[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 131 (Friday, July 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37191-37192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17321]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Commercial Routes for the Grand Canyon National Park
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability on routes in Grand Canyon National Park;
comment request.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests
comments on proposed commercial routes for the Grand Canyon National
Park (GCNP) Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA). The proposed commercial
routes are not being published in the Federal Register because they are
depicted on large and very detailed charts that would be difficult to
read if published in the Federal Register. The proposed modifications
of certain commercial routes may require airspace changes in the GNCP
SFRA that are contained in a notice of proposed rulemaking being
published concurrently in this Federal Register. The proposed airspace
modification and the planned modification to the route structure
support the National Park Service mandate to provide for the
substantial restoration of the natural quiet and experience of the
park.
DATES: Comments on the routes must be received on or before September
7,1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed routes, in triplicate, may be
delivered or mailed to: Federal Aviation Administration, ATTN: Alberta
Brown, Air Transportation Division, AFS-200, 800 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20591, Telephone (202) 267-8321. Comments may be
examined at the above address between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays,
except for Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Davis, Air Transportation
Division, AFS-200, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591,
Telephone (202) 267-8166.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed commercial routes are not being
published in the Federal Register because they are on very large and
detailed charts that would not publish well in the Federal Register. A
copy of the charts depicting the routes may be obtained by contacting
Denise Cashmere at (202) 267-3717, by faxing a request to (202) 267-
5229, or by sending a request in writing to the Federal Aviation
Administration, Air Transportation Division, AFS-200, 800 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591.
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed routes by
submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire.
Commenters must identify that they are commenting on the proposed
commercial routes for the GCNP SFRA. All comments received on or before
the end of the comment period will be considered by the FAA before
finalizing the commercial routes. Late filed comments will be
considered to the extent practicable.
Discussion
The FAA, in consultation with the National Park Service (NPS),
proposes to restore and modify certain commercial routes in the GCNP
SFRA. The proposed modified routes were developed based on airspace
configurations, safety considerations, the goal of substantial
restoration of natural quiet in the GCNP, economic considerations,
consultation with Native American tribes, and comments received in
response to previous route proposals. The FAA, in consultation with the
NPS, also proposes to modify the existing airspace in the SFRA to
accommodate these proposed route changes in a companion notice of
proposed rulemaking published elsewhere in this Federal Register.
In developing the proposed modified routes for GCNP, the FAA has
been consulting with Native American tribes, on a government-to-
government basis, as required by the Presidential Memorandum on
Government-to-Government Consultation with Native American Tribal
Governments to assess potential effects on tribal trust resources and
to assure that tribal government rights and concerns are considered in
the decisionmaking process. The FAA has also been consulting with these
tribes pursuant to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act concerning potential effects of the
proposed routes on sacred sites. In addition, under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act the FAA, has been consulting with
these
[[Page 37192]]
tribes, the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office, the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation, and other interested parties
concerning potential effects on historic sites, including traditional
cultural properties and Native American sacred sites.
This action provides interested persons an opportunity to comment
on the proposed commercial routes. Before the commercial routes for
GCNP are finalized, FAA and NPS will fulfill their consultation
responsibilities. In this consultation process, the FAA in coordination
with NPS, will continue to consider feasible actions to mitigate any
identified significant impacts to Native American cultural, religious,
or historic sites.
General Description of the Modified Routes
The FAA proposes to rename the Blue Direct route as Blue Direct
North and restore and modify the Blue Direct South, the Blue 2, and the
Green 4 routes, as appropriate. Commenters should also note that the
chart depicts proposed modifications to the Desert View, Bright Angel,
and Sanup Flight-free Zones and the Zuni Point corridor.
These proposed routes have been developed after consideration of
various alternative routes by the FAA and NPS. The FAA and NPS believes
that the proposed routes best address preservation issues and Native
American concerns. The proposal also continues to provide routes for
commercial tour operators that mitigate noise impacts and provide the
public with the requisite level of safety. The FAA believes that the
routes depicted on the chart made available by this notice, would
provide an opportunity for commercial air tours as well as assist the
NPS in achieving its statutory mandate to provide for the substantial
restoration of natural quiet in GCNP.
Environmental Review
The FAA is preparing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for this
proposed action to ensure conformance with the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969. Copies of the draft EA will be circulated to
interested parties and placed in the docket, where it will be available
for review.
Issued in Washington, DC on July 1, 1999.
L. Nicholas Lacey,
Director, Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 99-17321 Filed 7-6-99; 12:06 pm]
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