[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 147 (Tuesday, August 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44416-44417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15178]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and Initiation of Public and Agency Scoping for the Hawai'i 
Volcanoes National Park Air Tour Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with 
the National Park Service (NPS), began development of an Air Tour 
Management Plan (ATMP) and associated Environmental Assessment (EA) for 
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in February 2003. The ATMP is being 
established pursuant to the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 
2000 (Pub. L. 106-181) and its implementing regulations contained in 
Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 136, National Parks Air 
Tour Management. The objective of the 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 Hawai'i 
Volcanoes National Park.
    The FAA and NPS have now decided to proceed with development of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this project. This decision is 
based on information received through the EA scoping process, the 
environmental analysis completed by the Agencies to date, the 
consideration of preliminary ATMP alternatives, and through 
consultations conducted pursuant to Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    By this notice the FAA and NPS are initiating a 30-day scoping 
period for this EIS. The FAA and NPS are now inviting the public, 
agencies, and other interested parties to provide written comments, 
suggestions, and input regarding the scope of issues and the 
identification of significant issues to be addressed in the 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Comments previously submitted in 
response to the EA scoping will not need to be resubmitted, as they 
will be considered as part of the EIS process and record. No additional 
scoping meetings are scheduled.

DATES: The 45-day scoping comment period will commence 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 September 15, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Please address your written comments to: Docket Management 
System, Doc No. FAA-2005-21938, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room 
Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    You must identify the docket number FAA-2005-21938 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 
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.
    You may also submit comments and review public dockets on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. Comments previously received in 
response to the EA scoping may also be reviewed at this

[[Page 44417]]

Web site under Docket No. FAA-2004-17174.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Armstrong, 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) 725-3818. 
Street address: 15000 Aviation Boulevard, Lawndale, California 90261. 
E-mail: [email protected]. Park specific information can be 
obtained from Cindy Orlando, Superintendent, Hawai'i Volcanoes National 
Park, P.O. Box 52, Volcanoes, HI 96718. Telephone: (808) 985-6025. E-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In developing an ATMP and any associated 
rulemaking actions, the FAA is required to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), which calls on Federal 
agencies to consider environmental issues as part of their decision 
making process. For the purposes of compliance with NEPA on this 
project, the FAA is the Lead Agency and the NPS is a Cooperating 
Agency. The ATMP Program Office and the NPS Natural Sounds Program 
Office are responsible for the overall implementation of the ATMP 
Program. Brian Armstrong is the FAA's principal program manager 
responsible for all parts of the EIS and performance of required 
consultation regarding cultural and historic resources and endangered 
and threatened species. For the park, Superintendent Cindy Orlando is 
responsible for park operations and management and for recommending the 
draft and final EIS and Record of Decision to the Pacific West Regional 
Director.
    The EIS is being prepared in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1E, 
Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, and NPS Director's 
Order  12: Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact 
Analysis, and Decision-making, and NPS Management Policies. The FAA is 
now inviting the public, agencies, and other interested parties to 
provide written comments, suggestions, and input regarding: (1) The 
scope, issues, and concerns related to the development of the ATMP for 
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park; (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 natural resources, 
cultural resources, and the visitor experience; (4) preliminary ATMP 
alternatives; and, (5) past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future 
actions which, when considered with ATMP alternatives, may result in 
significant cumulative impacts. The FAA requests that comments be as 
specific as possible in response to actions that are being proposed 
under this notice.
    Scoping documents that describe the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park 
ATMP project in greater detail and the preliminary ATMP alternatives 
under consideration are available at the following locations:
     FAA Air Tour Management Plan Program Web site, http://www.atmp.faa.gov/Hawaii_Volcanoes.htm
     Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, 1 Crater Rim Road, Hawaii 
National Park, HI 96718
     National Park Service, Pacific Islands Network, 300 Ala 
Moana Ave., Box 50165, Honolulu, HI 96850
     Hawai'i State Library, Hawai'i Documents Center--478 South 
King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
     Bond Memorial Public Library--3903 Akoni Pule Hwy, Kapaau, 
HI 96755
     Hilo Public Library--300 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720
     Holualoa Public Library--76-5936 Mamalahoa Highway, 
Holualoa, HI 96725
     Honoka'a Public Library--45-3380 Mamane Street, Bldg. 
3, Honoka'a, HI 96727
     Kailua-Kona Public Library--75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-
Kona, HI 96740
     Kea'au Public Library--16-571 Kea'au-Pahoa Road, Kea'au, 
HI 96749
     Kealakekua Public Library--Mamalahoa Hwy, Kealakekua, HI 
96750
     Laupahoehoe Public Library--35-2065 Old Mamalahoa Hwy, 
Laupahoehoe, HI 96764
     Mountain View Public Library--1235 Volcano, Mountain View, 
HI 96771
     Na'alehu Public Library--5669 Mamalahoa Hwy, Na'alehu, HI 
96771
     Pahala Public Library--315 Pikake St., Pahala, HI 96777
     Thelma Parker Public Library--67-1209 Mamalahoa Highway, 
Kamuela, HI 96743-8429

    Issued in Los Angeles, CA on July 25, 2005.
Brian Q. Armstrong,
FAA, Air Tour Management Plan Program Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-15178 Filed 8-1-05; 8:45 am]
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