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The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have prepared a draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) for Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and Point Reyes National Seashore (Parks). The draft ATMP delineates acceptable levels of commercial air tours, including, but not limited to, frequency, duration, altitude, and routes, consistent with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000. Proposed ActionCommercial air tours are currently conducted over the parks. The proposed action is to implement an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) that would delineate acceptable levels of commercial air tours including, but not limited to, frequency, duration, altitude, and routes, consistent with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (Act). [The National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 was included as Title VIII of Public Law 106-181.] Congress developed the Act out of concern that noise from tour aircraft could harm national park resources and experiences for visitors. Background and PurposeThe Act, as amended, requires that all commercial air tour operators conducting or intending to conduct a commercial air tour operation over a unit of the National Park system apply to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for authority to undertake such activity. The Act further requires the FAA, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), to establish an ATMP or voluntary agreement for each park that did not have such a plan or agreement in place at the time the applications were made, unless a park has been otherwise exempted from this requirement. The Act applies to areas within and 1/2 mile outside of a park, and to elevations below 5,000 feet above ground level (AGL). The Act requires that an ATMP include incentives for the adoption of quiet aircraft technology and provide for the allocation of opportunities to conduct air tours when the ATMP limits the number of operations. An ATMP may prohibit commercial air tour operations (in whole or in part), and can establish conditions for the conduct of air tour operations (including routes, altitudes, time-of-day restrictions, restrictions for particular events, maximum numbers of flights, or other provisions). In establishing an ATMP, the Act requires the agencies to publish the proposed plan for notice and comment and hold at least one public meeting. The public meeting for this draft ATMP was held on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, (4:30–6 pm PT), and comments on this draft ATMP were accepted until November 15, 2021. Air tours at the parks have been ongoing since before the Act was enacted. The Act directed the FAA to grant interim operating authority (IOA) to operators that were already conducting tours at the parks when the Act became effective until a final ATMP is developed. An operator's IOA is based on the number of the operator reported it was conducting annually at the time the Act was passed. IOA does not set routes or operating conditions for an operator except to limit the number of air tours the operator is permitted to fly each year. Implementation of a final ATMP will replace IOA. Public ParticipationAir Tour Management Plan Virtual Public MeetingInterested parties were invited to join San Francisco Bay Area Parks, the NPS Environmental Quality Division, the NPS Night Skies and Natural Sounds Division, and the Federal Aviation Administration to learn and ask questions about the park's proposed Air Tour Management Plan during a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, from 4:30 to 6 pm (Pacific). The public meeting was live streamed and is available at https://youtu.be/vVlOC2ovidA. Comment PeriodPublic feedback on the draft ATMP was accepted through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/BayAreaATMP from October 15, 2021 through November 15, 2021. Public ScopingPlease see our Air Tour Management Plan for Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore - Public Scoping (2011) page for details on the public scoping comment period that ended on September 28, 2011. Additional Project Information
Background Information
News ReleasesPlease see our Air Tour Management Plan for Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore News Releases page for all news releases related to this plan. QuestionsIf you have additional questions regarding the Air Tour Management Plan for Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore, please contact Josh Winchell by email or by calling 415-926-9503. The Citizen's Guide to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a useful resource for those that are not familiar with NEPA or Council on Environmental Quality Regulations. This 37-page guide, published in December 2007 and revised in January 2021, describes the NEPA process and provides information on how citizens can get involved. |
Last updated: April 12, 2024