[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 66 (Thursday, April 5, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18055-18056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8438]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 66 / Thursday, April 5, 2001 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 18055]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 73

[Docket No. FAA-2001-8683; Airspace Docket No. 01-ASW-2]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Modification of Restricted Area R-6312 Cotulla; TX

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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

SUMMARY: This notice proposes to raise the upper limit of Restricted 
Area 6312 (R-6312) Cotulla, TX, from the current 12,000 feet above mean 
sea level (MSL) to Flight Level 230 (FL 230) to provide airspace for 
high altitude release bombing training. No other changes to R-6312 are 
proposed.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the Docket Management 
System, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You must identify the docket 
numbers FAA-2001-8683/Airspace Docket No. 01-ASW-2 at the beginning of 
your comments.
    You may also submit comments through the Internet to http://dms.dot.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 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The Dockets Office (telephone 1-800-647-5527) is on 
the plaza level of the NASSIF Building at the Department of 
Transportation at the above address.
    An informal docket may also be examined during normal business 
hours at the office of the Regional Air Traffic Division, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 2601 Meacham Blvd; Fort Worth, TX 76193-0500.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Rohring, Airspace and Rules 
Division, ATA-400, Office of Air Traffic Airspace Management, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20591; telephone: (202) 267-8783.

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, aeronautical, 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 notice must 
submit with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which 
the following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket Nos. FAA-2001-
8683/Airspace Docket No. 01-ASW-2.'' The postcard will be date/time 
stamped and returned to the commenter. Send comments on environmental 
and land use aspects to: Commander Training Air Wing Two, ATTN: Mr. 
Arturo Villarreal, 205 Mitscher Ave., Suite 101, Kingsville, TX, 78363-
5008. All communications received on or 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 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 FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the 
docket.

Availability of NPRM's

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
    Additionally, any person may obtain a copy of this notice by 
submitting a request to the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of 
Air Traffic Airspace Management, ATA-400, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20591, or by calling (202) 267-8783.
    Communications must identify both docket numbers of this NPRM. 
Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future NPRM's 
should call 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.

Background

    The U.S. Navy has requested an increase to the vertical limits of 
R-6312 from 12,000 feet above MSL to FL 230 in order to provide 
airspace needed for conducting high altitude release bombing training. 
The current upper limit of 12,000 feet above MSL is not suitable for 
meeting this training requirement. No other changes to R-6312 are 
requested.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 73 to raise the 
vertical limits of R-6312 from 12,000 feet above MSL to FL 230. This 
additional altitude is required in order to meet the Navy's requirement 
for high altitude release bombing training. No other changes to R-6312 
are proposed by this action. Section 73.63 of 14 CFR part 73 was 
republished in FAA Order 7400.8H, dated September 1, 2000.
    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. 
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, will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the 
criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

[[Page 18056]]

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subjected to an environmental analysis in 
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1D, Procedures for Handling 
Environmental Impacts, prior to any FAA final regulatory action.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 73

    Airspace, Navigation (air).

The Proposed Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73--SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE

    1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 
FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec. 73.63  [Amended]

    2. Sec. 73.63 is amended as follows:
* * * * *

R-6312 Cotulla, TX  [Amended]

    By removing the current designated altitudes and substituting the 
following:

Designated Altitudes

    Surface to FL 230, excluding the area west of a line between lat. 
28 deg.17'41" N., long. 98 deg.47'56" W.; and lat. 28 deg.11'56" N., 
long. 98 deg.48'01" W.; and the area along Highway 624 extending \1/4\ 
mile each side where the floor is 1,000 feet AGL.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 30, 2001.
Reginald C. Matthews,
Manager, Airspace and Rules Division.
[FR Doc. 01-8438 Filed 4-4-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U