[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 17 (Friday, January 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 3902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-339]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Cancellation of the Preparation of an Air Tour Management Plan 
and Environmental Assessment for Kalaupapa National Historical Park, 
Molokai, HI

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of cancellation of preparation of an Air Tour 
Management Plan and Environmental Assessment.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that it 
will no longer prepare an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) and 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for commercial air tour operations over 
Kalaupapa National Historical Park (NHP), at Molokai, Hawaii. The FAA 
has stopped work on preparation of the ATMP and EA based upon no 
further operating authority interest by commercial air tour operators 
who had been granted Interim Operating Authority to conduct commercial 
air tour operations over the park unit and there are no new entrant 
requests to conduct commercial air tour operations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter F. Ciesla, Program Manager, AWP-
4, Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, P.O. Box 
92007, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007. Telephone: (310) 725-3818. 
E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In February 2004, the FAA in cooperation 
with the National Park Service (NPS) initiated development of an ATMP 
for Kalaupapa NHP, 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 ATMP process for Kalaupapa NHP was 
initiated based on receipt of applications for Operating Authority from 
existing commercial air tour operators to conduct commercial air tour 
operations over this park unit. In accordance with the Act and 
Regulations, the FAA issued Interim Operating Authority for these 
commercial air tour operators to conduct air tours over the park. The 
FAA and NPS also began preparing an EA to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act, which requires Federal agencies to consider 
the environmental issues associated with a Federal action. The FAA had 
been notified by the commercial air tour operators that had requested 
Operating Authority, that they are no longer conducting commercial air 
tour operations over Kalaupapa NHP, indicating their intent not to 
conduct commercial air tours below 5,000 feet above ground level over 
or within one-half mile of this park unit. The FAA has removed the 
Interim Operating Authority from the Operations Specifications for 
these commercial air tour operators to conduct commercial air tour 
operations over the park. Since there are no existing commercial air 
tour operators nor any new entrants seeking to conduct commercial air 
tour operations over Kalaupapa NHP, the FAA has determined that the 
purpose and need for an ATMP no longer exist. The FAA has decided to 
stop work and discontinue preparation of the ATMP and EA for Kalaupapa 
NHP.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California, on January 22, 2007.
Peter F. Ciesla,
Program Manager, Air Tour Management Program, Western-Pacific Region, 
AWP-4.
[FR Doc. 07-339 Filed 1-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M