Senate Resolution No. 11

Senate Resolution No. 11-Senators Rhoads, Regan, Adler, Augustine, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, O'Connell, O'Donnell, Porter, Raggio, Rawson, Schneider, Shaffer, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

July 3, 1997
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Read and adopted

SUMMARY--Commends Grand Canyon Air Tour Council of Nevada. (BDR R-1526)

EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.

SENATE RESOLUTION--Commending the Grand Canyon Air Tour Council of Nevada.

Whereas, Air touring has been a tradition at the Grand Canyon for over 70 years; and
Whereas, The Nevada portion of the Grand Canyon air tour industry employs over 1,200 persons, with an annual economic impact of approximately $250 million to the State of Nevada; and
Whereas, Approximately 800,000 persons from all over the world enjoyed air tours of the Grand Canyon in 1996, of which 30 percent, or 240,000 persons, were 50 years of age or older; and
Whereas, The air tour industry provides access to the Grand Canyon backcountry and many of its most spectacular sights and without air tours only a small minority of visitors who have the time and physical ability to hike the area would be afforded access to many of these magnificent sights; and
Whereas, Air tours have an additional advantage over several other forms of travel in the Grand Canyon in that there is no permanent impact on the fragile environment of the Grand Canyon; and
Whereas, In 1987, Congress passed legislation, which has been successful, to reduce noise caused by air tours at the Grand Canyon and in 1988 a special Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulation made 86 percent of the park flight free; and
Whereas, In addition to the further reduction of noise to ground visitors in the park, newly proposed FAA regulations would impose curfews and limitations on air tours and place additional areas of the park off limits to air tours which could have a dramatic effect on the survival of this important industry; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada hereby commends the Grand Canyon Air Tour Council of Nevada for its resolute course of action in opposition to efforts to eliminate or further restrict air tour flights over the Grand Canyon; and be it further
Resolved, That the Nevada Air Tour operators are recognized for their important economic contribution to Nevada's tourism industry and the economy of Southern Nevada; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to Bob McCune, Executive Director of the Grand Canyon Air Tour Council.