Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 184 / Thursday, September 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 65269 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–4074; Airspace 

Docket No. 15–AWP–16] 

Amendment of Class E Airspace, 

Truckee, CA 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action establishes Class 

E surface area airspace and modifies 

Class E airspace extending upward from 

700 feet above the surface at TruckeeTahoe Airport, Truckee, CA, to increase 

safety and enhance existing instrument 

flight rules (IFR) operations in the 

immediate vicinity of the airport. 

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, January 5, 

2017. The Director of the Federal 

Register approves this incorporation by 

reference action under Title 1, Code of 

Federal Regulations, part 51, subject to 

the annual revision of FAA Order 

7400.11 and publication of conforming 

amendments. 

ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11A, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, and subsequent amendments can 

be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/ 

air_traffic/publications/. For further 

information, you can contact the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 

SE., West Bldg Ground Floor Rm W12– 

140, Washington, DC 20590; Telephone: 

1–800–647–5527, or 202–366–9826. The 

Order is also available for inspection at 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of FAA 

Order 7400.11A at NARA, call 202–741– 

6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/ 

federal_register/code_of_federalregulations/ibr_locations.html. FAA 

Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations 

and Reporting Points, is published 

yearly and effective on September 15. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Clark, Federal Aviation Administration, 

Operations Support Group, Western 

Service Center, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 

Renton, WA 98057; telephone (425) 

203–4511. 

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 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 Truckee-Tahoe 

Airport, Truckee, CA. 

History 

On December 18, 2015, the FAA 

published in the Federal Register a 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 

to amend Class E airspace extending 

upward from 700 feet above the surface 

at Truckee-Tahoe Airport (80 FR 78988) 

Docket No. FAA–2015–4074. Interested 

parties were invited to participate in 

this rulemaking effort by submitting 

written comments on the proposal to the 

FAA. One comment was received 

requesting the FAA to establish Class E 

surface airspace within a 4.2 mile radius 

to increase safety and enhance existing 

instrument flight rules (IFR) procedures 

in the immediate vicinity of the airport. 

The FAA concurred with the comment 

and on April 22, 2016, published in the 

Federal Register a supplemental notice 

of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) to 

establish Class E surface airspace at 

Truckee-Tahoe Airport (81 FR 23658) 

Docket No. FAA–2015–4074. 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 6002 and 6005, 

respectively, of FAA Order 7400.11A, 

dated August 3, 2016, and effective 

September 15, 2016, which is 

incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 

part 71.1. The Class E airspace 

designation listed in this document will 

be published subsequently in the Order. 

Availability and Summary of 

Documents for Incorporation by 

Reference 

This document amends FAA Order 

7400.11A, Airspace Designations and 

Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2016, 

and effective September 15, 2016. FAA 

Order 7400.11A is publicly available as 

listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 

document. FAA Order 7400.11A lists 

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

air traffic service routes, and reporting 

points. 

The Rule 

This amendment to Title 14, Code of 

Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 

establishes Class E surface area airspace 

within a 4.2-mile radius of TruckeeTahoe Airport, Truckee, CA. Also, this 

action modifies Class E airspace 

extending upward from 700 feet above 

the surface to within a 4.2-mile radius 

of the airport, with segments extending 

from the 4.2-mile radius to 19 miles 

north and 16.5 miles northwest of the 

airport, and removes reference to 

Homewood Seaplane Base, which is no 

longer operational. 

Airspace modification is necessary to 

ensure the safety and management of 

standard instrument approach and 

departure procedures for IFR operations 

at the airport, with a minimum degree 

of airspace restriction. 

Regulatory Notices and Analyses 

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, is non-controversial and 

unlikely to result in adverse or negative 

comments. It, therefore: (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 only affects air traffic 

procedures and air navigation, it is 

certified that this rule, when 

promulgated, does not have a significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

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 1050.1F, ‘‘Environmental 

Impacts: Policies and Procedures,’’ 

paragraph 5–6.5a. 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. 

Lists 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: 


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65270 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 184 / Thursday, September 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

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(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 7400.11A, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, dated August 3, 2016, and 

effective September 15, 2016, is 

amended as follows: 

Paragraph 6002 Class E Airspace 

Designated as Surface Areas. 

* * * * * 

AWP CA E2 Truckee, CA [New] 

Truckee-Tahoe Airport, CA 

(Lat. 39°19′12′′ N., long. 120°08′22′′ W.) 

That airspace extending upward from the 

surface within a 4.2-mile radius of TruckeeTahoe Airport. 

