[Federal Register: March 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 60)]
[Notices]
[Page 16327-16329]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30mr05-138]
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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: lynne.pickard@faa.gov or Karen Trevino, National Park Service,
Natural Sounds Program, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 350, Ft. Collins, CO,
80525, telephone (970) 225-3563, E-mail: Karen_Trevino@nps.gov.
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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