[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9420-9422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4397]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Environmental Assessments for the Air Tour Management Plan 
Program at Haleakala National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 
Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Kaloko-Honokohau National 
Historical Park, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, and Pu'uhonua O 
Honaunau National Historical Park

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental assessments and 
notice of initiation of public scoping.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with 
the National Park Service (NPS), has initiated the development of Air 
Tour Management Plans (ATMPs) for Haleakala National Park, Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park, Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, 
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Kalaupapa National 
Historical Park, and Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, 
pursuant to the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (Public 
Law 106-181) and its implementing regulations contained in Title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations, part 136, National Parks Air Tour 
Management. The objective of each ATMP is to develop acceptable and 
effective measures to mitigate or prevent the significant adverse 
impacts, if any, of commercial air tour operations upon the natural 
resources, cultural resources, and visitor experiences of the subject 
national park unit.

DATES: 

    Scoping Period: The 45-day scoping period will be initiated upon 
publication of this notice. Please submit any written response you may 
have within 45 days from the date of this Notice, or no later than 
Monday, April 12, 2004.
    Scoping Meetings: Public scoping meetings have been scheduled for 
these projects as follows:

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            Subject park                      Date                    Time                     Location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Puukohola Heiau National Historic    Wednesday, March 24,    4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m....  Waimea Civic Center
 Site.                                2004.                                           Conference Room, 67-5189
                                                                                      Kamamalu Street, Kamuela,
                                                                                      Hawaii.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.....  Thursday, March 25,     6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m....  King Kamehameha's Hotel,
                                      2004.                                           Kamakahonu Ballroom, 75-
                                                                                      5660 Palani Road, Kailua-
                                                                                      Kona, Hawaii.

[[Page 9421]]

 
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.....   Friday, March 26,      6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m....  University of Hawaii at
                                      2004.                                           Hilo, University
                                                                                      Classroom, Building 301,
                                                                                      Room 100, 200 West Kawili
                                                                                      St., Hilo, Hawaii.
Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National        Thursday, March 25,     6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m....  King Kamehameha's Hotel,
 Historical Park.                     2004.                                           Kamakahonu Ballroom, 75-
                                                                                      5660 Palani Road, Kailua-
                                                                                      Kona, Hawaii.
Kaloko-Honokohau National            Thursday, March 25,     6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m....  King Kamehameha's Hotel,
 Historical Park.                     2004.                                           Kamakahonu Ballroom, 75-
                                                                                      5660 Palani Road, Kailua-
                                                                                      Kona, Hawaii.
Kalaupapa National Historical Park.  Saturday, March 27,     6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m....  Kaunakakai Elementary
                                      2004.                                           School, 30 Ailo Street,
                                                                                      Kaunakakai, Molokai.
Kalaupapa National Historical Park.  Monday, March 29, 2004  12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m...  McVeigh Social Hall,
                                                                                      Kalaupapa National Park,
                                                                                      Kalaupapa, Molokai.
Haleakala National Park............  Tuesday, March 30,      6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m....  Hana Community Center (Old
                                      2004.                                           Hana School Cafeteria),
                                                                                      150 Uakea Road, Hana,
                                                                                      Maui.
Haleakala National Park............  Wednesday, March 31,    6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m....  Mayor Hannibal Tavares
                                      2004.                                           Community Center, 91
                                                                                      Pukalani Street, Pukalani,
                                                                                      Maui.
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ADDRESSES: Please submit any written response you may have within 45 
days from the date of this Notice, or no later than Monday, April 12, 
2004. Address your comments to: Docket Management System, Doc No. FAA-
2004-17174, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    You must identify the docket number FAA-2004-17174 at the beginning 
of your comments. If you wish to receive confirmation that FAA received 
your comments, include a self-addressed, stamped postcard. You may also 
submit comments through the Internet to  http://dms.dot.gov. You may 
review the public docket containing comments in person in the Dockets 
Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The Dockets Office is on the plaza level of the NASSIF 
Building at the Department of Transportation at the above address. 
Also, you may review public dockets on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. Additionally, comments will be received and recorded at 
the public scoping meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve May, Air Tour Management Plan 
Program Manager, Executive Resource Staff, AWP-4, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Western-Pacific Region. Mailing address: P.O. Box 
92007, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007. Telephone: (310) 725-3808. 
Street address: 15000 Aviation Boulevard, Lawndale, California 90261. 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In developing each ATMP and any associated 
rulemaking actions, the FAA is required to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which calls on Federal agencies to 
consider environmental issues as part of their decision making process. 
For the purposes of compliance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act, the FAA is the Lead Agency and the NPS is a Cooperating Agency. 
The FAA Air Tour Management Plan Program Office and the NPS Natural 
Sounds Program Office are responsible for the overall implementation of 
the ATMP Program.
    Environmental Assessments are being prepared in accordance with FAA 
Order 1050.1D, Policies and Procedures for Considering Environmental 
Impacts. The FAA is now inviting the public, agencies, and other 
interested parties to provide comments, suggestions, and input 
regarding: (1) The scope, issues, and concerns related to the 
development of each ATMP; (2) the scope of issues and the 
identification of significant issues regarding commercial air tours and 
their potential impacts to be addressed in the environmental process; 
(3) the potential effects of commercial air tours on cultural and 
historic resources; (4) past, present, and reasonably foreseeable 
future actions which, when considered with ATMP alternatives, may 
result in significant cumulative impacts; and (5) potential ATMP 
alternatives. The FAA requests that comments be as specific as possible 
in response to actions that are being proposed under this notice.
    Public scoping meetings have been scheduled for this project. The 
purpose of these scoping meetings is to describe the ATMP development 
and environmental processes, obtain public input regarding the ATMP and 
potential environmental concerns that may be appropriate for 
consideration in the Environmental Assessment, and to identify 
alternatives to be considered. Both oral and written comments will be 
accepted during these meetings. Agency personnel will be available to 
record your spoken comments. All recorded and written comments become 
part of the official record. The public scoping meetings will consist 
of a presentation in which the National Parks Air Tour Management Act 
of 2000 is introduced, existing conditions at Haleakala National Park, 
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, 
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, and Pu'uhonua O Honaunau 
National Historical Park are described and the ATMP development process 
at each park unit is explained. Following the presentation, the floor 
will be opened for public comments to be received.
    Park-specific scoping documents that describe the project in 
greater detail are available at the following locations:

