EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Whereas, Tourism is the mainstay of the Nevada economy; and

1-2 Whereas, The air tour industry is an exciting and strong attraction for

1-3 visitors to Southern Nevada; and

1-4 Whereas, Air tours over the Grand Canyon have been a tourism

1-5 tradition for more than 70 years and this industry has maintained a strong

1-6 safety record; and

1-7 Whereas, Approximately 800,000 visitors from around the world

1-8 enjoyed air tours of the Grand Canyon in 1996 and 500,000 of those

1-9 visitors originated their flights in Southern Nevada; and

1-10 Whereas, Air tours are the only way that persons who have certain

1-11 physical disabilities can experience the grandeur of the Grand Canyon; and

1-12 Whereas, In 1996, a study conducted by the University of Nevada, Las

1-13 Vegas, estimated that air tourism to the Grand Canyon using Southern

1-14 Nevada air tour operators contributed more than $374.8 million to the

1-15 Southern Nevada economy; and

1-16 Whereas, The study concluded that the Las Vegas Convention and

1-17 Visitors Authority generates air tour industry expenditures of $49.8 million

1-18 each year; and

1-19 Whereas, The study determined that more than 142,000 foreign

1-20 visitors, which constitutes 32.4 percent of all foreign visitors, and more

1-21 than 9,000 visitors from the United States, which constitutes 23.7 percent

2-1 of all visitors from within the United States, would forego visits to

2-2 Southern Nevada if the Grand Canyon air tours were unavailable; and

2-3 Whereas, Recent economic downturns in Asia have adversely impacted

2-4 tourism in Southern Nevada; and

2-5 Whereas, The air tour industry provides visual access to back country

2-6 of the Grand Canyon including many of its most spectacular sights, and

2-7 without air tours, only a small minority of visitors who have the time and

2-8 physical ability to hike in the canyon would be afforded the opportunity to

2-9 appreciate these magnificent sights; and

2-10 Whereas, Air tours do not cause a permanent negative impact on the

2-11 fragile environment of the Grand Canyon as do some other activities; and

2-12 Whereas, In 1988, Special Federal Aviation Regulation 50-2 was

2-13 enacted establishing routes, altitudes and reporting requirements and as a

2-14 result of this legislation, noise complaints have been dramatically reduced

2-15 and there has been a substantial restoration of natural quiet to the Grand

2-16 Canyon; and

2-17 Whereas, Since the enactment of the requirements of this regulation,

2-18 92 percent of visitors to the park have reported that they were not adversely

2-19 affected by aircraft sounds, and visitors to the back country have reported

2-20 seeing or hearing only one or two aircraft a day; and

2-21 Whereas, The United States Forest Service concluded in 1992 that

2-22 there were "few adverse impacts to wilderness users" from aircraft tours

2-23 and that the flights did not impair the overall enjoyment of the wilderness

2-24 or reduce the likelihood of repeat visits; and

2-25 Whereas, A hearing held on September 2, 1998, by the House National

2-26 Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee disclosed that the National Park

2-27 Service noise analysis failed to undergo scientific modeling or peer review;

2-28 and

2-29 Whereas, The National Park Service disclosed on February 2, 1999, its

2-30 intention to redefine the threshold for substantial restoration of natural quiet

2-31 in the air tour air space of Grand Canyon National Park at a noticeability

2-32 level of 8 decibels below natural ambient air sound; and

2-33 Whereas, Air tour operators and acoustical experts conclude that this

2-34 higher threshold proposed by the National Park Service would virtually

2-35 shut down air tours in the east end air space of the Grand Canyon National

2-36 Park; and

2-37 Whereas, The Federal Aviation Administration now proposes to

2-38 conduct an environmental assessment of air routes from Las Vegas to the

2-39 Grand Canyon based solely on sound that could lead to further restriction

2-40 or capping of flights; and

2-41 Whereas, The Nevada Congressional Delegation, the Nevada

2-42 Commission on Tourism, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

2-43 and McCarran International Airport repeatedly have supported maintaining

3-1 a viable Southern Nevada air tour industry and continued air access to and

3-2 from Las Vegas; now, therefore, be it

3-3 Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada,

3-4 Jointly, That the Nevada Legislature expresses its concern regarding any

3-5 proposal to redefine the space in which aircraft may be flown over the

3-6 Grand Canyon and urges the Congress of the United States to effect an

3-7 outcome for the Southern Nevada air tour industry that will protect, support

3-8 and sustain the viability of this significant contributor to the tourism

3-9 economy of the State of Nevada and the enjoyment of visitors and

3-10 sightseers; and be it further

3-11 Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

3-12 of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as presiding

3-13 officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each

3-14 member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation, the Grand Canyon Air

3-15 Tour Council and the United States Air Tour Association; and be it further

3-16 Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and

3-17 approval.