+--------------+-----------------------------------------+-------------+
| ![](media    | # U                                     | ![](media/  |
| /image1.png) | nited States Department of the Interior | image2.png) |
|              |                                         |             |
|              | ## NATIONAL PARK SERVICE                |             |
|              |                                         |             |
|              | ## BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK           |             |
|              |                                         |             |
|              | **Highway 63, #1 Park Road**            |             |
|              |                                         |             |
|              | **PO Box 640201**                       |             |
|              |                                         |             |
|              | ### Bryce Canyon, UT 84764-0201         |             |
+--------------+-----------------------------------------+-------------+

In Reply Refer to:

N-3615-Soundscapes

July 21, 2008

From: Eddie Lopez, Superintendent, Bryce Canyon National Park

To: Federal Aviation Administration

Subject: Notice of Interim Operating Authority Granted to Commercial Air
Tour Operators Over National Parks and Tribal Lands Within or Abutting
National Parks, Docket No. FAA-2008-0713

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has received a request to
accept 5 new entrant applications for overflights of national parks
including granting Interim Operating Authority (IOA) to Utah Air
Service, Kanab, UT, to overfly Bryce Canyon 120 times per year (two
trips per week). Bryce Canyon National Park requests that the FAA not
grant IOA to Utah Air Service for reasons outlined below.

According to the National Parks Air Tour Management Act:

3\) New entrant air tour operators. \-- \`\`(A) In general.\--The
Administrator, in cooperation

with the Director, may grant interim operating authority under this
paragraph to an air tour operator for a

national park or tribal lands for which that operator is a new entrant
air tour operator **if the Administrator determines the authority is
necessary to ensure competition in the provision of commercial air tour
operations over the park or tribal lands**. \`\`(B) Safety
limitation.\--The Administrator may not grant interim operating
authority under subparagraph (A) if the Administrator determines that it
would create a safety problem at the park or on the tribal lands, or
**the Director determines that it would create a noise problem at the
park or on the tribal lands.**

Currently there are 15 air tour operators with IOA over the park. Adding
a 16^th^ air tour operator is not necessary to ensure competition. We
are also concerned that adding 120 flights a year would contribute to
noise problems over the park.

Intrusive sounds are of concern to the National Park Service (NPS)
because they can impede the Service\'s ability to accomplish its
mission. Director's Order 47 delegates to parks the positive
responsibility to preserve natural soundscapes and eliminate or mitigate
inappropriate noise sources. Bryce Canyon has made substantial progress
in understanding our soundscape by collecting multiple years of sound
data, partnering with researchers on noise impact studies including
visitor perception of overflights, and working closely with the National
Park Service Soundscapes program to analyze data and provide management
guidance. During the summer of 2009, Bryce Canyon will assess noise
impacts of air tours at peregrine falcon eyries (nesting locations)
within the park. Preliminary sociological and environmental data
suggests that impacts to the natural soundscape effects visitor
experience and wildlife behavior in a negative manner. We are especially
concerned with apparent detrimental effects on nesting peregrine falcons
within the park. We plan to use information gathered over the past 15
years (incorporating the planned peregrine study in 2009) to develop a
Soundscape Management Plan for our park.

Bryce Canyon respects the right of air tour operators to expand their
services. However, the mandate of the NPS directs us to protect the
resources of the park, including natural soundscapes. Natural sounds are
inherent components of \"the scenery and the natural and historic
objects and the wild life\" protected by the NPS Organic Act. They are
vital to the natural functioning of Bryce Canyon and may provide
valuable indicators of the health of the natural ecosystems within the
park. Please help us to accomplish our mission of protecting the natural
soundscape by maintaining the current level of air tours with IOA. We
appreciate your consideration of our mandate as well as our concerns for
the current and future soundscape of Bryce Canyon.

Sincerely,

Eddie Lopez /s/

Superintendent

Bryce Canyon National Park