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###### Department of Transportation

###### Federal Aviation Administration

          - 14 CFR Part 71
          - [Docket No. FAA-2017-0183; Airspace Docket No. 17-ASW-4]

# AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

# ACTION:

Final rule.

# SUMMARY:

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Leesville City Airport, Leesville, LA, and Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA. Airspace redesign is necessary due to the decommissioning of the Leesville non-directional radio beacon (NDB), and the Patterson radio beacon (RBN), and cancellation of NDB and RBN approaches, and for the safe management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at these airports. Additionally, this action amends the geographic coordinates at Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

# DATES:

Effective 0901 UTC, December 7, 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 7400.11B, 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: (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 7400.11B 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:

Rebecca Shelby, Federal Aviation Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5857.

# 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 Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Leesville City Airport, Leesville, LA and Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA, to support standard instrument approach procedures for IFR operations at the airport.

## History

                    On April 10, 2017, the FAA published in the                     **Federal Register**                     (82 FR 17160) Docket No. FAA-2017-0183, a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at:                

Leesville Airport, Leesville, LA, and Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA, due to the decommissioning of the Leesville NBD and Patterson RBN.

Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.

Subsequent to publication, the FAA realized that it had inadvertently failed to include updates to the geographic coordinates for Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database in the NPRM. Those geographic coordinates are updated in this final rule.

Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005, of FAA Order 7400.11B, dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class E airspace designations 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 7400.11B, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017. FAA Order 7400.11B is publicly available as listed in the                     **ADDRESSES**                     section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11B 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 modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at:

                    Leesville Airport, Leesville, LA, to within a 6.4-mile radius (reduced from a 6.5-mile radius) of Leesville Airport, and within 3.7 miles each side of the 360° bearing from the airport (modified from 3.6 miles from each side of the 345° bearing) extending from the 6.4-                          ( print page 44915)                        mile radius (reduced from a 6.5-mile radius) to 12.3 miles (increased from 12.2 miles) north of the airport, and removing the segment within 2.5 miles each side of the 000° bearing of the Leesville NDB extending from the 6.5-mile radius to 7.3 miles north of the airport; and                

Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA, by removing the segment within 2.5 mile each side of the 233° bearing from the Patterson RBN extending from the 6.5-mile radius to 7.5 miles southwest of the airport. Additionally, the geographic coordinates for Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, are adjusted to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

Airspace reconfiguration is necessary due to the decommissioning of the Leesville NBD and Patterson RBN, and cancellation of the navigation aid approaches at these airports. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of standard instrument approach procedures for IFR operations at these airports.

Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 of FAA Order 7400.11B, dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class E airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in the Order.

## 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 5-6.5.a. 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:

# 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

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017, is amended as follows:

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

* * * * *

## ASW LA E5 Leesville, LA [Amended]

Leesville Airport, LA

(Lat. 31°10′06″ N., long. 93°20′33″ W.).

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 6.4-mile radius of Leesville Airport, and within 3.7 miles each side of the 360° bearing from the airport extending from the 6.4-mile radius to 12.3 miles north of the airport, excluding that airspace within the Fort Polk, LA, Class D airspace area, and excluding that airspace within restricted area R-3803A.

* * * * *

## ASW LA E5 Patterson, LA [Amended]

Patterson, Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, LA

(Lat. 29°42′34″ N., long. 91°20′20″ W.)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 6.5-mile radius of Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 19, 2017.

Walter Tweedy,

Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.

[FR Doc. 2017-20591 Filed 9-26-17; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P