Laws & Policies

“Silence is something more than just a pause; it is that enchanted place where space is cleared and time is stayed and the horizon itself expands.”
From “The Eloquent Sounds of Silence” (Preamble to the Report to Congress on Effects of Overflights on the National Park System)

Protection and management of park soundscapes are guided by several important laws and regulations. These laws and regulations form the foundation of Natural Sounds Program.

Organic Act
The Organic Act establishes and authorizes the National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the national and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

Redwoods Act of 1978
The Redwoods Act of 1978, affirms and clarifies the NPS mission and authority. It states: "The authorization of activities shall be construed, and the protection, management and administration of these areas shall be conducted in light of the high public value and integrity of the National Park system and shall not be exercised in derogation of the values and purposes for which these various areas have been established."

Management policies
NPS Management Policies are an indispensable tool to help NPS employees manage parks responsibly and make rational, well-informed decisions. Concerned citizens may also refer to these policies to better understand how the Service will meet its park management responsibilities under the 1916 NPS Organic Act. Section 4.9 addresses the NPS commitment to protect natural soundscapes.

National Parks Overflights Act
In 1987, Congress enacted Public Law 100-91, commonly known as the National Parks Overflights Act. The Act mandated a number of studies related to the effects of overflights on parks and directed the National Park Service to report to Congress its results. In July, 1995, NPS Published Report to Congress on Effects of Aircraft Overflights on the National Park System.

National Park Air Tour Management Act (NPATMA)
The National Park Air Tour Management Act was signed into law on April 5, 2000. The Act requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), to develop an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) for each unit of the National Park System to provide acceptable and effective measures to mitigate or prevent the significant adverse impacts, if any, of commercial air tour operations upon natural and cultural resources and visitor experiences. The plans must also cover tribal lands that are within or abutting a unit of the National Park System, or any area within ½ mile outside of a park.

NPATMA Implementing Regulations
This rule finalizes a 5,000-ft. above ground level (AGL) altitude that completes the definition of "commercial air tour operation" as required by the Act.