2020-19496. Proposed Amendment of Federal Airway V-456  

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    AGENCY:

    Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

    ACTION:

    Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

    SUMMARY:

    This action proposes to amend Alaskan Federal Airway V-456 due to the pending decommissioning of the Glenallen Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) in east central Alaska, and the cancellation of Federal Colored Airway Green 11 (G-11) under Regional Docket Number 20-AAL-4.

    DATES:

    Comments must be received on or before October 19, 2020.

    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: 1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2020-0651; Airspace Docket No. 18-AAL-13 at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

    FAA Order 7400.11D, 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. The Order is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of FAA Order 7400.11D at NARA, email: fedreg.legal@nara.gov or go to https://www.archives.gov/​federal-register/​cfr/​ibr-locations.html.

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    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.

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    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 would modify the route structure as necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National Airspace System.

    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-2020-0651; Airspace Docket No. 18-AAL-13) 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-2020-0651; Airspace Docket No. 18-AAL-13.” 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 Start Printed Page 55201with this rulemaking will be filed in the docket.

    Availability of NPRMs

    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 Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 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 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019. FAA Order 7400.11D is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11D lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points.

    Background

    The upcoming decommissioning of the Glennallen NDB requires the removal of Federal Colored Airway G-11. Prior to this NPRM, the FAA published another NPRM for Docket Number 20-AAL-4 in the Federal Register (85 FR 35818; June 12, 2020) proposing to remove two Colored Federal airways, A-7 and G-11, and amending one Colored Federal airway, A-1 in Alaska. The removal of G-11 eliminates the ability of pilots to take advantage of the lower terrain ground track between the Northway (ORT) and the Gulkana (GKN). Currently, V-456 has a Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) of 11,000' MSL between ORT and GKN. This action would amend V-456 and ensure pilots have the advantage of the lower MEA of 10,000'. The proposal allows for V-456 to overlay G-11, which traverses between Nebesna NDB and Glennallen NDB.

    The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to Alaskan Federal airway V-456. The proposed Alaskan Federal airway action is described below.

    V-456: V-456 currently extends from Cold Bay, AK to Northway, AK. The proposed route will be amended from Gulkana, AK; INT Gulkana 048° (T) 043° (M) and Northway 253° (T) 247° (M); Northway, AK. The unaffected portions of the existing route would remain as charted.

    Alaskan VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010 (b) of FAA Order 7400.11D dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR part 71.1. The Alaskan VOR Federal Airway listed in this document will be subsequently published in the Order.

    FAA Order 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.

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    List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    • Airspace
    • Incorporation by reference
    • Navigation (air)
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    The Proposed Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 as follows:

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

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    1. The authority citation for part 71 continues to read as follows:

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    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.

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    [Amended]
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    2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019 and effective September 15, 2019, is amended as follows:

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    Paragraph 6010(b) Alaskan VOR Federal Airways.

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    V-456 [Amended]

    From Cold Bay, AK; King Salmon, AK; Kenai, AK; Anchorage, AK; Big Lake, AK; Gulkana, AK; INT Gulkana 048° (T) 043° (M) and Northway 253° (T) 247° (M) radials; to Northway, AK.

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    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 27, 2020.

    Scott M. Rosenbloom,

    Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.

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    [FR Doc. 2020-19496 Filed 9-3-20; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

Document Information

Published:
09/04/2020
Department:
Federal Aviation Administration
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
Document Number:
2020-19496
Dates:
Comments must be received on or before October 19, 2020.
Pages:
55200-55201 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. FAA-2020-0651, Airspace Docket No. 18-AAL-13
RINs:
2120-AA66: Airspace Actions
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2120-AA66/airspace-actions
Topics:
Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air)
PDF File:
2020-19496.pdf
Supporting Documents:
» Airspace Designations and Reporting Points: Alaska
» Amendment of Federal Airway V-456
CFR: (1)
14 CFR 71.1