Sen. John McCain brokered a deal to allow sightseeing flights to continue over the Grand Canyon.

The Arizona Republican reached a bipartisan agreement with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), reports CQ’s Alan K. Ota.

The deal clears the way for the Park Service to limit to 65,000 a year the number of tour flights allowed to fly over the Grand Canyon, far fewer than the current 95,000 limit. It also would allow time restrictions on such flights, banning them in the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. It would permit expanding a “natural quiet” area beyond the reach of such commercial tour flights to cover about two-thirds of the park. Such flights are now restricted over about half the park.

In exchange, the Park Service agreed to phase in a requirement that tour groups use quieter aircraft over 15 years, instead of 10 years.

The deal is expected to be approved as an amendment to the highway bill being considered today.

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