### 14911 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 46 / Friday, March 8, 2013 / Rules and Regulations

Adoption of the Amendment

In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 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 14 CFR 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.

**§ 71.1 [Amended]**

■ 2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.9W, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, signed August 8, 2012, and effective September 15, 2012, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 3000 Subpart B—Class B Airspace
* * * * *

ASW TX B Houston, TX [Amended] George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) (Primary Airport) (Lat. 29 ° 59 ′04′′ N., long. 95 ° 20 ′ 29′′ W.) William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) (Primary Airport) (Lat. 29 ° 38 ′44′′ N., long. 95 ° 16 ′44′′ W.) Ellington Field (EFD)

(Lat. 29 ° 36 ′ 26′′ N., long. 95 ° 09 ′ 32 ′′ W.) Humble VORTAC (IAH)

(Lat. 29 ° 57 ′ 25 ′′ N., long. 95 ° 20 ′45 ′′ W.) Point of Origin

(Lat. 29 ° 39 ′01 ′′ N., long. 95 ° 16 ′45 ′′ W.)

Boundaries
* * * * *

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 21,
2013. Gary A. Norek, Manager, Airspace Policy and ATC Procedures Group.
[FR Doc. 2013–04891 Filed 3–7–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**14 CFR Part 71**

**[Docket No. FAA–2012–0655; Airspace Docket No. 12–AGL–6]** 

**Amendment of Class E Airspace; Hot Springs, SD** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Final rule.

**SUMMARY :**  This action amends Class E airspace at Hot Springs, SD. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Hot Springs Municipal Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport. Geographic coordinates of the airport are also updated.

**DATES :**  Effective date: 0901 UTC, June 27, 2013. The Director of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under 1 CFR Part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA Order 7400.9 and publication of conforming amendments.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Scott Enander, Central Service Center, Operations Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; telephone 817–321–
7716.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  History

On November 16, 2012, the FAA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend Class E airspace for the Hot Springs, SD, area, creating additional controlled airspace at Hot Springs Municipal Airport (77 FR 68716) Docket No. FAA–2012–0655. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received. Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 of FAA Order 7400.9W dated August 8, 2012, and effective September 15, 2012, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR part 71.1. The Class E airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in the Order.

The Rule

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 71 by amending Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface to the north of the airport to accommodate new standard instrument approach procedures at Hot Springs Municipal Airport, Hot Springs, SD. This action is necessary for the safety and management of IFR operations at the airport. Geographic coordinates of the airport are updated to coincide with the FAA’s aeronautical database.

The FAA has determined that this regulation only involves an established body of technical regulations for which frequent and routine amendments are necessary to keep them operationally current. Therefore, this regulation: (1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 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 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 U.S. Code. Subtitle 1, 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 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 amends controlled airspace at Hot Springs Municipal Airport, Hot Springs, SD.

Environmental Review

The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1E, ‘‘Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures,’’ paragraph 311a. This airspace action is not expected to cause any potentially significant environmental impacts, and no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an environmental assessment. List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (Air) Adoption of the Amendment

In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 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 14 CFR 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.


### 14912 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 46 / Friday, March 8, 2013 / Rules and Regulations

**§ 71.1 [Amended]**

■ 2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR Part 71.1 of the Federal Aviation Administration Order 7400.9W, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2012, and effective September 15, 2012, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6005: Class E airspace areas extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface.
* * * * *
AGL SD E5 Hot Springs, SD [Amended]

Hot Springs Municipal Airport, SD (Lat. 43 ° 22 ′06′′ N., long. 103 ° 23 ′ 18 ′′ W.) That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 7.4-mile radius of Hot Springs Municipal Airport, and within 2 miles each side of the 021 ° bearing from the airport extending from the 7.4-mile radius to 12.1 miles north of the airport.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 12, 2013. David P. Medina, Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2013–05214 Filed 3–7–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**14 CFR Part 129**

**International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Program Change** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Policy statement.

