Membership in the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group
| Published date | 17 April 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 21499 |
| Record Number | 2020-08176 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Federal Aviation Administration,Transportation Department |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 75 (Friday, April 17, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 75 (Friday, April 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 21499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08176]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Membership in the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Solicitation of applications.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National
Park Service (NPS) invite interested persons to apply to fill three
current and three upcoming vacancies on the National Parks Overflights
Advisory Group (NPOAG). This notice invites interested persons to apply
to fill the openings. The current openings include two representatives
of commercial air tour operators and one representative of Native
American tribes. The three upcoming openings represent environmental
concerns.
DATES: Persons interested in these membership openings will need to
apply by May 15, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Lusk, Special Programs Staff,
Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region Headquarters,
777 S. Aviation Boulevard, Suite 150, El Segundo, CA 90245, telephone:
(424) 405-7017, 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, and subsequently
amended in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. The Act
required the establishment of the advisory group within one year after
its enactment. The NPOAG was established in March 2001. The advisory
group is comprised of representatives of general aviation, commercial
air tour operators, 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.
In accordance with the Act, 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.''
Membership
The current NPOAG 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 tribes. Members serve three year terms.
Current members of the NPOAG are as follows:
Melissa Rudinger representing general aviation; Eric Lincoln
representing commercial air tour operators, with two current openings;
Robert Randall, Dick Hingson, Les Blomberg, and John Eastman
representing environmental interests; and Carl Slater representing
Native American tribes, with one current opening. The three-year terms
of Mr. Hingson, Mr. Blomberg, and Mr. Eastman expire on September 2,
2020.
Selections
In order to retain balance within the NPOAG, the FAA and NPS are
seeking candidates interested in filling the two vacant seats
representing commercial air tour operators and the vacant seat
representing Native American tribes as well as the three upcoming
vacancies representing environmental concerns. The FAA and NPS invite
persons interested in these openings on the NPOAG to contact Mr. Keith
Lusk (contact information is written above in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT). Requests to serve on the NPOAG must be made to Mr. Lusk in
writing and postmarked or emailed on or before May 15, 2020. Any
request to fill one of these seats must describe the requestor's
affiliation with commercial air tour operators, environmental concerns,
or federally-recognized Native American tribes, as appropriate. The
request should also explain what expertise the requestor would bring to
the NPOAG as related to issues and concerns with aircraft flights over
national parks or tribal lands. The term of service for NPOAG members
is 3 years. Members may re-apply for another term.
On August 13, 2014, the Office of Management and Budget issued
revised guidance regarding the prohibition against appointing or not
reappointing federally registered lobbyists to serve on advisory
committees (79 Federal Register 47482).
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 El Segundo, CA on April 6, 2020.
Keith Lusk,
Program Manager, Special Programs Staff,Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2020-08176 Filed 4-16-20; 8:45 am]
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