2015-22876. Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes; Northeast United States

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

This action proposes to modify jet routes J-6, J-97, and J-222, and VOR Federal airways V-196, and V-489, in the northeastern United States due to the planned decommissioning of the Plattsburgh, NY, VORTAC facility.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before October 29, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; telephone: [phone]. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2015-3361 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AEA-4 at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

FAA Order 7400.9Y, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/​air_​traffic/​publications/​. For further information, you can contact the Airspace Policy and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20591; telephone: [phone]. The Order is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/​federal_​register/​code_​of_​federal-regulations/​ibr_​locations.html.

FAA Order 7400.9, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul Gallant, Airspace Policy and Regulations Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: [phone].

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 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 modifies the air traffic service route structure in the northeast United States to maintain the efficient flow of air traffic.

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-2015-3361 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AEA-4) 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 http://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-2015-3361 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AEA-4.” 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 NPRMs

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

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 Eastern Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, Room 210, 1701 Columbia Ave., College Park, GA, 30337.

Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future NPRMs should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, [phone], for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application procedure.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.9Y, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2014, and effective September 15, 2014. FAA Order 7400.9Y is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this proposed rule. FAA Order 7400.9Y lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points.

The Proposal

The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify the descriptions of jet routes J-6, J-97 and J-222; and VOR Federal airways V-196 and V-489, due to the planned decommissioning of the Plattsburgh, NY, VORTAC. The proposed route changes are outlined below.

J6 Jet route J-6 extends from Salinas, CA, across the United States to Albany, NY, then terminates at Plattsburgh, NY. The FAA proposes to terminate the route at Albany, eliminating the segment between Albany and Plattsburgh.

J-97 Jet route J-97 extends between the SLATN fix and Plattsburgh, NY. The FAA proposes to terminate the route at Boston, MA, eliminating the segment between Boston and Plattsburgh.

J-222 Jet route J-222 extends between Robbinsville, NJ, and Plattsburgh, NY. The FAA proposes to terminate the route at Cambridge, NY, eliminating the segment between Cambridge and Plattsburgh.

V-196 VOR Federal airway V-196 extends from Utica, NY, to Saranac Lake, NY to Plattsburgh, NY. The FAA proposes to terminate the route at the intersection of the Saranac Lake, NY 058°(T) and the Burlington, VT 296°(T) radials, eliminating the segment between that intersection and Plattsburgh.

V-489 VOR Federal airway V-489 extends between the intersection of the Sparta, NJ 300°(T) and the Huguenot, NY 196°(T) radials and Plattsburgh, NY. The FAA proposes to terminate the route at Glens Falls, NY, eliminating the segment between Glens Falls and Plattsburgh.

Except for VOR Federal airway V-196, all radials in the route descriptions below are stated in True degrees. Both True and Magnetic degrees are used to describe the intersecting radials in V-196 since this intersection would be added to the airway description.

Jet routes are published in paragraph 2004, and VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a), respectively, of FAA Order 7400.9Y dated August 6, 2014, and effective September 15, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The jet routes and VOR Federal airways listed in this document would be subsequently published in the Order.

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. Therefore, this proposed regulation: (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 1050.1E, “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:

PART 71—DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS

1. The authority citation for 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.

§ 71.1

[Amended]

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.9Y, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2014 and effective September 15, 2014, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 2004 Jet Routes

* * * * *

J-6 [Amended]

From Salinas, CA, via INT Salinas 145° and Avenal, CA, 292° radials; Avenal; INT Avenal 119° and Palmdale, CA, 310° radials; Palmdale; Hector, CA; Needles, CA; Drake, AZ; Zuni, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Tucumcari, NM; Panhandle, TX; Will Rogers, OK; Little Rock, AR; Bowling Green, KY; Charleston, WV; INT Charleston 076° and Martinsburg, WV, 243° radials; Martinsburg; Lancaster, PA; Broadway, NJ; Sparta, NJ; to Albany, NY.

J-97 [Amended]

From lat. 39°07′00″ N., long. 67°00′00″ W. via Nantucket, MA; to Boston, MA.

J-222 [Amended]

From Robbinsville, NJ; INT Robbinsville 039° and Kennedy, NY, 253° radials; Kennedy; INT Kennedy 022° and Cambridge, NY, 179° radials; to Cambridge.

* * * * *

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways

V-196 [Amended]

From Utica, NY, Saranac Lake, NY; to INT Saranac Lake 058°(T)/072°(M) and Burlington, VT 296°(T)311°(M) radials.

V-489 [Amended]

From INT Sparta, NJ, 300° and Huguenot, NY, 196° radials; Huguenot; INT Huguenot 008° and Albany, NY, 209° radials; Albany; to Glens Falls, NY.

Issued in Washington, DC, on September 3, 2015.

Gary A. Norek,

Manager, Airspace Policy and Regulations Group.