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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 30 (Thursday, February 13, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8637-8639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03181]

========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 30 / Thursday, February 13, 2014 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 8637]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0960; Airspace Docket No. 13-AGL-17]
RIN 2120-AA66

Proposed Modification and Revocation of Air Traffic Service (ATS) 
Routes; Northcentral United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify three jet routes and four VOR 
Federal airways and to remove three jet routes in the northcentral 
United States. The FAA is proposing this action due to the scheduled 
decommissioning of the Peck, MI, VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR), which 
provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected routes. The 
Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) facility will remain in service. This 
action would promote the safety and efficient management of aircraft 
within the National Airspace System.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 31, 2014.

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: (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2013-
0960 and Airspace Docket No. 13-AGL-17 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy and 
Regulations Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 
telephone: (202) 267-8783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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-2013-0960 and Airspace Docket No. 13-AGL-17) 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-2013-0930 and Airspace Docket No. 13-AGL-17.'' 
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 Central Service Center, Operations 
Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX 76137.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRMs should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677, 
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Background

    The Peck, MI (ECK), VOR is being decommissioned due to signal 
interference impacts to the facility created by a power line project 
that is being constructed in the proximity of the ECK VOR; however, the 
collocated TACAN facility will remain in service. The power line 
project is a State of Michigan initiative to provide renewable energy 
to the State by 2015 with a plan to construct power line towers and 
route transmission lines within 1,400 feet of the ECK VOR facility. 
Modeling impacts of the proposed power line construction project on the 
ECK VOR determined that the project will cause bearing errors in excess 
of flight check tolerances at multiple azimuths around the facility, 
thereby compromising the integrity of the existing airways supported by 
the ECK VOR. A determination has been made to permanently decommission 
the facility due to the projected signal degradation from the planned 
power line nearby. Additionally, the ECK VOR is not on the list of VORs 
planned for retention in the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON). As 
a result, the ATS routes that utilize the ECK VOR must be amended.
    The affected routes are: jet route J-16, J-38, J-94, J-546, J-551, 
and J-553, and VOR Federal airways V-84, V-216, V-320, and V-337. With 
the decommissioning of the ECK VOR, ground-based navigation aid 
(NAVAID) coverage is insufficient to enable the continuity of all the 
airways. Therefore, the proposed modifications to jet routes J-16 and 
J-94, and VOR Federal airways V-84 and V-337 would result in a gap in 
the route structures. To overcome the gaps created in the route 
structures, air traffic control (ATC) would either provide radar 
vectoring or reroute affected aircraft using the remaining

[[Page 8638]]

