[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 135 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 38232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18832]



[[Page 38231]]

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Part II





Department of Transportation





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Federal Aviation Administration



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14 CFR Part 93



Noise Limitations for Aircraft Operations in the Vicinity of Grand 
Canyon National Park; Proposed Rule



Establishment of Corridors in the Grand Canyon National Park Special 
Flight Rules Area; Proposed Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 135 / Wednesday, July 15, 1998 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 38232]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 93

[Docket No. 28770; Notice No. 96-15]
RIN 2120-AG34


Noise Limitations for Aircraft Operations in the Vicinity of 
Grand Canyon National Park

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Supplemental amendment to proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This supplemental amendment amends the notice of proposed 
rulemaking published (NPRM) on December 31, 1996 (61 FR 69334), which 
proposed to establish noise limitations for certain aircraft operating 
in the vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). Specifically, the 
FAA is removing two sections from the NPRM that proposed to establish a 
corridor in the Torroweap/Shinumo Flight-free Zone through the National 
Canyon area as an incentive route for quiet technology aircraft. The 
FAA, in consultation with the National Park Service (NPS), is removing 
these two sections from the NPRM because the agencies have determined 
not to proceed with an air tour route in the vicinity of National 
Canyon and are presently considering alternatives to this route. This 
supplemental amendment does not affect any other provisions contained 
in the NPRM. The FAA will address all substantive comments filed in 
response to the National Canyon proposed in this NPRM is the near 
future.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Connor, Manager Technology Division, AEE-100, Office of 
Environment and Energy, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-
8933.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 31, 1996, the FAA published in the Federal Register 
three concurrent actions, an NPRM (61 FR 69334), a Notice of 
Availability of Proposed Commercial Air Tour Routes (61 FR 69356), and 
a Final Rule (61 FR 69302). These actions were part of an overall 
strategy to reduce further the impact of aircraft noise on the park 
environment and to assist the NPS in achieving the statutory mandate 
imposed by Public Law 100-91.
    The NPRM proposed to establish noise limitations for certain 
aircraft operations within the vicinity of GCNP, including the National 
Canyon corridor that was to be used by quiet technology aircraft. Based 
on comments received during comment period for the Notice of 
Availability of Proposed Commercial Routes, the FAA received valuable 
information from commenters, as well as suggestions for alterations and 
refinements of the route structure from officials of the GCNP and NPS 
that could potentially produce noise reduction benefits. Furthermore, 
the comments submitted on the National Canyon corridor, as proposed in 
the NPRM, from the air tour operators, the environmentalists, and the 
Native Americans led the FAA to conclude that this proposed route was 
not a viable option.
    As a result of the comments submitted on both notices, the FAA 
issued a new proposed route structure concurrent with the issuance of a 
second NPRM (Notice No. 97-6) (62 FR 26902; May 15, 1997). Notice 97-6 
proposed to amend two Flight-free Zones by establishing two corridors; 
a revised National Canyon corridor through the Toroweap/Shinumo Flight-
free Zone and a corridor through the Bright Angel Flight-Free Zone.
    The revised National Canyon route was designed to provide a viable 
air tour route through the center of the canyon while at the same time 
providing mitigation of the effects of noise over Havasupai cultural 
and sacred sites. Because it was designed to be used only by the 
quietest technology aircraft for westbound traffic after December 31, 
2001, the National Canyon route was found to provide noise mitigation. 
The proposed Bright Angel Corridor for use by the quietest technology 
aircraft was crafted as an incentive for operators to convert to quiet 
technology.
    The FAA, in consultation with the NPS, has determined not to 
proceed with the proposed that would establish an air tour route 
through the National Canyon area at this time. The agencies are 
presently considering alternatives to the National Canyon area for air 
tour routes. The FAA recognizes its responsibility to address the 
comments filed in response to the proposed National Canyon corridor and 
will do so in the near future. However, in order to facilitate the 
development of the air tour route structure, the FAA is removing the 
sections that propose the National Canyon corridor now and will dispose 
of the comments in a separate document. In a companion document to this 
supplement amendment published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register, the FAA has withdrawn Notice 97-6, the NPRM that proposed a 
revised National Canyon route and superseded the National Canyon route 
proposed in this NPRM. Consequently, the FAA formally removes the 
National Canyon corridor from this NPRM. The FAA notes that all other 
provisions of this NPRM was not affected by this supplement amendment. 
The FAA will dispose of all substantive comments with respect to the 
National Canyon corridor in this NPRM in the near future.

Environmental Review

    The effects of the National Canyon provisions in Notice 96-15 were 
evaluated in the December 1996 Final Environmental Assessment/Finding 
of No Significant Impact (1996 Final EA/FONSI) for the Special Flight 
Rules in the Vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park and subsequent 
evaluations. The FAA determined that the conclusions in the 1996 Final 
EA/FONSI were still substantially valid. Once the air tour route 
structure is determined, the FAA will conduct the appropriate 
environmental review and provide for notice and public comment.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 93

    Air traffic control, Airports, Navigation (air), Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

The Proposed Amendment

    For the reasons set forth above, the Federal Aviation 
Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 93 as follows:

PART 93--SPECIAL AIR TRAFFIC RULES AND AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERNS

    1. The authority citation for part 93 continues to read follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103, 40106, 40109, 40113, 44502, 
44514, 44701, 44719, 46301.


Sec. 93.305  [Amended]

    2. The amendments to Sec. 93.305(c), as proposed at 61 FR 69353, 
are removed.


Sec. 93.306  [Amended]

    3. Section 93.306, as proposed to be added at 61 FR 69353, is 
removed.

    Issued is Washington, DC on July 10, 1998.
James D. Erickson,
Director, Office of Environment and Energy.
[FR Doc. 98-18832 Filed 7-10-98; 12:52 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M