Congressional Updates
U.S. Congressman Jon C. Porter
Support of the Heliport at Sloan Canyon
“Our thriving tourism industry in Southern Nevada depends upon many of the services that air tour operators provide, which attract many visitors domestically and abroad. This legislation will protect those businesses while at the same time protecting our precious environment and quality of life enjoyed by our residents.
“Because of the growing demands of passenger air traffic at McCarran International Airport, it is vital that our tour operators have a modern facility with adequate air space and passenger amenities to conduct their business. HR 4285 meets the needs of our air tour operators, tourist industry, air travel, and the environment.
“In addition to conveying the necessary public land, this legislation would establish a conservation fee and restrict the flight path of helicopter tours. Collected fees would be deposited into a special account to be used to protect the desert wildness and wildlife on public lands in Nevada. The bill would restrict helicopters to the southern portion of Sloan Canyon, away from Indian petroglyphs and clear of the McCullough Mountains where big horn sheep gather.
HR 4285 is a reasonable compromise that helps preserve the natural integrity of Sloan Canyon while alleviating many of the problems faced by air tour operators at McCarran airport.”
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