HELICOPTER-SUPPORTED COMMERCIAL RECREATION ACTIVITIES IN ALASKA Prepared for Alaska Quiet Rights Coalition Prepared by Nancy Welch Rodman, Welch & Associates and Robert Loeffler, Opus Consulting Funded by a grant from Alaska Conservation Foundation October 2006 Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation Activities in Alaska Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation Activities in Alaska TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary.................................................................................................................. ES-1 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................1-1 1.1. Purpose of this report...............................................................................................1-1 1.2. What is not covered by this report ...........................................................................1-1 2. Laws, Regulations and Policies..........................................................................................2-1 2.1. Legal Authority to Regulate.....................................................................................2-1 2.2. Strategies to Regulate Impacts.................................................................................2-5 2.3. Limitations on Authorities, Permit Terms, and Strategies.......................................2-7 2.4. Summary..................................................................................................................2-8 3. Types and Consumers of Helicopter-Supported Recreation Activities..............................3-1 3.1. Activities..................................................................................................................3-1 3.2. Consumers................................................................................................................3-2 4. Impact of Sound .................................................................................................................4-1 4.1. Measurement of Sound ............................................................................................4-1 4.2. Helicopter Sounds....................................................................................................4-4 4.3. Example Noise Control Ordinances.........................................................................4-6 4.4. The Usefulness (or lack thereof) of Sound Measurement .....................................4-10 4.5. Impacts...................................................................................................................4-12 5. Economic Benefits of Activities.........................................................................................5-1 5.1. Summer Heli-Tours.................................................................................................5-1 5.2. Winter Heli-Skiing...................................................................................................5-2 6. Area-Specific Helicopter-Supported Recreational Activities ............................................6-1 6.1. Denali-Talkeetna Area – Summer ...........................................................................6-2 6.2. Girdwood – Summer and Winter.............................................................................6-7 6.3. Haines – Summer and Winter................................................................................6-18 6.4. Homer-Kachemak Bay – Summer and Winter ......................................................6-25 6.5. Juneau – Summer...................................................................................................6-28 6.6. Petersburg – Summer.............................................................................................6-34 6.7. Seward – Summer..................................................................................................6-37 6.8. Skagway – Summer ...............................................................................................6-41 6.9. Valdez and Thompson Pass – Winter ....................................................................6-45 List of References Cited........................................................................................................... Ref-1 Helicopter Supported Commercial Opus Consulting and Welch & Associates Recreation Activities in Alaska October 2006 Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation Activities in Alaska Appendices Appendix A: Maps...................................................................................................................... A-1 Appendix B: Website Links of Interest ...................................................................................... B-1 Appendix C: Commercial Recreation Registrations 2004-2006 ................................................ C-1 Appendix D: State and Municipal Requirements ....................................................................... D-1 Appendix E: DNR Special Use Areas Regarding Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation Activities ................................................................................................................E-1 Appendix F: USFS 2001 Fee Schedule .......................................................................................F-1 Appendix G: List of References for Further Information........................................................... G-1 Appendix H: Federal Aviation Administration........................................................................... H-1 Appendix I: Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council Information..............................................I-1 Appendix J: Extract from Effects of Military Noise on Wildlife: A Literature Review ............ J-1 Helicopter Supported Commercial Opus Consulting and Welch & Associates Recreation Activities in Alaska October 2006 Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation Activities in Alaska List of Tables Table 0-1. Winter Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation .......................................... ES-3 Table 0-2. Summer Helicopter-Supported Commercial Recreation........................................ ES-4 Table 0-3. Human Stipulations Summary................................................................................ ES-8 Table 0-4. Wildlife Mitigation Stipulation Summary.............................................................. ES-9 Table 2-1. Land Ownership ........................................................................................................2-2 Table 2-2. Summary of Authority for Oversight ........................................................................2-9 Table 2-3. Summary of Oversight Methods to Minimize Impacts .............................................2-9 Table 4-1. Sound Levels and Relative Loudness of Typical Noise Sources Found in Indoor and Outdoor Environments.........................................................................................................4-3 Table 4-2. Municipality of Anchorage Noise Ordinance............................................................4-7 Table 4-3. Sacramento County Noise Ordinance .......................................................................4-7 Table 4-4. Oregon State Standards for Commercial Industrial Sources in Quiet Areas..............4-8 Table 4-5. DNR Noise Control Limits for True North Gold Mine Road Right-of-Way.............4-9 Table 4-6. FHWHA Roadway Noise Abatement Criteria ..........................................................4-9 Table 4-7. Community Reaction Matrix...................................................................................4-10 Table 5-1. Cruise-Related Revenues and Costs by Local Government, 1997.............................5-1 Table 5-2 List of Helicopter-Supported Recreation Providers ................................................5-5-3 Table 6-1. Denali State Park Heli-Tour Use Reports .................................................................6-4 Table 6-2. Chugach National Forest at Girdwood-Turnagain Pass Reported Use for Summer Activities............................................................................................................................6-10 Table 6-3. Chugach National Forest at Girdwood Reported Use by Chugach Powder Guides6-14 Table 6-4. State Land (DMLW) at Girdwood Reported Use by Chugach Powder Guides......6-14 Table 6-5. Kachemak State Park Reported Use........................................................................6-26 Table 6-6. Juneau Icefield Zone Authorizations (2004) ...........................................................6-29 Table 6-7. Juneau Icefield Heli-Tours Reported Use ...............................................................6-31 Table 6-8. Chugach National Forest .........................................................................................6-39 Table 6-9. Skagway Area Authorized Landings 1996-1999 ....................................................6-42 Table 6-10. Skagway Glacier Heli-Tours Reported Use ..........................................................6-43 Table 6-11. Valdez-Thompson Pass Area Authorized Operating Seasons...............................6-47 Table 6-12 . Valdez Area Reported Use on Federal Land Managed by USFS ........................6-48 Table 6-13. Valdez Area Authorized Use on Federal Land Managed by BLM.......................6-48 Table 6-14. State DMLW Use Fees for Valdez/Thompson Pass Permits .................................6-49 List of Maps Map 0-1 Winter Helicopter Recreation Activities