05-2593. Membership in the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice.

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 on the NPOAG (now the NPOAG Aviation Rulemaking Committee) for members representing environmental interests and invites interested persons to apply to fill the vacancies.

DATES:

Persons interested in serving on the advisory group should contact Mr. Brayer or Ms. Trevino on or before March 3, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Barry Brayer, Executive Resource Staff, Western Pacific Region Headquarters, 15000 Aviation Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90250, telephone: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail], or Karen Trevino, National Park Service, Natural Sounds Program, 1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 350, Ft. Collins, CO, 80525, telephone [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].

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 and the Director (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).

The current NPOAG ARC is made up of four members representing the air tour industry, two members representing environmental interests, and two members representing Native American interests. Current members of the NPOAG ARC are: Heidi Williams, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Alan Stephen, Twin Otter/Grand Canyon Airlines; Elling Halverson, Papillon Airways, Inc.; Richard Larew, Era Aviation, Inc.; Chip Dennerlein, State of Alaska Fish and Game; Charles Maynard, formerly with Great Smoky Mountain National Park; and Germaine White and Richard Deertrack, representing Native American tribes.

Public Participation in the Advisory Group

In order to retain balance within the NPOAG ARC, the FAA and NPS invite persons interested in serving on the ARC to represent environmental interests to contact either of the persons listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Requests to serve on the ARC should be made in writing and postmarked on or before March 3, 2005. The request should indicate whether or not you are a member of an association representing environmental interests or have another affiliation with environmental interests in 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 interests. The term of service for NPOAG ARC members is 3 years.

Issued in Washington, DC on February 2, 2005.

John M. Allen,

Acting Director, Flight Standards Service.