[Federal Register: January 25, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 16)]
[Notices]
[Page 4192-4193]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja06-128]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Actions To Substantially Restore Natural Quiet to the Grand
Canyon National Park and Public Scoping
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration and National Park Service.
ACTION: Notice of Intent: Request for scoping comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National
Park Service (NPS), as co-leads in the environmental process, intend to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the provisions of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. The EIS will
address environmental and related impacts that may result from actions
to be proposed and alternatives to be developed to achieve the
statutory mandate of Public Law 100-91 (``commonly know as the
Overflights Act''); to provide for the substantial restoration of the
natural quiet and experience of Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). The
Presidential Memorandum dated April 22, 1996, Earth Day Initiative,
Parks for Tomorrow calls for substantial restoration of natural quiet
in the GCNP to be achieved by 2008. ``Substantial restoration of
natural quiet'' has been defined by the NPS to mean that 50 percent or
more of the park will achieve natural quiet (i.e., no aircraft audible)
for 75 to 100 percent of the day.
This undertaking is a follow-on to previous actions taken by the
FAA, in cooperation with the NPS, since December 1996.
The FAA and NPS are inviting the public, agencies, and other
interested parties to provide comments, suggestions, and input
regarding: (1) The scope, issues, and concerns related to the
development of proposed and alternative actions at Grand Canyon
National Park that provide for the substantial restoration of the
natural quiet and experience of the park and protection of public
health and safety from significant adverse effects associated with all
aircraft overflights; (2) past, present, and reasonably foreseeable
future actions which, when considered with any alternatives, may result
in significant cumulative impacts; and, (3) potential alternatives.
The scoping process for this EIS will include three public meetings
and a ninety-day comment period for interested agencies and parties to
submit oral and/or written comments representing the concerns and
issues they believe should be addressed. Please submit any written
comments within ninety-days from the date of this Notice, or no later
than April 27, 2006. Address your comments to: Docket Management
System, Doc No. FAA-2005-23402, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room
Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
The purpose of this Notice is to inform Federal, State, local
government agencies, and the public of the intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and to conduct a public and agency
scoping process. Information, data, opinions, and comments obtained
throughout the scoping process will be considered in preparing the
Draft EIS.
To maximize the opportunities for public participation in this
environmental process, the FAA and NPS will also publish notices in the
major local newspapers in the vicinity of the study area.
DATES: The scoping period, and the opportunity to provide written
comments will extend from publication of this Notice for a period of
ninety-days. The forecast period of public and Agency scoping is
January 20, through April 27, 2006.
Public Meetings: Public scoping meetings will be held in Phoenix,
Arizona (AZ) on February 21, Flagstaff, AZ on February 22, and in Las
Vegas, Nevada (NV) on February 23. Following are the specifics for each
of the public meetings:
Phoenix--February 21, 2006; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Glendale Community
College, 6000 W. Olive Ave., Glendale, AZ 85302;
Flagstaff--February 22; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Museum of Northern Arizona,
3101 N. Ft. Valley Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001; and,
Las Vegas--February 23; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Henderson Convention Center,
200 Water St., Henderson, NV 89015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Questions concerning the
environmental process should be directed to either the FAA or the NPS.
The FAA contact person is Mr. Barry Brayer. Mr. Brayer can be contacted
in writing at Federal Aviation Administration, Executive Resource Staff
(AWP-4) 15000 Aviation Blvd., PO Box 92007, Los Angeles, CA 90009-2007;
or via telephone at (310) 725-3800.
[[Page 4193]]
The NPS contact person is Ms. Mary Killeen. She can be contacted at
Chief, Office of Planning and Compliance, Grand Canyon National Park,
P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023; or via telephone at (928) 638-
7885.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA and NPS, with a working group
established under the auspices of the National Parks Overflights
Advisory Group (NPOAG) and any cooperating agency(ies), will develop
alternatives to meet the statutory mandate for substantial restoration
of natural quiet to the GCNP.
In accordance with section 805 of the National Parks Air Tour
Management Act of 2000, the Administrator of the FAA and the Director
of the NPS jointly established the NPOAG on April 5, 2001. The NPOAG
provides continuing advice and counsel with respect to commercial air
tour operations over and near national parks. On October 10, 2003, the
FAA Administrator signed FAA Order 1110.138, the NPOAG Aviation
Rulemaking Committee Charter. The NPOAG is comprised of a balanced
group of representatives of general aviation, commercial air tour
operators, environmental interests, and American Indian tribes.
Additional information related to the NPOAG can be found on their Web
site at http://www.atmp.faa.gov/npoag.htm.
