INTERIOR, South Dakota — The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are seeking public feedback on a draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) and associated environmental assessment that are being proposed for Badlands National Park.
The agencies encourage anyone with an interest in or concern about air tours over Badlands National Park to review and comment on the draft ATMP and environmental assessment. The proposed plan would not authorize any air tours above or within 0.5 mile of the boundary of Badlands National Park. There were on average 1,425 air tours per year over Badlands National Park reported from 2017 – 2019.
Public feedback can be submitted through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website starting May 16, 2023 through June 20, 2023. The NPS and FAA will consider comments to help inform the final ATMP for Badlands National Park. The project website is available at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/BadlandsATMP.
“We encourage anyone who is interested in air tours over the park to share their thoughts on the proposed plan for Badlands National Park,” said Eric Veach, the park’s Superintendent. “The draft plan is based on extensive environmental analysis and consultation with Tribes and other parties. Tribal consultation indicated that air tours directly over the park are not consistent with tribal values and traditional uses of the land by Tribes. The plan’s purpose is to ensure that park resource values, including natural sounds, wilderness character, visitor experiences, wildlife, and other natural and cultural resources, are protected for current and future generations.”
The NPS is developing an air tour management plan for Badlands National Park in cooperation with the FAA. The agencies are working towards completing the air tour management plan for Badlands National Park by December 31, 2023. The schedule is part of a plan approved by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for the agencies to comply with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000.
An important part of the process is the inclusion of American Indian Tribes. The agencies are consulting with Tribes that have tribal lands within or adjacent to Badlands National Park, and with Tribes that have historic and cultural significance to resources within the park.
Please visit this NPS site and this FAA site for more detailed information about air tour management plans. Links to meeting notifications, recordings, and slide decks (where applicable) will be posted to the NPS site.
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