[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 42997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17254]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Membership Availability in the National Parks Overflights
Advisory Group Aviation Rulemaking Committee
ACTION: Notice.
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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 (ARC)] for members representing commercial air tour operators
(one vacancy) and environmental concerns (one vacancy) and invites
interested persons to apply to fill the vacancies.
DATES: Persons interested in serving on the NPOAG ARC should contact
Mr. Keith Lusk in writing and postmarked or emailed on or before August
16, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Lusk, AWP-1SP, Special Programs
Staff, Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region
Headquarters, P.O. Box 92007, Los Angeles, CA 90009-2007, telephone:
(310) 725-3808, email: [email protected].
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 was established in March 2001, and is comprised of a
balanced group of representatives of general aviation, commercial air
tour operations, environmental concerns, and Native American tribes.
The Administrator of the FAA and the Director of NPS (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). FAA Order No. 1110-138, was amended and became effective as FAA
Order No. 1110-138A, on January 20, 2006.
The current NPOAG ARC is made up of one member representing general
aviation, three members representing the commercial air tour industry,
four members representing environmental concerns, and two members
representing Native American tribal concerns. Current members of the
NPOAG ARC are: Heidi Williams representing general aviation; Alan
Stephen, and Mark Francis representing commercial air tour concerns;
Michael Sutton, Gregory Miller, and Dick Hingson representing
environmental interests; Rory Majenty and Martin Begaye, representing
Native American tribes.
In order to retain balance within the NPOAG ARC, the FAA and NPS
invite persons interested in serving on the ARC to represent commercial
air tour operators and environmental concerns to contact Mr. Keith Lusk
(contact information is written above in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT).
Requests to serve on the ARC must be made to Mr. Lusk in writing
and postmarked or emailed on or before August 16, 2013. The request
should indicate whether or not you are a member of an association or
group representing commercial air tours or environmental concerns, or
have another affiliation with 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 the vacancy you are seeking to
fill (e.g., environmental concerns). The term of service for NPOAG ARC
members is 3 years.
On June 18, 2010, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum
directing agencies in the Executive Branch not to appoint or re-appoint
federally registered lobbyists to advisory committees and other boards
and commissions. Therefore, before appointing an applicant to serve on
the NPOAG, the FAA and NPS will require the prospective candidate to
certify that they are not a federally registered lobbyist.
Issued in Hawthorne, CA, on July 11, 2013.
Keith Lusk,
Program Manager, Special Programs Staff, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-17254 Filed 7-17-13; 8:45 am]
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