The National Park Service (NPS) has revealed some new rules that will soon put limitations on commercial plane and helicopter tours that fly over national parks and monuments, which are intended to reduce adverse impacts of these protected places.
New air tour management plans (ATMPs) are being introduced at almost two dozen national parks and monuments. But, perhaps the most severe restrictions are being put in place at Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park in South Dakota, where all air tours will be required to remain at least one-half mile from the park boundary or fly at an altitude of at least 5,000 feet when above the park.
Developed in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the new ATMPs represent the culmination of a conflict between tour operators, who rely on being able to access airspace above the protected lands for their livelihoods, against park visitors, First Nations and other who complain about the noise that spoils the serenity of the sites.
“These measures are designed to protect the park's natural and cultural resources, Tribal sacred sites and ceremonial areas, and visitor experience,” the NPS said in its announcement.
It said that the new ATMP at Badlands National Park, “was developed in cooperation with stakeholders representing a variety of interests, including Tribal Nations, other land management agencies, the public, and recreation groups. The plan addresses and responds to concerns identified during these consultations and through public comment.”
“I don’t know what we’re going to be able to salvage,” Mark Schlaefli, co-owner of Black Hills Aerial Adventures, told AP News. With the new regulations set to take effect in April 2024, he is currently searching for viable alternative routes to conduct his tours.
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