Environmental statements; availability, etc.: Grand Canyon National Park and vicinity; special flight rules,

[Federal Register: July 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 131)]

[Notices]

[Page 37192-37193]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr09jy99-105]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Actions Relating to the Grand Canyon National Park and Public Comment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Hualapai Indian Tribe (the Tribe), announces the availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (DSEA) for proposed Special Flight Rules vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) and request for comments.

The DSEA was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, FAA Order 1050.1D, ``Policies and Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts'', and other applicable environmental laws, and regulations. The DSEA assesses the effects of proposed Federal actions under consideration by the FAA and the Department of the Interior (DOI). These actions are to assist the National Park Service (NPS) in achieving its statutory mandate imposed by Public Law 100-91 to provide for the substantial restoration of natural quiet in the GCNP. The proposed actions include the following: (1) New air tour routes, and modifications to existing air tour routes for commercial aircraft operating in the Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) in the vicinity of GCNP, identified as Special Federal Aviation Regulation Number 50-2 (SFAR 50-2); (2) new air space, and modifications to existing airspace in the SFRA; and (3) a limitation on the number of commercial air tours in the SFRA.

DATES: The opportunity to provide written comments on the DSEA will extend from July 7, through September 7, 1999. Late filedcomments will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft Supplemental EA may be delivered or mailed, in triplicate, to: Federal Aviation Administration, Attention: William J. Marx, Air Traffic Airspace Management, Environmental Programs Division, ATA-300, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591. Comments may also be submitted via the internet. The internet address for written comments is Bill.Marx@FAA.GOV. Comments may be examined at the above address between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning this Draft Supplemental EA or the process being applied by the FAA should be directed to William J. Marx, via telephone at (202) 267-3075, or in writing to the address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA and DOI are considering the proposed actions to assist the NPS in achieving its congressional mandate to provide for the substantial restoration of natural quiet at GCNP. Based upon further discussions with interested parties and consultation with Native American tribal representatives pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the FAA is proposing additional revisions to the route structure in the SFRA. These proposed revisions will minimize impact on traditional cultural properties that we identified during consultation with Native American tribal representatives. The Notice of Route Availability (and accompanying chart), that details the proposed changes to the routes in the SFRA is being released concurrently with this DSEA, and contains a summary of the background information.

Other Federal actions considered in the DSEA include:

(1) Expansion of the Desert View Flight Free Zone (FFZ); (2) expansion of the boundary of the SFRA to contain the expansion of the Desert View FFZ; (3) reduction of the Sanup FFZ; and (4) a limitation on the number of commercial air tours in the SFRA. These proposals are contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Modification to the Airspace in the SFRA, and the NPRM for the Proposed Limitations to Commercial Air Tours in the GCNP. These documents are also being released concurrently with this DSEA and contain a summary of the background information.

The Supplemental EA

The scoping process for this Supplemental EA consisted of a public comment period for those interested agencies and parties to submit written comments representing the concerns and issues they believed should be addressed. The FAA received a total of 20 written comments. The Draft Supplemental EA contains a summary of those comments in Appendix G.

Information, data, opinions, and comments obtained throughout the course of the scoping process were used

[[Page 37193]]

in preparing the draft supplemental EA. The purpose of this Notice is to inform the public and local, State, and Federal government agencies of the availability of the draft supplemental EA. It also provides interested parties with an opportunity to present to the FAA their opinions, comments, information, or other relevant observations relating to the alternatives and potential environmental impacts of these proposals.

To maximize the opportunities for public participation in this environmental process, the FAA has mailed copies of the draft supplemental EA (DSEA), the two NPRMs, and the Notice of Route Availability and graphic to those individuals and agencies listed in Appendix I of the DSEA. The graphic containing the proposed route changes and airspace modifications is not being published in today's Federal Register due to the detail on the charts. Again these proposed actions represent concepts presently under consideration by the FAA and DOI.

Issued in Washington, DC on July 2, 1999. William J. Marx, Manager, Environmental Programs Division, Office of Air Traffic Airspace Management.

[FR Doc. 99-17342Filed7-6-99; 12:06 pm]

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