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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3544-3545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01180]

[[Page 3544]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0961; Airspace Docket No. 13-AEA-13]
RIN 2120-AA66

Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-35 and V-267; Eastern 
United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) 
Federal airways V-35 and V-276 due to the scheduled decommissioning of 
the Tyrone, PA, VORTAC facility, which provides navigation guidance for 
portions of the routes. Once the VORTAC is decommissioned, the FAA 
plans a waypoint to be established for point-to-point area navigation 
for continued safety and management within the National Airspace 
System.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 10, 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-
0961 and Airspace Docket No. 13-AEA-13 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at  http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, 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-2013-0961 and Airspace Docket No. 13-AEA-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 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-2013-0961 and Airspace Docket No. 13-AEA-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 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://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 Eastern Service Center, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Room 210, 1701 Columbia Ave., College Park, 
GA, 30337.
    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.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify VOR Federal airways V-35 and V-
276 due to the planned decommissioning of the Tyrone, PA, VORTAC. The 
Tyrone VORTAC, which provides navigation signal guidance for portions 
of the routes, has been inoperable for a sustained period of time and 
is not planned for replacement. The FAA plans to establish a waypoint 
over the Tyrone VORTAC location that could be used for point-to-point 
area navigation (RNAV) once the VORTAC is decommissioned.
    In light of the planned VORTAC decommissioning, the FAA conducted 
an analysis of the air traffic usage of V-35 and V-276 and found that 
some segments of both airways experienced low utilization in the 
general area of the Tyrone VORTAC. Consequently, the FAA is proposing 
to remove the underutilized segments in both airways.
    V-35 extends between Dolphin, FL, and Syracuse, NY. Analysis of the 
V-35 traffic around the Tyrone VORTAC showed that the airway is rarely 
used in that area. Based on that analysis, the FAA proposes to remove 
that portion of the airway between Morgantown, WV and Philipsburg, PA. 
This would eliminate the V-35 route segments from Morgantown, WV, 
through Indian Head, PA, Johnstown, PA, and Tyrone, PA to Philipsburg, 
PA. As proposed, the modified V-35 would extend between Dolphin, FL, 
and Morgantown, WV; and between Philipsburg, PA, and Syracuse, NY. This 
would leave a gap in airway continuity between Morgantown and 
Philipsburg.
    V-276 now extends between Erie, PA, and an intersection of radials 
from the Robbinsville, NJ, and Coyle, NJ, VORTACs (i.e., the PREPI 
intersection). Due to low air traffic usage, the FAA proposes to 
eliminate the segments of V-276 between Erie, PA, and the intersection 
of radials from the Philipsburg, PA, and Ravine, PA, VORTACs (i.e., 
RASHE intersection). The modified V-276 would thus extend from the 
RASHE intersection, then proceed along its currently charted track 
through Ravine, PA, Yardley, PA, and Robbinsville, NJ, to the PREPI 
intersection.
    Where new radials are proposed in the route descriptions, below, 
both True and Magnetic degrees are stated. Otherwise, only True degrees 
are listed.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010, 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 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.

[[Page 3545]]

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 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 modifies the route structure as required to preserve the safe and 
efficient flow of air traffic within the eastern United States.

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 6010 Domestic VOR Federal Airways

V-35

From Dolphin, FL; INT Dolphin 266[deg] and Cypress, FL, 110[deg] 
radials; INT Cypress 110[deg] and Lee County, FL, 138[deg] radials; 
Lee County; INT Lee County 326[deg] and St. Petersburg, FL, 152[deg] 
radials; St. Petersburg; INT St. Petersburg 350[deg] and Cross City, 
FL, 168[deg] radials; Cross City; Greenville, FL; Pecan, GA; Macon, 
GA; INT Macon 005[deg] and Athens, GA, 195[deg] radials; Athens; 
Electric City, SC; Sugarloaf Mountain, NC; Holston Mountain, TN; 
Glade Spring, VA; Charleston, WV; INT Charleston 051[deg] and 
Elkins, WV, 264[deg] radials; Clarksburg, WV to Morgantown, WV. From 
Philipsburg, PA; Stonyfork, PA; Elmira, NY; Syracuse, NY. The 
airspace below 2,000 feet MSL outside the United States is excluded. 
The portion outside the United States has no upper limit.

V-276

From INT Philipsburg, PA 132[deg](T)/142[deg](M) and Ravine, PA 
279[deg](T)/290[deg](M) radials; Ravine; Yardley, PA; Robbinsville, 
NJ; to INT Robbinsville 112[deg] and Coyle, NJ, 090[deg] radials.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2014.
Gary A. Norek,
Manager, Airspace Policy and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2014-01180 Filed 1-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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