(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi island residents will have a chance tomorrow morning to attend an online meeting about helicopter noise.

The Hawaii Air Noise and Safety Task Force, a group comprised of industry members and governmental representatives, has planned a Virtual Public Meeting focused on Hilo and Kona on Thursday, December 3. The meeting is set for 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. HST.

The virtual meeting is being held “to gather input and information from community members,” the task force website says, which added: 

Public input to the Task Force may be submitted in writing through the links below at any time before the meetings and through December 1, 2020. Community members may also register to provide public comments at the meeting(s) by clicking the links below. Public comments will be limited to two minutes per person in an effort to hear from as many community members as possible. Additional opportunities to provide virtual, in-person, and written opportunities will be made available. Please focus remarks on the geographic area of focus of each meeting.

Virtual meetings were held for the Oʻahu regions of Pearl City and Kailua in September, and another one was scheduled for Maui and Kauaʻi on Tuesday.

“The purpose of the meetings is for Task Force members to receive initial comments from community members which will be addressed through the Task Force,” the website says. “The Task Force was developed to address safety and noise issues related to rotor and fixed-wing aerial tours in the state of Hawaii. Community involvement, public outreach, and transparency will be prioritized in all recommendations from the task force to industry and regulators.”

HiCoP, the Hawaiʻi Island Coalition Malama Pono group that has been active on the issue of helicopter noise, shared an email reminding “all elected office holders of Hawaii Island” of the meeting, and the “opportunity to represent your tortured constituents that have their lives impacted daily by the totally unnecessary incessant tour copter noise nuisance pollution.”

Sentiment towards the helicopter tour industry in Hawaiʻi was on display during a passionate meeting in Hilo back in August of 2018.

In May of this year, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit directed the FAA and the 23 national parks – including Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park – to come up with a timetable for compliance with mandated Air Tour Management Plans within 120 days.