(1) IN GENERAL.—The advisory group shall be
composed of—
(A) a balanced group of—
(i) representatives of general aviation;
(ii) representatives of commercial air
tour operators;
(iii) representatives of environmental
concerns; and
(iv) representatives of Indian tribes;
(B) a representative of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration; and
(C) a representative of the National Park
Service.
(2) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The Administrator
(or the designee of the Administrator) and the Di-
rector (or the designee of the Director) shall serve
as ex-officio members.
(3) CHAIRPERSON.—The representative of the
Federal Aviation Administration and the representa-
tive of the National Park Service shall serve alter-
nating 1-year terms as chairman of the advisory
group, with the representative of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration serving initially until the end of
the calendar year following the year in which the ad-
visory group is first appointed.
(c) DUTIES.—The advisory group shall provide ad-
vice, information, and recommendations to the Adminis-
trator and the Director—
(1) on the implementation of this Act and the
amendments made by this Act;
(2) on commonly accepted quiet aircraft tech-
nology for use in commercial air tour operations over
national parks (including tribal lands), which will re-
ceive preferential treatment in a given air tour man-
agement plan;
(3) on other measures that might be taken to
accommodate the interests of visitors to national
parks; and
(4) at request of the Administrator and the Di-
rector, safety, environmental, and other issues re-
lated to commercial air tour operations over a na-
tional park (including tribal lands).
(d) COMPENSATION; SUPPORT; FACA.—
(1) COMPENSATION AND TRAVEL.—Members of
the advisory group who are not officers or employees
of the United States, while attending conferences or
meetings of the group or otherwise engaged in its
business, or while serving away from their homes or
regular places of business, may be allowed travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as
authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States
Code, for persons in the Government service em-
ployed intermittently.
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT.—The Federal
Aviation Administration and the National Park
Service shall jointly furnish to the advisory group
clerical and other assistance.
(3) NONAPPLICATION OF FACA.—Section 14 of
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
App.) does not apply to the advisory group.
SEC. 5. REPORTS.
(a) OVERFLIGHT FEE REPORT.—Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Ad-
ministrator shall transmit to Congress a report on the ef-
fects overflight fees are likely to have on the commercial
air tour operation industry. The report shall include, but
shall not be limited to—
(1) the viability of a tax credit for the commer-
cial air tour operators equal to the amount of any
overflight fees charged by the National Park Service;
and
(2) the financial effects proposed offsets are
likely to have on Federal Aviation Administration
budgets and appropriations.
(b) QUIET AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY REPORT.—Not
later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Administrator and the Director shall jointly
transmit a report to Congress on the effectiveness of this
Act in providing incentives for the development and use
of quiet aircraft technology.
SEC. 6. METHODOLOGIES USED TO ASSESS AIR TOUR
NOISE.
Any methodology adopted by a Federal agency to as-
sess air tour noise in any unit of the national park system
(including the Grand Canyon and Alaska) shall be based
on reasonable scientific methods.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration.
(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means
the Director of the National Park Service.
Passed the House of Representatives September 27,
1999.
Attest:
Clerk.