This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

12741

Vol. 66, No. 40

Wednesday, February 28, 2001

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 01–AEA–01]

Establishment of Class E Airspace;

Hagerstown, MD

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: This action proposes to

establish Class E airspace at

Hagerstown, MD. Controlled airspace

extending upward from surface is

needed to accommodate operations

under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at

the airport when the air traffic control

tower (ATCT) is not in operation.

The area would be depicted on

aeronautical charts for pilot reference.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before March 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the

proposal in triplicate to: Manager,

Airspace Branch, AEA–520, Docket No.

01–AEA–01, F.A.A. Eastern Region, 1

Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, NY 11434–

4809.

The official docket may be examined

in the Office of the Regional Counsel,

AEA–7, F.A.A. Eastern Region, 1

Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, NY 11434–

4809. An informal docket may also be

examined during normal business hours

in the Airspace Branch, AEA–520,

F.A.A. Eastern Region, 1 Aviation Plaza,

Jamaica, NY 11434–4809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Francis T. Jordan, Jr., Airspace

Specialist, Airspace Branch, AEA–520,

F.A.A. Eastern Region, 1 Aviation Plaza,

Jamaica, NY 11434–4809; telephone:

(718) 553–4521.

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, economic, environmental,

and energy-related aspects of the

proposal. Communications should

identify the airspace docket number and

be submitted in triplicate to the address

listed above. 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 Airspace Docket No. 01–

AEA–01’’. The postcard will be date/

time stamped and returned to the

commenter. All communications

received on or before the closing date

for comments 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

Rules Docket both before and after the

closing date for comments. A report

summarizing each substantive public

contact with the FAA personnel

concerned with this rulemaking will be

filed in the docket.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)

by submitting a request to the Office of

the Regional Counsel, AEA–7, F.A.A.

Eastern Region, 1 Aviation Plaza,

Jamaica, NY 11434–4809.

Communications must identify the

docket number of this NPRM. Persons

interested in being placed on a mailing

list for future NPRMs should also

request a copy of Advisory Circular No.

11–2A, which describes the application

procedure.

The Proposal

The FAA is considering an

amendment to Part 71 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Part 71) to

establish Class E airspace area at

Washington County Regional Airport,

Hagerstown, MD, when the ATCT is

closed. This controlled airspace

extending upward from the surface is

needed when the Air Traffic Control

Tower is not open to accommodate IFR

operations at the airport.

Class E airspace designations for

airspace areas extending upward from

the surface are published in Paragraph

6002 of FAA Order 7400.9H, dated

September 1, 2000, and effective

September 16, 2000, which is

incorporated by reference in 14 CFR

71.1. The Class E airspace designation

listed in this document would be

published subsequently 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.

Therefore, this proposed regulation—(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 would affect traffic

procedures and air navigation, it is

certified that this proposed rule would

not have significant economic impact on

a substantial number of small entities

under the criteria of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act.

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—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 14 CFR

Part 71 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103, 40113,

40120; EO 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 Federal Aviation

Administration Order 7400.9H dated

September 1, 2000, and effective

September 16, 2000, is amended as

follows:

Paragraph 6002 Class E Airspace Areas

Extending Upward From the Surface of the

Earth

* * * * *

12742 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 40 / Wednesday, February 28, 2001 / Proposed Rules

AEA MD, E2 Hagerstown, MD [NEW]

Washington County Regional Airport,

Hagerstown, MD.

(Lat. 39°42′28′′N., long 77 °43′46′′W.)

That airspace extending upward from the

surface to and including 3,200 feet MSL

within a 4.1-mile radius of Washington

County Regional Airport. This Class E2 area

is effective during the specific dates and

times when the Class D airspace is not in

effect.

* * * * *

Issued in Jamaica, New York on February

9, 2001.

F.D. Hatfield,

Manager, Air Traffic Division, Eastern Region.

[FR Doc. 01–4681 Filed 2–27–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 110

[CGD11–01–003]

RIN 2115–AA98

Anchorage Regulation; San Francisco

Bay, California

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

revise the anchorage boundaries for

Anchorages 8, 9, and 24, and to specify

procedures for vessels intending to be in

a ‘‘dead ship’’ status in the San

Francisco Bay Anchorage Grounds. The

regulations concerning use of the

anchorage by vessels, and the activities

permitted in the anchorage areas are not

affected by the change in shape and size

of these anchorages.

