Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2022 / Proposed Rules 16669 

* * * * * 

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 17, 

2022. 

Scott M. Rosenbloom, 

Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations. 

[FR Doc. 2022–06059 Filed 3–23–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–0231; Airspace 

Docket No. 19–AAL–46] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Establishment of United 

States Area Navigation (RNAV) Route 

T–377; Sitka, AK 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

establish United States Area Navigation 

(RNAV) route T–377 in the vicinity of 

Sitka, AK in support of a large and 

comprehensive T-route modernization 

project for the state of Alaska. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before May 9, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590; telephone: (800) 

647–5527, or (202) 366–9826. You must 

identify FAA Docket No. FAA–2022– 

0231; Airspace Docket No. 19–AAL–46 

at the beginning of your comments. You 

may also submit comments through the 

internet at https://www.regulations.gov. 

FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, and 

subsequent amendments can be viewed 

online at https://www.faa.gov/air_

traffic/publications/. For further 

information, you can contact the Rules 

and Regulations Group, Federal 

Aviation Administration, 800 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher McMullin, Rules and 

Regulations Group, Office of Policy, 

Federal Aviation Administration, 800 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

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 

expand the availability of RNAV in 

Alaska and improve the efficient flow of 

air traffic within the National Airspace 

System (NAS) by lessoning the 

dependency on ground based 

navigation. 

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– 

2022–0231; Airspace Docket No. 19– 

AAL–46) 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 

https://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–2022–0231; Airspace 

Docket No. 19–AAL–46.’’ 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 

An electronic copy of this document 

may be downloaded through the 

internet at https://www.regulations.gov. 

Recently published rulemaking 

documents can also be accessed through 

the FAA’s web page at https://

www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ 

airspace_amendments/. 

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 Western Service Center, Operations 

Support Group, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 2200 South 216th St., 

Des Moines, WA 98198. 

Availability and Summary of 

Documents for Incorporation by 

Reference 

This document proposes to amend 

FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, 

dated August 10, 2021, and effective 

September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 

7400.11F is publicly available as listed 

in the ADDRESSES section of this 

document. FAA Order JO 7400.11F lists 

Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, 

air traffic service routes, and reporting 

points. 

Background 

In 2003, Congress enacted the Vision 

100—Century of Aviation 

Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. 108–176), 

which established a joint planning and 

development office in the FAA to 

manage the work related to the Next 

Generation Air Transportation System 

(NextGen). Today, NextGen is an 

ongoing FAA-led modernization of the 

nation’s air transportation system to 

make flying safer, more efficient, and 

more predictable. 

In support of NextGen, this proposal 

is part of a larger and comprehensive Troute modernization project in the state 

of Alaska. The project mission statement 

states: ‘‘To modernize Alaska’s Air 

Traffic Service route structure using 

satellite based navigation Development 

of new T-routes and optimization of 

existing T-routes will enhance safety, 

increase efficiency and access, and will 

provide enroute continuity that is not 

subject to the restrictions associated 

with ground based airway navigation.’’ 

As part of this project, the FAA 

evaluated the existing Colored airway 

structure for: (a) Direct replacement (i.e., 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
16670 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2022 / Proposed Rules 

overlay) with a T-route that offers a 

similar or lower Minimum Enroute 

Altitude (MEA) or Global Navigation 

Satellite System Minimum Enroute 

Altitude (GNSS MEA); (b) the 

replacement of the Colored airway with 

a T-route in an optimized but similar 

geographic area, while retaining similar 

or lower MEA; or (c) removal with no 

route structure (T-route) restored in that 

area because the value was determined 

to be insignificant. 

The aviation industry/users have 

indicated a desire for the FAA to 

transition the Alaskan en route 

navigation structure away from 

dependency on Non-Directional 

Beacons (NDB), and move to develop 

and improve the RNAV route structure. 

The Sitka, AK, (SIT) and the Nichols, 

AK, (ICK) NDBs are on the schedule to 

be decommissioned. Colored Federal 

airways Amber 1 (A–1) and Blue 28 (B– 

28) are dependent upon these two NDBs 

and will be rendered unusable once 

they are decommissioned. In order to 

mitigate the loss of these airways, the 

FAA proposes to establish a new Troute, T–377, in the area that would 

provide a generally lower GNSS MEA as 

well as continuous two-way VHF voice 

communications. The proposed route 

would also provide connectivity to 

RNAV route T–241 at the FOROP, AK, 

waypoint (WP) that would allow pilots 

to navigate to the northeast of that area 

toward Level Island, AK and points 

beyond. 

The Proposal 

The FAA is proposing an amendment 

to 14 CFR part 71 to establish RNAV 

route T–377 in the vicinity of Sitka, AK 

in support of a large and comprehensive 

T-route modernization project in the 

state of Alaska. The proposed route is 

described below. 

T–377: The FAA proposes to establish 

RNAV route T–377 from the Annette 

Island, AK, (ANN) VHF 

Omnidirectional Radar/Distance 

Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) to 

the Biorka Island, AK, (BKA) VOR and 

Tactical Air Navigational System 

(VORTAC) in anticipation of the 

decommissioning of SIT and ICK. The 

proposed route would provide alternate 

navigation options for Colored Federal 

airways A–1 and B–28. 

United States Area Navigation Routes 

are published in paragraph 6011 of FAA 

Order JO 7400.11F dated August 10, 

2021 and effective September 15, 2021, 

which is incorporated by reference in 14 

CFR 71.1. The RNAV route listed in this 

document would be published 

subsequently in FAA Order JO 7400.11. 

FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, is 

published yearly and effective on 

September 15. 

Regulatory Notices and Analyses 

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. It, 

therefore: (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. 

Environmental Review 

This proposal will be subject to an 

environmental analysis in accordance 

with FAA Order 1050.1F, 

‘‘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 

■ 1. The authority citation for 14 CFR 

part 71 continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 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 JO 7400.11F, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, dated August 10, 2021, and 

effective September 15, 2021, is 

amended as follows: 

Paragraph 6011 United States Area 

Navigation Routes 

* * * * * 

T–377 Annette Island, AK (ANN) to Biorka Island, AK (BKA) [New] 

Annette Island, AK (ANN) VOR/DME (Lat. 55°03′37.47′′ N, long. 131°34′42.24′′ W) 

INEPE, AK WP (Lat. 55°35′25.84′′ N, long. 133°24′52.15′′ W) 

FOROP, AK WP (Lat. 56°05′08.84′′ N, long. 134°21′39.59′′ W) 

Biorka Island, AK (BKA) VORTAC (Lat. 56°51′33.87′′ N, long. 135°33′04.72′′ W) 

* * * * * 

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 17, 

2022. 

Scott M. Rosenbloom, 

Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations. 

[FR Doc. 2022–06061 Filed 3–23–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–0244; Airspace 

Docket No. 19–AAL–48] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Establishment of United 

States Area Navigation Route T–379; 

Discovery, AK 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

establish United States Area Navigation 

(RNAV) route T–379 in the vicinity of 

Discovery, AK in support of a large and 

comprehensive T-route modernization 

project for the state of Alaska. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before May 9, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS