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Comment period on proposed overflight plan at Grand Canyon open until June 20
Air tour operators invited to present perspectives on noise issue at June 1 Tusayan Town Council Meeting

Clara Beard/WGCN<br>
Grand Canyon National Park Deputy Chief of Planning and Compliance Gopaul Noojibail presents the park service’s draft overflight plan to the Tusayan Town Council May 19.

Clara Beard/WGCN<br> Grand Canyon National Park Deputy Chief of Planning and Compliance Gopaul Noojibail presents the park service’s draft overflight plan to the Tusayan Town Council May 19.

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Representatives from the National Park Service (NPS) were present at Tusayan Town Council's May 19 regular meeting to present their draft plan addressing noise impacts at Grand Canyon due to air tour flights. The draft issued by the NPS Feb. 2 aims to restore natural quiet on the ground, but allow for increased air traffic above the Canyon. Air tour operators will present their perspective at the next Tusayan Town Council meeting on June 1.

Grand Canyon National Park Chief of Planning and Compliance Mary Killeen said comments are still being accepted through June 20, adding public commentary will be imperative to the final plan.

"We finally have a draft out to the public, and the important thing is the public has not had an opportunity, until now to actually find out what the law is, and what Congress directed the Park Service to do in terms of the restoration of natural quiet and the experience of the park," Killeen said.

The plan allows for 8,000 more flights over the Canyon per year for a total of 65,000 while at the same time moving some route away from sensitive cultural, natural and visitor areas of the park. The plan also sets a daily cap of 364 flights over the Canyon per day.

An overflight plan is required by the 1987 National Parks Overflights Act. Before the park service could move forward, a definition of "natural quiet" needed to be established.

Natural quiet will have been achieved when 50 percent or more of the park is absent of aircraft noise for 75-100 percent of the day Killeen said. "We were challenged on this definition in court by not only the Federal Aviation Association but also others," she said.

The plan would move most non-air tour operations outside the park, require air tour operators to convert to quiet technology within 10 years and provide for one hour of air traffic free time after sunrise and before sunset each day.

While quiet technology will be mandatory after 10 years, there are incentives included in the plan for early adopters, including access to some restricted air routes. Those flying quiet technology would be able to do the long routes year round.

Each air tour operator has a certain number of authorizations to fly. An authorization, called an allocation, is necessary for each flight.

The plan is based on 2005 air traffic numbers. A working group was established in 2006 consisting of NPS representatives, Federal Aviation Administration representatives, air tour operators, and environmental groups, among others. The group helped to devise the current draft.

The Draft EIS can be reviewed online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/grca. Comments can be submitted online at the same web address, mailed to Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park, Attention: Office of Planning and Compliance, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023, or provided at one of the public meetings. Comments will be accepted through June 20.


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