[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 87 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 25712-25713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8603]


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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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 87 / Monday, May 7, 2007 / Proposed 
Rules

[[Page 25712]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2007-27270; Airspace Docket No. 07-ANM-1]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Establishment of Area Navigation Routes (RNAV), Western 
United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to establish a high altitude RNAV route 
in the Seattle, WA area to facilitate air traffic operations by 
providing a direct route to the Phoenix, AZ area. The FAA is 
implementing this route to enhance safety and to provide a more 
efficient use of navigable airspace.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 21, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the Docket Management 
System, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You must identify FAA Docket 
No. FAA-2007-27270 and Airspace Docket No. 07-ANM-1, at the beginning 
of your comments. You may also submit comments on the Internet at 
http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken McElroy, Airspace and Rules, 
Office of System Operations and Safety, 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-2007-27270 and Airspace Docket No. 07-ANM-1) and be submitted in 
triplicate to the Docket Management System (see ADDRESSES section for 
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.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-2007-27270 Airspace Docket No. 07-ANM-1.'' The 
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received on or before the specified closing date 
for comments 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 closing date 
for comments. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with 
FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the 
docket.

Availability of NPRM's

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. Recently published rulemaking documents 
can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at http://www.faa.gov, 
or the Federal Register's web page at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.
    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 a.m. and 5 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, Air Traffic Organization, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue, 15000 SW., Renton, 
WA 98055.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRM's 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

    As part of the on-going efforts to establish area navigation 
routings the FAA is establishing RNAV routes to provide greater freedom 
to properly equipped users, and to achieve the safety and economic 
benefits of flying user-selected non-restrictive routings. The new RNAV 
routes will be identified by the letter prefix ``Q'' followed by a 
number consisting of from one to three digits. The International Civil 
Aviation Organization (ICAO) has allocated the ``Q'' prefix, along with 
the number set 1 through 499, for use by the U.S. for designating 
domestic RNAV routes.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to establish an RNAV route within the 
airspace assigned to the Seattle, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Salt Lake 
City and Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). This route is 
proposed to provide a direct route from the Seattle, WA area to 
Phoenix, AZ, that would enhance the safety, and facilitate a more 
flexible and efficient use of navigable airspace for en route 
instrument flight rules operations.
    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

[[Page 25713]]

number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act.

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).

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(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 
FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

    2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 
7400.9P, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated September 1, 
2006, and effective September 16, 2006, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 2006 Area Navigation Routes.

* * * * *

Q-35 IMB to DRK [New]
IMB.........................  VORTAC..............  (lat. 44[deg]38'54'' N., long. 119[deg]42'42'' W.)
NEERO.......................  WP..................  (lat. 41[deg]49'03'' N., long. 118[deg]01'29'' W.)
WINEN.......................  WP..................  (lat. 37[deg]56'00'' N., long. 113[deg]30'00'' W.)
CORKR.......................  Fix.................  (lat. 36[deg]05'02'' N., long. 112[deg]24'01'' W.)
DRK.........................  VORTAC..............  (lat. 34[deg]42'09'' N., long. 112[deg]28'49'' W.)
 

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 30, 2007.
Edith V. Parish,
Manager, Airspace and Rules Group.
 [FR Doc. E7-8603 Filed 5-4-07; 8:45 am]
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