[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 113 (Monday, June 13, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 35689-35690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12638]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0758; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-24]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace; Coldwater and Sturgis, MI

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace at 
Coldwater and Sturgis, MI. The FAA is proposing this action due to an 
airspace review conducted as part of the decommissioning of the 
Litchfield very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR) as 
part of the VOR Minimal Operational Network (MON) Program. The 
geographic coordinates of the airports would also be updated to 
coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 28, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; telephone 
(202) 366-9826, or (800) 647-5527. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2022-0758/Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-24 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://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 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except federal holidays.
    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 
Airspace Policy Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 
Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5711.

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 would amend 
the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at Branch County Memorial Airport, Coldwater, MI, and Kirsch 
Municipal Airport, Sturgis, MI, to support instrument flight rule 
operations at these airports.

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 and be submitted 
in triplicate to the address listed above. Commenters wishing the 
FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments on this notice must 
submit with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on 
which the following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. FAA-
2022-0758/Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-24.'' The postcard will be 
date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received before the specified closing date 
for comments will be considered before taking action on the proposed 
rule. The proposal contained in this notice may be changed in light 
of the comments received. A report summarizing each substantive 
public contact with FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking 
will be filed in the docket.

Availability of NPRMs

    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 the ADDRESSES section for the 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 Federal Aviation Administration, 
Air Traffic Organization, Central Service Center, Operations Support 
Group, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177.

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.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 by:
    Amending the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface to within a 6.6-mile (decreased from an 8.1-mile) 
radius of Branch County Memorial Airport, Coldwater, MI; removing 
the city associated with the airport in the airspace legal 
description to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2N, 
Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; and updating the 
geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database;
    And amending the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface to within a 6.5-mile (decreased from a 7-mile) 
radius of Kirsch Municipal Airport, MI; adding an extension 2.5 
miles each side of the 052[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB

[[Page 35690]]

extending from the 6.5-mile radius of the airport to 7 miles 
northeast of the NDB; adding an extension 2.5 miles each side of the 
341[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB extending from the 6.5-mile 
radius of the airport to 7 miles north of the NDB; removing the city 
associated with the airport in the airspace legal description to 
comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2N; and updating the 
geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database.
    This action is due to an airspace review conducted as part of 
the decommissioning of the Litchfield VOR, which provided navigation 
information for the instrument procedures at these airports, as part 
of the VOR MON Program.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 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 Class E airspace designations listed in this document will 
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 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 will only affect air traffic 
procedures and air navigation, it is certified that this rule, when 
promulgated, would 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

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me, 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 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]

0
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 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

AGL MI E5 Coldwater, MI [Amended]

Branch County Memorial Airport, MI
    (Lat. 41[deg]56'01'' N, long. 85[deg]03'08'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.6-mile radius of Branch County Memorial Airport.
* * * * *

AGL MI E5 Sturgis, MI [Amended]

Kirsch Municipal Airport, MI
    (Lat. 41[deg]48'48'' N, long. 85[deg]26'20'' W)
Sturgis NDB
    (Lat. 41[deg]48'47'' N, long. 85[deg]26'02'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.5-mile radius of the Kirsch Municipal Airport; and within 
2.5 miles each side of the 052[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB 
extending from the 6.5-mile radius of the airport to 7 miles 
northeast of the Sturgis NDB; and within 2.5 miles each side of the 
341[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB extending from the 6.5-mile 
radius of the airport to 7 miles north of the Sturgis NDB.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 7, 2022.
Martin A. Skinner,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2022-12638 Filed 6-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P