At the request of the FAA and NPS, the U.S. Institute of
Environmental Conflict Resolution (USIECR) began working with the two
agencies in 2003 to help develop a cooperative working relationship to
facilitate the resolution of issues surrounding the implementation of
the Overflights Act at Grand Canyon National Park. The agencies agreed
to move forward with an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process
and through the USIECR, the firm of Lucy Moore Associates, Inc. was
contracted to assist in the ADR process. Additionally, the two agencies
decided to create a working group, under the authority of the NPOAG, to
assist in the process. Through notice in the Federal Register, the
agencies invited nominations from individuals, who met certain criteria
established for participation on the working group. The result was the
establishment of the Grand Canyon Working Group that consists of
representatives from FAA, NPS, air tour operators, environmental
groups, American Indian Tribes, commercial and general aviation,
recreational interests, and other federal agencies. The working group
is specifically tasked with developing recommendations for proposed
actions to meet the statutory mandate contained in the Overflights Act.
Information obtained during the public scoping process will inform and
assist the working group in developing recommendations. The working
group will participate in the development of the EIS and in any
rulemaking that may be required with respect to a final overflights
plan.
Further, the FAA and NPS are aware of American Indian Tribes with
ties to the GCNP. The FAA, NPS, and Tribes will interact on a
government-to-government basis, in accordance with all executive
orders, laws, regulations and other memoranda. They are also being
invited to participate in the environmental process as Cooperating
Agencies in accordance with NEPA and section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act. To the extent practicable, compliance with
section 106 will be combined with the NEPA process, pursuant to Title
36, Code of Federal Regulations, part 800, sections 800.3(b), and
800.8.
The environmental process of developing and reviewing alternatives
to achieve the substantial restoration of natural quiet at the GCNP
began in 1996. This is also the timeframe when consultation with
American Indian Tribes with traditional cultural ties to the park
began. Data and documentation from these previous actions have been
retained and will be utilized, as necessary, as part of this current
undertaking. As a result of the final rulemaking of December 31, 1996,
flight free zones, air tours and reporting requirements were defined.
In February 2000, the FAA issued a Supplemental Final Environmental
Assessment (SFEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
associated with a final rule to modify the airspace over the GCNP, and
a final rule to limit the number of commercial air tour operations that
could be flown in that airspace. In May 2000, the FAA implemented the
final rule limiting commercial air tour operations. However, the FAA
determined that implementation of the airspace and proposed commercial
air tour route changes for the east end of the GCNP should be delayed
to address safety concerns that had not been previously raised by the
commercial air tour operators.
Additionally, in late-spring 2000, litigation related to the SFEA
and FONSI was initiated. The litigation related to the final rule for
airspace was stayed by the court pending FAA resolution of the safety
issues. However, the Court remanded the SFEA, as it pertained to the
limitations final rule, back to the FAA for resolution of several
issues of concern between the FAA and NPS. Those issues have been
substantially resolved and the FAA and NPS are ready to move forward
with this EIS to develop and evaluate alternatives for a final
overflights plan to substantially restore natural quiet in the GCNP.
Since 1996, there has been considerable public participation in the
environmental processes associated with these actions. The FAA, in
cooperation with the NPS, held numerous meetings with the Tribes and
the public. Copies of the previous environmental documents from 1996
through 2000 were mailed to numerous Federal, State, and local agencies
and elected officials; Tribes; private and public organizations and
individuals; and libraries within the study area.
As this undertaking will be a follow-on to the previous actions,
the December 1996 Final Environmental Assessment and the February 2000
Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment may be reviewed for
additional supplemental information at one of the following libraries
to which it was mailed:
Librarian, 113 South 1st St., Williams, AZ 86046.
Flagstaff Public Library, Public Service/Reference Room, 300 W. Aspen,
Flagstaff, AZ 86001.
Fredonia Public Library, Director, P.O. Box 217, Fredonia, AZ 86022.
Grand Canyon Community Library, Librarian, P.O. Box 518, Grand Canyon,
AZ 86023.
Phoenix Public Library, Government Documents, 1221 N. Central Ave.,
Phoenix, AZ 85004.
Phoenix Public Library, Arizona Room, 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ
85004.
Washington County Library, Reference Department, 50 South Main, St.
George, UT 84770.
Kanab City Library, Director, 13 South 100 East 129-6, Kanab,
UT 84741.
Mohave County Library, ATTN: Lee Smith, P.O. Box 7000, Kingman, AZ
86402-7000.
William C. Withycombe,
Western Pacific Regional Administrator, Federal Aviation
Administration.
Steve Martin,
Deputy Director, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 06-708 Filed 1-20-06; 2:48 pm]
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