Haleakalā National Park public scoping period begins for Air Tour Management Plan

The National Park Service and the Federal Aviation Administration are seeking public input on potential alternatives to be considered for an air tour management plan for Haleakalā National Park.  

The agencies encourage anyone with an interest in or concern about air tours over Haleakalā National Park to review and comment on the range of potential alternatives to be evaluated in an upcoming environmental assessment for the park’s ATMP.

The range of potential alternatives includes no air tours over the park in the ATMP planning area, reducing the number of flights, limiting flight routes over sensitive areas, and prohibiting flights on specific days of the week. On average, there are 4,824 flights over Haleakalā National Park per year.   

Public feedback can be submitted through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment website starting Feb. 28, 2022, through April 1, 2022. The NPS and FAA will consider the comments as they develop the draft ATMP. Once it is developed, public comment will also be sought on the draft ATMP.  

“If you have thoughts about how air tours should be managed in the park, please provide your input,” said Natalie Gates, Superintendent of Haleakalā National Park. “Haleakalā National Park staff have used input from prior to 2012 and data collected since then to create various alternatives for the current draft Air Tour Management Plan. When completed, the ATMP will allow the NPS and the FAA to manage air tours over the park to protect resources, wilderness, and the visitor experience.”  

The National Park Service will be completing an Environmental Assessment to fully analyze proposed project actions. Consultation with the Native Hawaiian community on properties of traditional, cultural, or religious significance that may be impacted is part of the ATMP process.  

Haleakalā National Park is one of 24 national parks developing air tour management plans in cooperation with the FAA. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island is also seeking public feedback on its range of alternatives. 

The 24 ATMP parks are:  

1. Arches National Park, Utah 
2. Badlands National Park, South Dakota 
3. Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico 
4. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah 
5. Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona 
6. Canyonlands National Park, Utah 
7. Death Valley National Park, California 
8. Everglades National Park, Florida 
9. Glacier National Park, Montana 
10. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; Arizona, Utah 
11. Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California 
12. Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Tennessee, North Carolina 
13. Haleakalā National Park, Hawai’i 
14. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Hawaiʻi 
15. Lake Mead National Recreation Area; Arizona, Nevada 
16. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington 
17. Muir Woods National Monument   
18. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota 
19. Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah 
20. National Parks of New York Harbor Management Unit; New York, New Jersey 
21. Olympic National Park, Washington 
22. Point Reyes National Seashore, California 
23. Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah 
24. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, California  

Comments can be submitted online at the following link. In addition to using the PEPC website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/HaleakalaATMP, comments can also be mailed to: Superintendent, Haleakalā National Park, PO Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768.

Comments will not be accepted by FAX, email, or in any manner other than the methods specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.

Note: Before including a personal address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in written comments, anyone providing written comment should be aware their entire comment – including their personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While anyone wishing to comment may ask the National Park Service in their comment to withhold their personal identifying information from public review, the National Park Service cannot guarantee it will be able to do so.