
NPRM are being issued concurrently with this notice. The final rule, in 
part, modifies the dimensions of the GCNP Special Flight Rules Area 
(SFRA); establishes new and modifies existing flight-free zones; 
establishes new and modifies existing flight corridors; and establishes 
reporting requirements for commercial sightseeing companies operating 
in the SFRA. The NPRM proposes to phase out noisier aircraft operating 
in the vicinity of GCNP.
    The proposed routes were developed on the basis of airspace 
configurations, safety considerations, the goal of substantial 
restoration of natural quiet in the GCNP, economic considerations, and 
comments received in response to Notice No. 96-11, ``Special Flight 
Rules in the Vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park'' (61 FR 40120). 
Several commenters to Notice No. 96-11 noted that it was difficult to 
comment on the effects of the proposed changes since the proposed 
routes were not included in the notice. One commenter stated that the 
FAA and NPS have done only half of the task mandated under the 
Overflights Act (Pub. L. 100-91) since they have not yet proposed the 
air tour routes that will be flown.
    Routes were not proposed concurrently with Notice No. 96-11 because 
it was necessary for the FAA to develop the final rule in advance of 
the route structure. The FAA encourages persons who committed on Notice 
96-11 to comment on the commercial air tour routes proposed today.
    This notice provide interested persons an opportunity to comment on 
the proposed air tour routes. Before the proposed air tour routes for 
GCNP are finalized, the FAA and the National Park Service (NPS) will 
fulfill their responsibilities to consult with Native American tribes 
on a government-to-government basis. In this consultation process, FAA, 
in coordination with NBS, will consider feasible actions to mitigate 
any identified significant impacts to Native American cultural, 
religious, or historic sites.

History

    Public Law 100-91 required the Department of the Interior (DOI) to 
submit to the FAA recommendations to protect resources in the Grand 
Canyon from adverse impacts associated with aircraft overflights. In 
December 1987, the DOI transmitted its ``Grand Canyon Aircraft 
Management Recommendation'' to the FAA. Public Law 100-91 required the 
FAA to prepare and issue a final plan for the management of air traffic 
above the Grand Canyon, implementing the recommendations of the DOI 
without change unless the FAA determined that executing the 
recommendations would adversely affect aviation safety. After the FAA 
determined that some of the DOI recommendations would adversely affect 
aviation safety, the recommendations were modified to address those 
concerns.
    On May 27, 1988, the FAA issued Special Federal Aviation Regulation 
(SFAR) No. 50-2 revising the procedures for operation of aircraft in 
the airspace above the Grand Canyon (53 FR 20264, June 2, 1988). Public 
Law 100-91 also required the DOI to submit a report to Congress ``* * * 
discussing * * * whether [SFAR No. 50-2] has succeeded in substantially 
restoring the natural quiet in the park; and * * * such other matters, 
including possible revisions in the plan, as may be of interest.'' On 
September 12, 1994, the DOI submitted its final report and 
recommendations to Congress. This report, entitled ``Report on Effects 
of Aircraft Overflights on the National Park System'' (Report to 
Congress), was published in July 1995. The Report to Congress 
recommended numerous revisions to SFAR No. 50-2 in order to improve the 
natural quiet in the national parks. One recommendation was to modify 
SFAR-50-2 to effect and maintain the

[[Page 69357]]

substantial restoration of natural quiet at Grand Canyon National Park.
    On June 15, 1995, the FAA published a final rule that extended the 
effective date of SFAR No. 50-2 to June 15, 1997 (60 FR 31608). This 
action allowed the FAA sufficient time to review thoroughly the NPS 
recommendations as to their impact on the safety of air traffic over 
GCNP.
    In April 1996, President Clinton issued a memorandum for the heads 
of Executive Departments and Agencies (61 FR 18229). In his memorandum, 
the President directed the Secretary of Transportation to issue 
proposed regulations within 90 days to place appropriate limits on 
sightseeing aircraft over the GCNP to reduce the noise immediately and 
make further substantial progress towards restoration of natural quiet 
while maintaining aviation safety in accordance with Public Law 100-91. 
In addition, the President directed that action on the rulemaking to 
accomplish those purposes should be completed by the end of 1996.
    On July 31, 1996, the FAA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(NPRM) to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on GCNP and to assist the 
National Park Service (NPS) in achieving its statutory mandate imposed 
by Public Law 100-91 to provide for the substantial restoration of 
natural quiet and visitor experience in GCNP (Notice No. 96-11; 61 FR 
40120).
    The FAA held public meetings on September 16-20, 1996, in 
Scottsdale, AZ and Las Vagas, NV, to obtain additional comment on the 
NPRM and on the associated draft environmental assessment (EA). 
Comments and the transcripts of these meetings have been placed in the 
rulemaking docket (docket no. 28537) and the EA docket (docket no. 
28653).

    Issued in Washington, DC on December 24, 1996.
William J. White,
Acting Director, Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 96-33147 Filed 12-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M