DATES: Comments and related material

must reach the Coast Guard on or before

March 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments

and related material to Commanding

Officer, Coast Guard Marine Safety

Office San Francisco Bay, Bldg. 14,

Coast Guard Island, Alameda, CA

94501, ATTN: LT Andrew Cheney. The

Marine Safety Office maintains the

public docket for this rulemaking.

Comments and material received from

the public, as well as documents

indicated in this preamble as being

available in the docket, will become part

of this docket and will be available for

inspection and copying at the Marine

Safety Office between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lieutenant Patricia Springer, Vessel

Traffic Management Section, Coast

Guard Eleventh District/Pacific Area,

(510) 437–2951, email:

pspringer@d11.uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in

this rulemaking by submitting

comments and related material. If you

do so, please include your name and

address, identify the docket number for

this rulemaking (CGD11–01–003),

indicate the specific section of this

document to which each comment

applies, and give the reason for each

comment. Please submit all comments

and related material in an unbound

format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches,

suitable for copying. If you would like

to know they reached us, please enclose

a stamped, self-addressed postcard or

envelope. We will consider all

comments and material received during

the comment period. We may change

this proposed rule in view of them.

Public Meeting

We do not plan to hold a public

meeting, however you may submit a

request for a meeting by writing the

Marine Safety Office at the address

under ADDRESSES explaining why one

would be beneficial. If we determine

that one would aid this rulemaking, we

will hold one at a time and place

announced by a later notice in the

Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

Due to changing uses of the

waterways in the San Francisco Bay

region—including the closure of Naval

Air Station Alameda, the trend of larger

ships arriving in the Bay, and the

anticipated growth of faster Marine

Transportation Systems—mariners have

requested changes to several anchorage

grounds. Recent situations have

demanded increased use and space for

Anchorages 8 and 9. Vessels have had

to take anchor while awaiting the

departure of another at berth. Periodic

labor strikes and disputes have caused

delays in the turnaround time of cargo,

which in turn have filled the anchorages

to capacity. In general, these proposed

changes will allow more room for the

anchorages while enhancing safer and

more efficient use of the waterways

through San Francisco Bay and the

Carquinez Strait.

Currently, safety measures for

anchoring in the San Francisco Bay in

a dead-ship status are addressed by

individual COTP orders. The term

‘‘dead ship’’ refers to when a vessel’s

propulsion or control is unavailable for

normal operations. This rulemaking will

enhance the safety of navigation in the

area by designating a dead-ship

anchorage, away from usual areas of

navigation on the bay, and by uniformly

requiring the assistance of a tug boat

when anchoring in a dead ship status.

Also, with this proposed change to the

rule, the owner/operator will be able to

make its own arrangements for a tug

without having to gain the approval of

the COTP before proceeding to the deadship anchorage.

Discussion of Proposed Rule

Anchorage 8 and Anchorage 9 (South

San Francisco Bay)

In the past, San Francisco Bay had a

strong military presence and much

waterway traffic resulted from the

military facilities homeported in the

area. Both Anchorage 8 and 9 were

designed to accommodate large naval

vessels enroute to Naval Air Station

Alameda. The configuration of these

anchorages is no longer optimal due to

the closure of the Naval Air Station.

Commercial vessels awaiting a berth,

favorable tides, orders, or other

operational uses now use Anchorages 8

and 9. The size and draft of these

commercial vessels has steadily risen in

recent years and this trend is expected

to continue.

This proposed change includes

modifications to Anchorages 8 and 9

which enlarge the anchorage area into

the waters previously used for large

military vessel transit. Enlarging

Anchorage 8 and 9 will allow today’s

larger vessels to have better use of the

available water. Changes to Anchorage 8

would allow one to two more vessels to

anchor, and change to Anchorage 9

would allow more deep draft anchorage

space. Generally, this proposed

regulation is intended to eliminate

congestion in the anchorages and

promote safety for these new vessels.

Anchorage 24 (Carquinez Strait)

The Coast Guard conducted a

Waterways Analysis and Management

study of the San Pablo Bay and

Carquinez Strait in late 1998. One of the

recommendations of the study which

was based primarily on the comments of

mariners using the waterway, was to

make better use of the navigable waters

of the Carquinez Strait just southsoutheast of Southampton Bay. The

Coast Guard decided to establish a buoy

marking the edge of the useable channel

just west-southwest of Commodore

Jones Point, effectively shrinking the

area which is currently Anchorage 24.

Study of records from the Vessel Traffic

Service in San Francisco (which

monitors this waterway) and discussion