route structure, as determined appropriate.
    This action also proposes to modify V-216 further by removing the 
route segment that is charted unusable from the Janesville, WI (JVL), 
VOR to the Muskegon, MI (MKG), VHF Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air 
Navigation (VORTAC) facility, as well as removing the route segment 
from MKG to the Saginaw, MI (MBS), VOR due to low usage and large 
portions of V-216 to the west and east being removed. The route segment 
from JVL to MKG has been unusable since 2009 as a result of the MKG 
radial supporting V-216 failing flight inspection and the FAA being 
unable to resolve the associated MKG VOR radial restrictions. The route 
segment from MKG to MBS is also proposed to be removed due to its 
limited use (less than six aircraft per day, on average), and being 
bracketed by substantial airway segments to the west and east being 
removed. As mentioned previously, ATC would either provide radar 
vectoring or reroute affected aircraft using remaining route structure 
to overcome this gap in V-216.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to amend jet routes J-16, J-38, and J-94, 
and VOR Federal airways V-84, V-216, V-320, and V-337. The FAA also 
proposes to remove jet routes J-546, J-551, and J-553. The scheduled 
decommissioning of the ECK VOR facility has made this action necessary. 
The proposed route changes are outlined below.
    J-16: J-16 currently extends between Battle Ground, WA (BTG) and 
Boston, MA (BOS), excluding the airspace within Canada. The FAA would 
eliminate the part of the route between Badger, WI (BAE) and London, 
ON, Canada (YXU). The unaffected portions of the existing route will 
remain as charted in the two remaining segments.
    J-38: J-38 currently extends between Duluth, MN (DLH) and Peck, MI 
(ECK). The FAA would eliminate the part of the route between Green Bay, 
WI (GRB) and ECK. The unaffected portion of the existing route will 
remain as charted.
    J-94: J-94 currently extends between Oakland, CA (OAK) and Boston, 
MA (BOS), excluding the airspace within Canada. The FAA would eliminate 
the part of the route between Flint, MI (FNT) and London, ON, Canada 
(YXU). The unaffected portions of the existing route will remain as 
charted in the two remaining segments.
    V-84: V-84 currently extends between Northbrook, IL (OBK) and 
Syracuse, NY (SYR), excluding the airspace within Canada. The FAA would 
eliminate the part of the route between Flint, MI (FNT) and London, ON, 
Canada (YXU). The unaffected portions of the existing route will remain 
as charted in the two remaining segments.
    V-216: V-216 currently extends between Lamar, CO (LAA) and Toronto, 
ON, Canada (YYZ), excluding the airspace within Canada. The FAA would 
eliminate the part of the route between Janesville, WI (JVL) and YYZ. 
The unaffected portions of the existing route will remain as charted in 
the two remaining segments.
    V-320: V-320 currently extends between Pellston, MI (PLN) and 
Toronto, ON, Canada (YYZ), excluding the airspace within Canada. The 
FAA would eliminate the part of the route between Saginaw, MI (MBS) and 
YYZ. The unaffected portions of the existing route will remain as 
charted in the two remaining segments.
    V-337: V-337 currently extends between the intersection of the 
Briggs, OH (BSV), 077[deg] and Youngstown, OH (YNG), 177[deg] radials 
and White Cloud, MI (HIC). The FAA would eliminate the part of the 
route between Akron, OH (ACO) Saginaw, MI (MBS). The unaffected 
portions of the existing route will remain as charted in the two 
remaining segments.
    The navigation aid radials cited in the proposed route 
descriptions, below, are unchanged from the existing routes and stated 
relative to True north.
    Jet routes are published in paragraph 2004 and VOR Federal airways 
are published in paragraph 6010(a), respectively, of FAA Order 7400.9X 
dated August 7, 2013, and effective September 15, 2013, 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.
    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 
would 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.
    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 NAS.

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

0
1. The authority citation for part 71 continues to read as follows:

     Authority:  49 U.S.C. 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 7400.9X, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 7, 2013 and 
effective September 15, 2013, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 2004 Jet Routes

J-16 [Amended]

    From Battle Ground, WA; Pendleton, OR; Whitehall, MT; Billings, 
MT; Dupree, SD; Sioux Falls, SD; Mason City, IA; to Badger, WI. From 
London, ON, Canada; Buffalo, NY;

[[Page 8639]]

Albany, NY; to Boston, MA; excluding the airspace within Canada.
* * * * *

J-38 [Amended]

    From Duluth, MN; to Green Bay, WI.
* * * * *

J-94 [Amended]

    From Oakland, CA; Manteca, CA; INT Manteca 047[deg] and Mustang, 
NV, 208[deg] radials; to Mustang; Lovelock, NV; Battle Mountain, NV; 
Lucin, UT; Rock Springs, WY; Scottsbluff, NE; O'Neill, NE; Fort 
Dodge, IA; Dubuque, IA; Northbrook, IL; Pullman, MI; to Flint, MI. 
From London, ON, Canada; Buffalo, NY; Albany, NY; to Boston, MA; 
excluding the airspace within Canada.
* * * * *

J-546 [Removed]

* * * * *

J-551 [Removed]

* * * * *

J-553 [Removed]

* * * * *

Paragraph 6010 Domestic VOR Federal Airways

V-84 [Amended]

    From Northbrook, IL; Pullman, MI; Lansing, MI; to Flint, MI. 
From London, ON, Canada; Buffalo, NY; Geneseo, NY; INT Geneseo 
091[deg] and Syracuse, NY, 240[deg] radials; to Syracuse; excluding 
the airspace within Canada.
* * * * *

V-216 [Amended]

    From Lamar, CO; Hill City, KS; Mankato, KS; Pawnee City, NE; 
Lamoni, IA; Ottumwa, IA; Iowa City, IA; INT Iowa City 062[deg] and 
Janesville, WI, 240[deg] radials; to Janesville.
* * * * *

V-320 [Amended]

    From Pellston, MI; Traverse City, MI; Mount Pleasant, MI; to 
Saginaw, MI.
* * * * *

V-337 [Amended]

    From INT Briggs, OH, 077[deg] and Youngstown, OH, 177[deg] 
radials; to Akron, OH. From Saginaw, MI; Mount Pleasant, MI; to 
White Cloud, MI.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 10, 2014.
Ellen Crum,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy & Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2014-03181 Filed 2-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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