[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.
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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]
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