Proposed Revocation of Colored Federal Airways Blue 7 (B-7) and Green 9 (G-9); Bethel, AK
| Court | Federal Aviation Administration |
| Citation | 87 FR 13663 |
| Record Number | 2022-05036 |
| Published date | 10 March 2022 |
Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13663-13665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05036]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2022-0186; Airspace Docket No. 22-AAL-6]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Revocation of Colored Federal Airways Blue 7 (B-7) and
Green 9 (G-9); Bethel, AK
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to revoke Colored Federal airways Blue 7
(B-7) and Green 9 (G-9) in the vicinity of Bethel, AK due to the
pending decommissioning of the Oscarville, AK, (OSE) Non-directional
Beacon (NDB).
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 25, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone:
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No.
FAA-2022-0186; Airspace Docket No. 22-AAL-6 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points,
and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the
Rules and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is also available for inspection at the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on
the availability of FAA Order JO 7400.11F at NARA, email:
[email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher McMullin, Rules and
Regulations Group, Office of Policy, Federal Aviation Administration,
800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority for This Rulemaking
The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is
found in Title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, Section 106
describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII,
Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the
[[Page 13664]]
agency's authority. This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority
described in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that
section, the FAA is charged with prescribing regulations to assign the
use of the airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the
efficient use of airspace. This regulation is within the scope of that
authority as it would modify the route structure as necessary to
preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National
Airspace System (NAS).
Comments Invited
Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed
rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they
may desire. Comments that provide the factual basis supporting the
views and suggestions presented are particularly helpful in developing
reasoned regulatory decisions on the proposal. Comments are
specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic,
environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal.
Communications should identify both docket numbers (FAA Docket No.
FAA-2022-0186; Airspace Docket No. 22-AAL-6) and be submitted in
triplicate to the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES section for
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
on this action must submit with those comments a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to FAA Docket No. FAA-2022-0186; Airspace Docket No. 22-AAL-6.'' The
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
All communications received on or before the specified comment
closing date will be considered before taking action on the proposed
rule. The proposal contained in this action may be changed in light of
comments received. All comments submitted will be available for
examination in the public docket both before and after the comment
closing date. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with
FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the
docket.
Availability of NPRM
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.
You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any
comments received and any final disposition in person in the Dockets
Office (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number) between
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. An informal docket may also be examined during normal
business hours at the office of the Operations Support Group, Western
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th St.,
Des Moines, WA 98198.
Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference
This document proposes to amend FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 2021, and effective
September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is publicly available as
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11F
lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service
routes, and reporting points.
Background
The aviation industry/users have indicated a desire for the FAA to
transition the Alaskan en route navigation structure away from the
dependency on NDBs. The advances in technology have allowed for
alternate navigation methods to support decommissioning of high cost
ground navigation equipment. The FAA has included OSE on their schedule
to be decommissioned. A non-rulemaking study was conducted in
accordance with FAA Order JO 7400.2, Procedures for Handling Airspace
Matters. As a result, the FAA received no objections to its removal.
Colored Federal airways B-7 and G-9 are dependent on OSE and will
result in the airways being unusable once decommissioning occurs.
Therefore, the FAA is proposing to revoke B-7 and G-9. The proposed
revocation of B-7 can be mitigated currently by utilizing VHF
Omnidirectional Radar (VOR) Federal airways V-462 and V-350 and in the
future the FAA will propose a United States Area Navigation (RNAV)
route to overlay the current B-7. The proposed revocation of G-9 is
mitigated by VOR Federal airway V-319 and RNAV route T-269 that
currently overlay the route.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to revoke
Colored Federal airways B-7 and G-9 in the vicinity of Bethel, AK due
to the decommissioning of OSE.
B-7: B-7 currently navigates between the Cape Newenham, AK, NDB and
OSE. The FAA proposes to revoke the route in its entirety.
G-9: G-9 currently navigates between OSE and the Cairn Mountain,
AK, NDB. The FAA proposes to revoke the route in its entirety.
Colored Federal airways are published in paragraph 6009(a) and
6009(d) of FAA Order JO 7400.11F dated August 10, 2021 and effective
September 15, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1.
The Colored Federal airways listed in this document would be published
subsequently in FAA Order JO 7400.11.
FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points,
is published yearly and effective on September 15.
Regulatory Notices and Analyses
The FAA has determined that this proposed regulation only involves
an established body of technical regulations for which frequent and
routine amendments are necessary to keep them operationally current.
It, therefore: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under
Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulatory Policies and Procedures
(44 FR 11034; February 26, 1979); and (3) does not warrant preparation
of a regulatory evaluation as the anticipated impact is so minimal.
Since this is a routine matter that will only affect air traffic
procedures and air navigation, it is certified that this proposed rule,
when promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act.
Environmental Review
This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies
and Procedures'' prior to any FAA final regulatory action.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71
Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).
The Proposed Amendment
In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation
Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 as follows:
[[Page 13665]]
PART 71--DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR
TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS
0
1. The authority citation for 14 CFR part 71 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O.
10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.
Sec. 71.1 [Amended]
0
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order JO
7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10,
2021, and effective September 15, 2021, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6009(a) Colored Federal Airways
* * * * *
G-9 [Remove]
* * * * *
Paragraph 6009(d) Colored Federal Airways
* * * * *
B-7 [Remove]
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 3, 2022.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-05036 Filed 3-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
