Meetings Begin on Haleakala Air Tour Management Plan

By Wendy Osher

Haleakala National Park. File Photo by Wendy Osher.

The first of three meetings takes place today to discuss an Air Tour Management Plan for commercial tours at Haleakala National Park. The purpose of the plan is to limit or prevent significant impacts that may be caused by air tours on natural and cultural resources, or to visitor experiences at the Park.

Today’s meeting, hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service, runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center Alexa Higashi Meeting Room. Additional meetings are planned at the Kula Community Center tomorrow, April 13, and at Helene Hall in Hana on Thursday, April 14. All meetings run from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service will share alternatives and seek public comment during the open house meetings.

The alternatives currently under review were developed by the FAA, NPS and Volpe Transportation Systems staff. Alternatives include determination of flight paths, number of total flights annually, time of day restrictions, and day of week restrictions. The public comment period runs through June 6, 2011.