But that approach has led to criticisms that the NPS and the Federal Aviation Administration, which were told by Congress in 2000 to develop the plans, are bypassing the NEPA requirements and simply grandfathering in existing numbers of allowed flights.
“… NPS and FAA took the [overflight] average for the past three years and adopted it as their plan. There were no noise surveys or studies, no NEPA compliance or serious consideration of alternatives,” Jeff Ruch, Pacific director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, told the Traveler in an email when Bryce Canyon released its plan.