81 FR 52369 - Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace, Blue Mesa, CO

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 152 (August 8, 2016)

This action proposes to amend Class E en route domestic airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface near the Blue Mesa VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME), Blue Mesa, CO. The FAA has transitioned to a more accurate method of measuring, publishing, and charting airspace areas. This transition has revealed some small areas of uncharted uncontrolled airspace. The FAA found modification of these areas of uncontrolled airspace necessary to ensure the safety of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations and the efficient use of navigable airspace, including point-to-point off-airway clearances, and aircraft vectoring services.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 152 (Monday, August 8, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52369-52370]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18676]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 152 / Monday, August 8, 2016 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 52369]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2016-7043; Airspace Docket No. 16-ANM-6]


Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace, Blue Mesa, CO

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend Class E en route domestic 
airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface near the 
Blue Mesa VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment 
(VOR/DME), Blue Mesa, CO. The FAA has transitioned to a more accurate 
method of measuring, publishing, and charting airspace areas. This 
transition has revealed some small areas of uncharted uncontrolled 
airspace. The FAA found modification of these areas of uncontrolled 
airspace necessary to ensure the safety of Instrument Flight Rules 
(IFR) operations and the efficient use of navigable airspace, including 
point-to-point off-airway clearances, and aircraft vectoring services.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 22, 2016.

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: 
1-800-647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2016-7043; Airspace Docket No. 16-ANM-6, at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://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. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-
647-5527), is on the ground floor of the building at the above address.
    FAA Order 7400.9Z, 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 7400.9Z at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal-regulations/ibr_locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.9, 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 would amend Class E airspace at Blue Mesa VOR/DME, Blue Mesa, CO.

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. Persons 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-2016-7043/
Airspace Docket No. 15-ANM-6.'' 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 http://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's Web page at http://www.regulation.gov.
    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 Northwest Mountain Regional Office of the Federal 
Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Organization, Western Service 
Center, Operations Support Group, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 
98057.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRMs should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677, 
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

[[Page 52370]]

Availability and Summary of Documents Proposed for Incorporation by 
Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.9Z, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2015, and effective 
September 15, 2015. FAA Order 7400.9Z is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.9Z 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 Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) Part 71 by modifying Class E En route domestic 
airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface in the 
vicinity of the Blue Mesa VOR/DME, Blue Mesa, CO. One small airspace 
area northwest, near Montrose, CO, and one small airspace area 
southeast, near Trinidad, CO, both excluded from the current boundary, 
would be added for the safety and management of IFR operations, 
specifically point-to-point, en route operations outside of the 
established airway structure, and Air Traffic Control vectoring 
services.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6006 of 
FAA Order 7400.9Z, dated August 6, 2015, and effective September 15, 
2015, 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 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.


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

0
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.9Z, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2015, and 
effective September 15, 2015, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6006 En Route Domestic Airspace Areas.

* * * * *

ANM CO E6 Blue Mesa, CO [Amended]

Blue Mesa VOR/DME, CO
    (Lat. 38[deg]27'08'' N., long. 107[deg]02'23'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface 
within an area bounded by Lat. 35[deg]39'30'' N., long. 
107[deg]25'27'' W.; to Lat. 36[deg]14'38'' N., long. 107[deg]40'25'' 
W.; to Lat. 37[deg]16'00'' N., long. 108[deg]22'00'' W.; to Lat. 
37[deg]58'51'' N., long. 108[deg]22'29'' W.; to Lat. 39[deg]01'00'' 
N., long. 107[deg]47'00'' W.; to Lat. 39[deg]07'40'' N., long. 
107[deg]13'47'' W.; to Lat. 39[deg]11'48'' N., long. 106[deg]29'16'' 
W.; to Lat. 39[deg]40'23'' N., long. 103[deg]29'02'' W.; to Lat. 
36[deg]59'57'' N., long. 104[deg]18'04'' W.; to Lat. 36[deg]17'00'' 
N., long. 104[deg]14'00'' W.; to Lat. 36[deg]12'53'' N., long. 
104[deg]56'21'' W.; to Lat. 36[deg]13'34'' N., long. 105[deg]54'42'' 
W.; thence to the point of beginning.


    Issued in Seattle, Washington, on July 29, 2016.
Tracey Johnson,
Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2016-18676 Filed 8-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P