National Parks and Air Traffic Essay -- Nature Court Grand Canyon Essa

issue Parks and Air Traffic I. Introduction rattling(a) canon National Parks attracted 4.5 million visitors in 1999. Of these 4.5 million visitors, just about 40% were not Americans - Germans, French, and Japanese led the way. Grand Canyon National Park brings in millions of tourist dollars per year to the region. One of the most normal ways to see the Canyon besides simply driving to the southernmost Rim and spending the day is by get offplane or helicopter. astir(predicate) 800,000 people per year fly over the Canyon. In the peak summertime periods, there argon over 1,000 flights every day. 31 air companies run out of five states (Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, and Colorado) operate tours over the Grand Canyon. In 1995, the ingrained air tour revenue was approximately $115.9 million. An average 30-minute helicopter flights be $100 per person. The air tour companies argue that they provide a require service to older and handicap people and children, who would otherwi se be unable to experience the Canyon. They as well as say that their use of the Canyon is environmentally-friendly by not contributing to the air pollution, road congestion, vehicle trade, garbage and crowded vistas that are common every day during the peak summer periods on the conspiracy Rim. Opponents to overflights state that the noise intrusion from the constant buzz of air traffic is intolerable for those hikers, campers, and visitors on the ground, trying to enjoy the natural quiet of the Canyon. They also state that because of the sheer volume of air traffic, this form of sight-seeing has become unacceptably dangerous, citing numerous fatal air accidents.II. Background Shortly after airplanes began flying, air tour companies started on the South Rim and in Nevada in the... ...l, Edwin. noisy About Flights oer the Grand Canyon. New York Times 20 October 1996.Murphy, Jamie. A Bunch of Little Gnats A droning echo of tourist flights finished the Grand Canyon. Time 28 Apr il 1986 60. National Parks Overflights Act of 1987 100, 16 U.S.C. 1a-1 (1987).OBrien, Bob. Our National Parks and the Search for Sustainability. Austin, Texas University of Texas Press, 1999.Oversight of Grand Canyon Overflights, 1992 Hearing before the Subcommittee on Aviation of the Senate mission on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 10second Congress, 2nd Session (1992).S. 268, The National parks Overflights Act of 1997, 1997 Hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 105th Congress, 1st Session (1997).U.S. Government Announces Limits on Flights Over Grand Canyon. Arizona Republic 29 March 2000.