[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16327-16329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6201]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Membership in the Grand Canyon Working Group of the National 
Parks Overflights Advisory Group Aviation Rulemaking Committee

AGENCIES: Federal Aviation Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National 
Park Service (NPS) are establishing a

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Grand Canyon Working Group within the National Parks Overflights 
Advisory Group (NPOAG) to provide advice and recommendations regarding 
the implementation of the National Parks Overflights Act of 1987 with 
respect to the Grand Canyon. To the extent that recommendations involve 
aviation rulemaking, the Working Group will also participate in the 
development of the rule(s). This notice informs the public of the 
establishment of the Grand Canyon Working Group, describes its 
structure and qualifications for membership, and provides for 
nominations for membership in the Working Group.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Pickard, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Senior Advisor for Environmental Policy, 800 
Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-8767, 
E-mail: [email protected] or Karen Trevino, National Park Service, 
Natural Sounds Program, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 350, Ft. Collins, CO, 
80525, telephone (970) 225-3563, E-mail: [email protected].

DATES: Those interested in serving on the Grand Canyon Working Group 
should submit nominations to Ms. Pickard or Ms. Trevino on or before 
April 20, 2005. Electronic (E-mail) submissions are preferred.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The National Parks Overflights Act of 1987 (Pub. L. 100-91) 
requires actions by the Department of the Interior/National Park 
Service (DOI/NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to 
provide for substantial restoration of the natural quiet and experience 
of the Grand Canyon National Park and for protection of public health 
and safety from adverse effects associated with aircraft overflights. 
The achievement of this mandate has been a challenge technically, as 
well as practically in terms of generating broad support for the means 
of accomplishing substantial restoration of natural quiet.
    The NPS and the FAA are committed to providing the joint Federal 
leadership necessary to complete this task with the active 
participation of engaged stakeholders, including sovereign tribal 
governments. FAA and NPS envision a collaborative approach to the 
remaining work using the collective professional knowledge and judgment 
of interested stakeholders. The NPS and the FAA have engaged the 
services of the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution 
and Lucy Moore Associates to assist the agencies and stakeholders in 
the development of a final overflights plan for Grand Canyon National 
Park that will meet the goals of the National Parks Overflights Act of 
1987 and be broadly supported by all parties. The National Parks 
Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) is an appropriate forum for bringing 
agencies, tribal governments, aviation, environmental and other 
interests together to address this issue. The NPOAG agreed with the 
establishment of a Grand Canyon Working Group at its meeting on 
February 23-24, 2005.
    The NPS and the FAA, as required by the National Parks Air Tour 
Management Act of 2000, established the NPOAG in March 2001. By FAA 
Order No. 1110-138, signed by the FAA Administrator on October 10, 
2003, the NPOAG became an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). The 
NPOAG was formed to provide continuing advice and counsel to the FAA 
Administrator and NPS Director with respect to commercial air tour 
operations over and near national parks and abutting tribal lands. The 
Administrator and Director may also request the NPOAG's advice and 
recommendations on safety, environmental, and other issues related to 
commercial air tour operations over a national park or tribal lands.
    The NPOAG is comprised of a balanced group of representatives of 
general aviation, commercial air tour operators, environmental 
concerns, and Indian tribes. The Administrator and the Director (or 
their designees) serve as ex officio members of the group. 
Representatives of the Administrator and Director chair the NPOAG in 
alternating 1-year terms.

Structure of the Grand Canyon Working Group

    The Grand Canyon Working Group will be comprised of 11 to 20 
members to assure a representative and balanced group of agency, 
tribal, environmental, aviation and other interests. The Working Group 
will be co-chaired by a representative of the NPS and a representative 
of the FAA, and will be facilitated by a third-party neutral contracted 
through the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution. The 
Working Group will address issues related to the federal agencies legal 
mandate to achieve substantial restoration of natural quiet in the 
Grand Canyon from overflight noise; seek meaningful, realistic and 
implementable solutions; and achieve as much consensus as possible on 
an overflights plan among the multiple interests that have a stake in 
this issue.
    The Working Group will be a self-contained group within the NPOAG 
with specific responsibility for Grand Canyon overflight matters, 
including but not limited to:

     Review of the overflights noise analysis in order to have 
confidence in the approach and results.
     Recommendations for a final overflights plan that provides 
for the substantial restoration of natural quiet and experience of the 
Grand Canyon National Park, including routes or corridors for 
commercial air tour operations that employ quiet aircraft technology, 
and for protection of public health and safety from adverse effects 
associated with aircraft overflights.
     Participation in the development of aviation regulations 
necessary to implement the recommendations.

The Working Group will report simultaneously to the NPOAG, the NPS, and 
the FAA. The products of the Working Group will be available for review 
by the full NPOAG, but will not be subject to NPOAG revision. The NPOAG 
as a whole may decide to add support to or express reservations on 
particular work products or recommendations. Current NPOAG members will 
not automatically be assigned to the Working Group; rather, they must 
be nominated. The intent of the NPOAG is to nominate at least two 
current members to the Working Group to enhance NPOAG support and 
connectivity.
    The Working Group is anticipated to meet quarterly for 1 to 2 days 
and to review and exchange information and views between meetings via 
mail, telephone, and Email. Meetings will be held within reasonable 
geographic proximity to the Grand Canyon to minimize travel time and 
expenses of most participants. The first meeting is expected to occur 
in June 2005. The Working Group may be convened for approximately 3 
years, assuming the need for aviation rulemaking activity and 
accompanying National Environmental Policy Act review following the 
Working Group's recommendations. The final overflights plan shall 
ensure that the restoration of natural quiet required by the National 
Parks Overflights Act is completed no later than April 22, 2008, in 
accordance with the Presidential memorandum of April 22, 1996.

Qualifications for Membership in the Grand Canyon Working Group

    The NPS and the FAA seek nominees to the Working Group that have 
the following qualifications:
     Ability and authority to represent a key constituency

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     Ability to participate effectively in the Working Group's 
responsibilities described in this notice
     Ability to attend meetings and commit time to the working 
effort
     Ability to generate ideas and options, and to appreciate 
the needs of others
     Ability to participate with respect for all points of view
     Ability to speak and act with authority when decisions are 
required
     Willingness to engage in good-faith efforts to seek 
solutions consistent with the mandate that can gain the broadest 
consensus

Based on a review of nominations in comparison to these qualifications, 
the NPS and the FAA will select a balanced group of agency, tribal, 
aviation, and environmental members.

Nominations for Working Group Membership

    Nominations to serve on the Grand Canyon Working Group should be 
submitted in writing, either by Email (which is preferred) or regular 
mail to Ms. Pickard at the FAA or Ms. Trevino at the NPS [see addresses 
above under For Further Information Contact], and must be 
electronically dated or postmarked on or before April 20, 2005. Self-
nominations are allowed. Nominations should address the nominee's 
abilities and experience with respect to the above qualifications and 
should include the following:
     Current job/position of nominee
     Group/Tribe/interest/constituency the nominee represents 
and their involvement with Grand Canyon overflights
     Nominee's background and/or expertise related to 
overflight noise at Grand Canyon
     Confirmation that nominee is prepared to dedicate the 
necessary time and resources
     Nominee's experience with negotiation and other 
collaborative processes

    Dated: March 23, 2005.
William C. Withycombe,
FAA Western-Pacific Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-6201 Filed 3-29-05; 8:45 am]
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