[Federal Register: January 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 3510]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ja08-106]
[[Page 3510]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Membership Availability in the National Parks Overflights
Advisory Group Aviation Rulemaking Committee--Representatives of
Environmental Concerns
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), as required by the National Parks Air Tour
Management Act of 2000, established the National Parks Overflights
Advisory Group (NPOAG) in March 2001. The NPOAG was formed to provide
continuing advice and counsel with respect to commercial air tour
operations over and near national parks. This notice informs the public
of two vacancies (due to completion of membership on May 30, 2008), on
the NPOAG (now the NPOAG Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC)) for
representatives of environmental concerns and invites interested
persons to apply to fill the vacancies. A previous notice was published
in the Federal Register on October 29, 2007, but only drew a limited
response. This notice is being re-published to identify additional
qualified candidates.
DATES: Persons interested in serving on the NPOAG ARC should contact
Mr. Barry Brayer in writing and postmarked or e-mailed on or before
February 15, 2008. If you had previously submitted a request to be
considered for these two NPOAG ARC positions in response to the October
29, 2007 notice, you do not need to re-submit your request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Brayer, AWP-1SP, Special
Programs Staff, Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region
Headquarters, P.O. Box 92007, Los Angeles, CA 90009-2007, telephone:
(310) 725-3800, e-mail: Barry.Brayer@faa.gov or Karen Trevino, National
Park Service, Natural Sounds Program, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 100,
Fort Collins, CO, 80525, telephone (970) 225-3563, e-mail:
Karen_Trevino@nps.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (the Act) was
enacted on April 5, 2000, as Public Law 106-181. The Act required the
establishment of the advisory group within 1 year after its enactment.
The advisory group is comprised of a balanced group of representatives
of general aviation, commercial air tour operations, environmental
concerns, and Native American tribes. The Administrator of the FAA and
the Director of NPS (or their designees) serve as ex officio members of
the group. Representatives of the Administrator and Director serve
alternating 1-year terms as chairman of the advisory group.
The advisory group provides ``advice, information, and
recommendations to the Administrator and the Director--
(1) On the implementation of this title [the Act] and the
amendments made by this title;
(2) On commonly accepted quiet aircraft technology for use in
commercial air tour operations over a national park or tribal lands,
which will receive preferential treatment in a given air tour
management plan;
(3) On other measures that might be taken to accommodate the
interests of visitors to national parks; and
(4) At the request of the Administrator and the Director, safety,
environmental, and other issues related to commercial air tour
operations over a national park or tribal lands.''
Members of the advisory group may be allowed certain travel
expenses as authorized by section 5703 of Title 5, United States Code,
for intermittent Government service.
By FAA Order No. 1110-138, signed by the FAA Administrator on
October 10, 2003, the NPOAG became an Aviation Rulemaking Committee
(ARC). FAA Order No. 1110-138, was amended and became effective as FAA
Order No. 1110-138A, on January 20, 2006.
The current NPOAG ARC is made up of one member representing general
aviation, three members representing the air tour industry, four
members representing environmental concerns, and two members
representing Native American interests. Current members of the NPOAG
ARC are: Heidi Williams, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Alan
Stephen, fixed-winged air tour operator representative; Elling
Halvorson, Papillon Airways, Inc.; Matthew Zuccaro, Helicopters
Association International; Chip Dennerlein, Siskiyou Project; Greg
Miller, American Hiking Society; Mark Peterson, National Audubon
Society; Don Barger, National Parks Conservation Association; Rory
Majenty, Hualapai Nation; and Richard Deertrack, Taos Pueblo.
Public Participation in the NPOAG ARC
In order to retain balance within the NPOAG ARC, the FAA and NPS
invite persons interested in serving on the ARC to represent
environmental concerns, to contact Mr. Barry Brayer (contact
information is written above in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.)
Requests to serve on the ARC must be made to Mr. Bryer in writing and
postmarked or e-mailed on or before February 15, 2008. The request
should indicate whether or not you are a member of an association or
group related to environmental issues or concerns or have another
affiliation with issues relating to aircraft flights over national
parks. The request should also state what expertise you would bring to
the NPOAG ARC as related to environmental concerns. The term of service
for NPOAG ARC members is 3 years.
Issued in Hawthorne, CA on January 3, 2008.
William C. Withycombe,
Regional Administrator, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 08-163 Filed 1-17-08; 8:45 am]
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