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas 

Extending Upward from 700 feet or More 

Above the Surface of the Earth. 

* * * * * 

AWP CA E5 Truckee, CA [Modified] 

Truckee-Tahoe Airport, CA 

(Lat. 39°19′12′′ N., long. 120°08′22′′ W.) 

That airspace extending upward from 700 

feet above the surface within a 4.2-mile 

radius of Truckee-Tahoe Airport, and within 

2 miles each side of the Truckee-Tahoe 

Airport 015° bearing extending from the 4.2- 

mile radius to 19 miles north of the airport, 

and within 2 miles each side of the airport 

328° bearing extending from the 4.2-mile 

radius to 16.5 miles northwest of the airport. 

Issued in Seattle, Washington, on August 

16, 2016. 

Richard Roberts, 

Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, 

Western Service Center. 

[FR Doc. 2016–22726 Filed 9–21–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2014–0742; Airspace 

Docket No. 14–ASW–5] 

Establishment of Class D and E 

Airspace; Brookshire, TX 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action establishes Class 

D airspace, Class E surface area airspace, 

and Class E airspace extending upward 

from 700 feet above the surface at 

Brookshire, TX, to accommodate the 

new air traffic control tower at Houston 

Executive Airport. The FAA is taking 

this action for the safe and efficient use 

of the airspace to contain Instrument 

Flight Rule (IFR) arrival and departure 

operations at the airport. 

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, November 

10, 2016. The Director of the Federal 

Register approves this incorporation by 

reference action under title 1, Code of 

Federal Regulations, part 51, subject to 

the annual revision of FAA Order 

7400.11 and publication of conforming 

amendments. 

ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11A, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, and subsequent amendments can 

be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/ 

air_traffic/publications/. For further 

information, you can contact the 

Airspace Policy Group, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 

telephone: 1–800–647–5527, or 202– 

267–8783. The Order is also available 

for inspection at the National Archives 

and Records Administration (NARA). 

For information on the availability of 

FAA Order 7400.11A at NARA, call 

202–741–6030, or go to http://

www.archives.gov/federal_register/ 

code_of_federal-regulations/ibr_

locations.html. FAA Order 7400.11, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, is published yearly and effective 

on September 15. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raul 

Garza, Jr., Central Service Center, 

Operations Support Group, Federal 

Aviation Administration, Southwest 

Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort 

Worth, TX 76177; telephone: (817) 222– 

5874. 

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 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 establishes 

controlled airspace at Houston 

Executive Airport, Brookshire, TX. 

History 

On March 28, 2016, the FAA 

published in the Federal Register a 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 

to establish Class D and Class E 

Airspace at Houston Executive Airport, 

Brookshire, TX (81 FR 17114) Docket 

No. FAA–2014–0742. Houston 

Executive Airport opened an operating 

control tower October 1, 2014. Federal 

regulations (14 CFR 91.126, 91.127, and 

91.129) establish airspace requirements 

around an operating tower. Interested 

parties were invited to participate in 

three informal meetings with the local 

community held on June 17, June 18, 

and December 15, 2015, during the 

course of establishing this airspace, and 

in this rulemaking effort by submitting 

written comments on the proposal to the 

FAA. 146 comments were received by 

the end of the comment period May 12, 

2016. An additional five comments were 

received after the comment period (one 

having 322 signatures on a petition 

opposing the upper altitude limit of 

2,700 feet MSL; the petition supports 

2,000 feet MSL as acceptable and safer). 

One commenter requested to withdraw 

his request. Of the 150 comments, many 

voiced opinions on different aspects of 

the proposal as described in more detail 

below. 

Summary of Comments 

The FAA received multiple comments 

from 150 commenters that have been 

grouped to reflect general subject areas. 

The groups are categorized as follows; 

1. Support of the Class D proposal at 

2,500 feet 

2. Support of the Class D airspace at 

2,000 feet 

3. Support of the Class D proposal at 

1,700 feet 

4. Support for Class D at 2,500 but with 

Full Circle (4 miles) Airspace 

without cutout for Sport Flyers 

Airport 

5. Concerns of east-west VFR corridor 

compression 

6. Increase airspace to match Class B 

airspace 

7. Support for Class E airspace only 

8. No support for any change to the 

present airspace allocation 

9. Airspace compression in the 

northeast quadrant under Class B 

1. Comment: Support of the Class D 

proposal at 2,500 feet. 

Fifty-one comments supported the 

proposal, as is, with a top of 2,500 feet 

MSL. The positive comments ranged 

from support of the proposal at 2,500 

feet MSL to extending and expanding 


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