83 FR 17480 - Revocation of Class E Airspace; Seven Springs, PA, and Amendment of Class E Airspace; Somerset, PA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 77 (April 20, 2018)

This action removes Class E airspace at Seven Springs, PA, as Seven Springs Borough Airport has been abandoned, and controlled airspace is no longer required. This action also removes reference to the Seven Springs, PA, Class E airspace area from the Somerset County Airport, Somerset, PA, description, and updates the geographic coordinates of Somerset County Airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action enhances the safety and management of controlled airspace within the national airspace system.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17480-17481]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08037]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0610; Airspace Docket No. 17-AEA-13]


Revocation of Class E Airspace; Seven Springs, PA, and Amendment 
of Class E Airspace; Somerset, PA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action removes Class E airspace at Seven Springs, PA, as 
Seven Springs Borough Airport has been abandoned, and controlled 
airspace is no longer required. This action also removes reference to 
the Seven Springs, PA, Class E airspace area from the Somerset County 
Airport, Somerset, PA, description, and updates the geographic 
coordinates of Somerset County Airport to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database. This action enhances the safety and management 
of controlled airspace within the national airspace system.

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, July 19, 2018. 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 https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Fornito, Operations Support 
Group, Eastern Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 1701 
Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; telephone (404) 305-6364.

[[Page 17481]]


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 supports the removal of Class E airspace extending upward from 
700 feet above the surface at Seven Springs Borough Airport, Seven 
Springs, PA, as the airport has closed, and amends the airspace at 
Somerset County Airport, Somerset, PA, in support of instrument flight 
rules operations.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal 
Register (83 FR 5965, February 12, 2018) for Docket No. FAA-2017-0783 
to remove Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above 
the surface at Seven Springs Borough Airport, Seven Springs, PA, and 
amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the 
surface at Somerset County Airport, Somerset, PA.
    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 6005, of 
FAA Order 7400.11B dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 
2017, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR part 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 action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 
part 71 by removing Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet or 
more above the surface at Seven Springs Borough Airport, Seven Springs, 
PA, as the airport has been abandoned. Therefore, the airspace is no 
longer necessary. Also, this action removes the words ``excluding that 
portion that coincides with the Seven Springs, PA, Class E airspace 
area'' from the regulatory text In Class E airspace extending upward 
from 700 feet above the surface for Somerset County Airport, Somerset, 
PA, and updates the geographic coordinates of Somerset County Airport, 
to be in concert with the FAA's aeronautical database.

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. 
Therefore, this 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 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:

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 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 Federal Aviation 
Administration Order 7400.11B, Airspace Designations and Reporting 
Points, dated August 3, 2017, effective September 15, 2017, is amended 
as follows:
* * * * *

AEA PA E5 Seven Springs, PA [Removed]

AEA PA E5 Somerset, PA [Amended]

Somerset County Airport, PA
    (Lat. 40[deg]02'20'' N, long. 79[deg]00'54'' W)
Stoystown NDB
    (Lat. 40[deg]05'09'' N, long. 78[deg]55'00'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.4-mile radius of Somerset County Airport, and within 3.1 
miles each side of the 058[deg] bearing from the Stoystown NDB 
extending from the 6.4-mile radius to 9.6 miles northeast of the 
NDB, and 4 miles each side of the 236[deg] bearing from the Somerset 
County Airport extending from the 6.4-mile radius to 9.5 miles 
southwest of the airport.

    Issued in College Park, Georgia, on April 10, 2018.
Ryan W. Almasy,
Manager, Operations Support Group, Eastern Service Center, Air Traffic 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2018-08037 Filed 4-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P