97-19041. Notice of National Parks Overflights Working Group Meetings

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 39048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19041]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of National Parks Overflights Working Group Meetings

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) and Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) announce the dates for the National Parks 
Overflights Working Group (NPOWG) meeting in August. The NPOWG will 
meet August 4-5 in Denver, Colorado. This meeting will be open to the 
public. This notice serves to inform the public of the meeting dates 
for the working group.

DATES AND LOCATIONS: The NPOWG will meet August 4 and 5, beginning at 9 
a.m., in conference rooms in the Sheraton Denver West, 360 Union Blvd., 
Denver, Colorado, telephone: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carla Mattix, Office of the Solicitor, 
U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C St., NW., Washington, DC 20240, 
telephone: [phone], or Linda Williams, Office of Rulemaking, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., Washington, DC 
20591, telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    By notice in the Federal Register on June 6, 1997, the NPS and FAA 
announced the meeting dates for the NPOWG. The working group is 
established to recommend a notice of proposed rulemaking which would 
define the process to reduce or prevent the adverse effects of 
commercial sightseeing flights over the National Parks where deemed 
necessary. The working group held sessions on May 20 and 21; June 11, 
12, 13; and July 8 and 9, 1997, in Washington, DC.
    The overflights working group is composed of nine members 
representing a balance of air tour operators, both fixed and rotary 
wing; general aviation users; other commercial aviation interests; 
national tour associations; environmental groups; and Native Americans. 
Co-chairs for the working group have been selected by the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Interior (DOI). DOT and DOI 
representatives act as advisors to the membership, but will not be 
active members of the working group. A facilitator provides focus for 
the group.
    Unless extended, the working group is scheduled to terminate 100 
days from the date of its initial meeting. The group will make its 
final recommendation to the ARAC and NPS Advisory Board at the end of 
that 100 days. The ARAC and NPS Advisory Board will review the 
recommendations of the working group and report to the NPS and FAA. 
Progress or status reports form the working group are expected every 21 
days. NPS and FAA anticipate that the final product of the NPOWG will 
be a recommended notice of proposed rulemaking.

Meeting Location and Protocol

    Contrary to the original Federal Register notice, the August 
meeting will be open to the public. In keeping with the organizational 
protocols developed by the working group, the following rules apply:

    Only working group members (or their alternates when filling in 
for a member) have the privilege of sitting at the negotiating table 
and of speaking from the floor during the negotiations without 
working group approval, except: any member may call upon another 
individual to elaborate on a relevant point, the NPS and FAA 
advisors to the working group have the full right to the floor and 
may raise and address appropriate points, and any person attending 
working group meetings may address the working group if time permits 
and may file statements with the working group for its 
consideration.

    The final report of the NPOWG will be made available to the public 
when it is reported to the Advisory Board and ARAC. In addition, both 
agencies envision that public meetings will be held following the 
publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking on the issues regarding 
overflights of the national parks.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 14, 1997.
Joseph A. Hawkins,
Director of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 97-19041 Filed 7-18-97; 8:45 am]
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