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Lawsuit Threat to Try to Stop Helicopters
Oregon Wild's Tim Lillebo explains why helcopter tours are not compatible with the Crater Lake wilderness experience.
Oregon Wild, a nonprofit conservation group with an office in Bend is threatening a lawsuit to stop a proposal by Bend based Leading Edge Aviation to fly helicopter tours over Crater Lake.
"We are more than prepared to take any kind of legal action to try and stop these kinds of activities," said Tim Lillebo from Oregon Wild.
KOHD News obtained a letter Oregon Wild sent to the National Park Service. The organization says the tours would violate the National Transportation Act and approval should meet requirements set in the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
"There's a legal process setup that requires both the National Park Services and the FAA to evaluate the proposal," said Travis Warthen, the Vice President of Leading Edge Aviation. He wants the process to play out on the fact. When he heard of Oregon Wild's letter, he called to ask about there concerns.
"What if you backpacked three, four, five miles and all of the sudden here's a big old helicopter, womp, womp, womp," said Lillebo.
Warthen says that won't happen. The helicopters fly a minimum of a thousand feet above the park. The noise making it to the ground, he says, will be about as loud as a conversation. And the park service will get a benefit.
"The park service get a percentage of the gross revenue that is generated while we are inside the park boundaries," said Warthen.
On the streets of Bend, opinions continue to be split.
"Great idea. Able to see the area, the scenic route, so, it'd be great," said Jesse Villareal of Bend.
"I don't think it's a very good idea because the noise of a helicopter really are a disturbance," said Kathy Riley of Bend.