 Kalaupapa National Park Headquarters, Kalaupapa, Molokai
 Molokai Public Library, 15 Ala Malama, Kaunakakai, Molokai
 Haleakala National Park Headquarters, Mile Marker 11, Crater 
Road, Kula, Maui
 Hana Public and School Library, Hana, Maui
 Makawao Public Library, 1159 Makawao Avenue, Makawao, Maui
 Kahului Public Library in 90 School Street, Kahului, Maui
 Kalaupapa National Historic Park, P.O. Box 2222, Kalaupapa, 
Hawaii
 Kihei Public Library, 35 Waimahaihai Street, Kihei, Maui
 Lahaina Public Library, 680 Wharf Street, Lahaina, Maui
 Lana'i Public and School Library, 555 Fraser Avenue, Lana'i 
City, Maui
 Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, Maui
 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Headquarters, 1 Crater Rim 
Drive, Hawaii Volcanoes, Hawaii
 Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site Headquarters, 62-3601 
Kawaihai Road, Kawaihai, Hawaii
 Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park Headquarters, 73-
4786

[[Page 9422]]

Kanalani Street, 14, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
 Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, Highway 160, 
Honaunau, Hawaii
 Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii
 Kailua-Kona Public Library, 75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona, 
Hawaii
 Naalehu Public Library, 95-5669 Mamalahoa Highway, Naalehu, 
Hawaii
 Pahala Public and School Library, 96-3150 Pikake Street, 
Pahala, Hawaii
 Hawaii State Library, 478 South King Street, Honolulu, Oahu
 FAA Air Tour Management Plan Program Web site, http://www.atmp.faa.gov/
 FAA Docket Management System Web site, http://dms.dot.gov

    Issued in Washington, DC on February 23, 2004.
Ruth Leverenz,
Assistant Administrator for Region and Center Operations.
[FR Doc. 04-4397 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P