ANDY HARRIS, M.D. FIRST DISTRICT, MARYLAND COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT,

FOOD AND D RUG A DMINISTRATION HOMELAND SECURITY LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES , EDUCATION

Gary A. Norek 

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### 20515 July 27th' 2016 Manager, Airspace Policy and Regulations Group U.S. Department ofTransportation West Building, Room W12-140 1200 NewJersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590-0001 Dear Secretary Foxx: 1533 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON , D.C. 20515

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I ·write regarding NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), which is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on an initiative to expand the facility's restricted airspace. Expanding the restricted airspace is vital to ensuring safety during hazardous flight operations at the facility. It would help facilitate current operations while also attracting new business and mission sets to WFF and surrounding areas . Therefore, I strongly support the prompt adoption ofthe proposed rule (FAA Docket No. FAA2015-2776 and Airspace Docket No
. 15-AEA-5) for expanding the restricted airspace at Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia. This restricted airspace expansion is needed to safely accommodate existing and future operational requirements associated with the United States government agencies at Wallops Island. As you lmow, those operational requirements serve an extremely vital role in national security, national defense, and national protection oflife and property from weather events . Further, expansion ofthe restricted airspace is not precedent setting and does not adversely affect aircraft en route operations. The proposed restricted areas R-6604D and R-6604E abut, but do not include, the existing en route low altitude a.llway V-139
. Ifeither or both ofthose two restricted areas are in use, then air traffic can continue to flow unimpeded on V-139. Similar conditions already exist elsewhere without adversely affecting en route air traffic conditions. For example, near the Atlantic coastline in Georgia, the major north-south en route low-altitude airway V-37 abuts prohibited area P-50
. Prohibited area P-50 overlies the USN nuclear submarine base at I<ings Bay, G.eorgia, locatedjust to the north ofthe town ofSt. Mary's. Also, near the Atlantic coastline in Flor ida, the major north-south en route low altitude airway V-3 passes through restricted area R-2935. Restricted area R-2935, intermittent in use, is associated with operations at the NASA I<.ennedy Space Center. The proposed restricted areas at Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia are also to be intermittent in use. When the restricted areas are not in use, aircraft can pass through those areas without priorpermission
. ASA Wallops Flight Facility already allows uninterrupted aircraft passage through the existing restricted areas R-6604A and R-6604B when either or both are not in use. Additionally, no private-use airports exist in the proposed restricted areas R-66040 and R-6604E. Should a private-use airport later be established, then typically a coordinated plan for its beneficial use is instituted
. Such private-use airports exist harmoniously in numerous locations within existing restricted areas across the United States. Thus, allowing the expansion ofthe restricted airspace does not adversely affect en route air traffic flow and is beneficial to the safety and operational requirements ofthe United States government facilities at Wallops Island. Accordingly, I strongly urge, consistent with agency regulations, you to adopt the proposed rule (FAA Docket No. FAA-2015-2776 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AEA-5) for expanding the restricted airspace at Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia. Sincerely,

CC: Gary A. Norek Manager, Airspace Policy and Regulations Group U.S. Department ofTransportation West Building, Room W12-140 1200 NewJersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590-0001