[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 19947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05879]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability for Proposed Voluntary Agreement at Lake 
Mead National Recreation Area

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of availability

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SUMMARY: The FAA, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), 
has initiated development of a voluntary agreement pursuant to the 
National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (the Act) and its 
implementing regulations. The Act allows the FAA and NPS to enter into 
voluntary agreements with commercial air tour operators. A voluntary 
agreement manages commercial air tour operations over a national park 
by establishing conditions for the conduct of the commercial air tour 
operations. Implementation of a voluntary agreement helps protect park 
resources and the visitor experience without compromising aviation 
safety or the air traffic control system. This notice announces the 
public availability of the proposed voluntary agreement for Lake Mead 
National Recreation Area.

DATES: Comments are due by 10:59 p.m. PDT April 19, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments will be received on the NPS Planning, Environment 
and Public Comment System (PEPC) website. The PEPC website for the Park 
is: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/LakeMeadAirToursVA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra Fox, [email protected]; 
(202) 267-0928.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is issuing this notice pursuant to 
the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-181 
(https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/106/public/181?link-type=html)) and 
its implementing regulations contained in title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, part 136, subpart B, National Parks Air Tour Management. 
The Act requires that commercial air tour operators conducting or 
intending to conduct commercial air tours over a unit of the National 
Park system apply to the FAA for operating authority before engaging in 
that activity. The Act further requires the FAA and the NPS to 
establish an air tour management plan (ATMP) for each National Park 
System unit for which one or more commercial air tour applications have 
been submitted unless that unit is exempt from this requirement. As an 
alternative to an ATMP, the FAA and the NPS may enter into a voluntary 
agreement with a commercial air tour operator who has applied to 
conduct commercial air tour operations over a national park including 
an operator that has interim operating authority for the park or a new 
entrant commercial air tour operator. Voluntary agreements must address 
the management issues necessary to protect the resources and visitor 
use of the park without compromising aviation safety or the air traffic 
control system. A voluntary agreement may also include conditions for 
the conduct of air tour operations and provisions to ensure the 
stability of and compliance with the voluntary agreement. Each 
voluntary agreement reflects the provisions and conditions appropriate 
for the national park to which the agreement applies.
    Individual voluntary agreements will be established with each 
operator for the Park. Part 135 operators who have been granted interim 
operating authority for the Parks are included in this voluntary 
agreement and operators who have applied for authority to conduct tours 
of the Park are also considered.
    Written comments on the proposed voluntary agreement can be 
submitted via PEPC. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or any 
other way than as specified above. All written comments become part of 
the official record. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal 
identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 15, 2024.
Sandra Fox,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Environment and Energy.
[FR Doc. 2024-05879 Filed 3-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P