**SUMMARY :**  This statement describes a policy change to the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program. The FAA wants to ensure that countries do not remain on this listing when the results of the FAA’s IASA determinations as to those countries might no longer be accurate or reasonably current. The FAA is accordingly adopting a procedure to remove a country from the IASA program summary listing when that country’s air carriers no longer provide air service to the United States, none of the country’s air carriers participates in code-share arrangements with U.S. air carriers, and the country’s civil aviation authority (CAA) has ceased interacting with the FAA for an extended period of time. The FAA is making this change to improve the quality of the IASA summary listing. This statement also explains IASA Categories 1 and 2 in terms of what the flying public may reasonably take them to mean. This document modifies the IASA policies previously announced by the FAA.

**DATES :**  Effective date: April 8, 2013.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Manager of the International Programs and Policy Division (AFS–50), Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, (202) 385–8070.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background The Removal of Inactive Countries; and Public Expectations of IASA Categories

Removal of Inactive Countries

Under the IASA program, the FAA assesses whether another country’s oversight of its air carriers that operate, or seek to operate, into the U.S., or codeshare with a U.S. air carrier, complies with international aviation safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The FAAmaintains and publishes a country-bycountry summary listing of the results of its IASA determinations. Some countries continue to be listed on the IASA summary, whether in Category 1 or 2, even though the countries have no air carriers that are serving the United States or code sharing with one or more U.S. partner airlines. Because of the lack of air service to the United States, there is minimal, if any, interaction between the FAA and the subject CAAs. To date, countries have not been removed from the category listing for inactivity, even though the safety oversight information previously collected may become stale and unreliable. To improve the quality of information on the IASA program summary category listing, the FAA is initiating a process to remove inactive countries from the listing.

Information generated by the IASA program is used by the U.S. and foreign governments, the aviation industry, and the traveling public. IASA information disseminated should be accurate and reasonably current. To this end, countries whose IASA information can no longer be considered accurate and reasonably current will be removed from the published IASA summary listing.

In determining whether a country’s IASA information is no longer accurate and reasonably current, we will proceed on the basis that if, after a four year period, a country has no air carrier providing air transport service to the United States, none of the country’s air carriers participates in code-share arrangements with U.S. air carriers, and the CAA does not interact significantly with the FAA, the FAA will remove that country from the IASA summary category listing. These criteria will be applied immediately in a review of countries currently on the list and on a continual basis going forward.

Before the FAA removes a country from the IASA program listing, the country’s CAA will receive formal notification prior to the removal. Just as it does when a country is added to the list or a country’s IASA category is changed, the FAA will notify the public regarding the removal of a country from the IASA summary listing.

Once a country is removed from the IASA summary listing, a full reassessment of the CAA must be conducted before the country can be rated in the IASA program and before a carrier subject to that country’s aviation safety oversight can serve the United States using its own aircraft or can put a U.S. carrier code on its flights. Public Expectations of IASA Category Ratings

Members of the public have asked what the IASA category rating for a country means when they are making transportation choices. Category 1 means that the FAA has found that the country meets ICAO Standards for safety oversight of civil aviation. Category 2 means that the FAA has found that the country does not meet those Standards. The ICAO Standards are presumptively binding on ICAO Member States as signatories to the Chicago Convention. The Standards are promulgated from time to time by ICAO and grouped by subject matter (for example, airline personnel licensing or operation of aircraft) in Annexes to the Chicago Convention.

The FAA normally determines the appropriate IASA category rating for a country using information collected during an in-country assessment of that country’s CAA. The FAA also may consider other reliable sources of information on a CAA’s compliance with international standards when making a determination of safety oversight under the IASA program. The FAA may use the information developed by these other sources to supplement the information developed during an FAA assessment of the CAA, or to entirely replace the assessment altogether, when making an IASA category determination.

In conducting its IASA assessments, the FAA uses a standardized checklist that groups the ICAO Standards on safety oversight into eight critical elements: (1) Primary aviation legislation, (2) specific operating regulations, (3) organization structure