President Clinton yesterday announced tighter limits on sightseeing flights over Grand Canyon National Park, an effort to restore “natural quiet” to one of the nation’s busiest national parks. The new rules will cap the number of flights at 90,000 a year and make 75 percent of the park off-limits to planes and helicopters, up from 45 percent now. Enviros said the new rules are a step in the right direction but don’t go far enough. Yesterday’s announcement is the latest step in the government’s effort to cut down on the noise and pollution from vehicles and airplanes in national parks. Earlier this month, the National Park Service proposed banning snowmobiles from Yellowstone, curtailing car traffic in Yosemite, and restricting jet skis in many parks and recreation areas.
