It appears that seaplane enthusiasts, rallied by seaplane organizations and the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), have won the battle to block seaplane operations in New Mexico, which we reported on earlier this fall. The rules would have banned seaplane operations altogether in the state, the reasoning being to prevent water contamination and noise pollution.
Jason Baker, the founder of seaplaneforum.com, reported that the New Mexico State Parks Division will publish the amended rules on Jan. 1, 2013. Baker published a statement from the Parks Division, which stated that it “received hundreds of comments opposing the implementation of this rule. Based upon the comments received, and given that the Bureau of Reclamation and United States Army Corps of Engineers already have regulations addressing seaplanes and floatplanes, the Division did not adopt the proposed rule.”
