[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 72949-72950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23759]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2005-23081; Airspace Docket No. 05-AAL-31]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendments to Colored Federal Airways; AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to revoke colored Federal Airway B-12, 
modify three colored Federal Airways B-4, R-50 and G-7, and establish 
colored Federal Airway R-4 in Alaska. These amendments would remove all 
airways and routes off the Bishop, AK, Nondirectional Radio Beacon 
(NDB) in preparation for the NDB's eventual decommissioning from the 
National Airspace System (NAS).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 23, 2006.

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 
number FAA-2005-23081 and Airspace Docket No. 05-AAL-31, at the 
beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken McElroy, Airspace and Rules, 
Office of System Operations Airspace and AIM, 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 both docket numbers (FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2005-23081 and Airspace Docket No. 05-AAL-31) and be submitted in 
triplicate to the Docket Management System (see ADDRESSES section for 
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
    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 Docket No. FAA-2005-23081 and Airspace Docket No. 05-AAL-31.'' The 
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    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 action may be changed in light of 
comments received. All comments submitted will be available for 
examination in the public 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. Recently published rulemaking documents 
can also be accessed through the FAA's Web page at http://www.faa.gov 
or the Federal Register's Web page at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.
    You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any 
comments received, and any final disposition in person in the Dockets 
Office (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number) between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. An 
informal docket may also be examined during normal business hours at 
the office of the Regional Air Traffic Division, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, 14, Anchorage, AK 99533.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRM's should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677, 
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed

[[Page 72950]]

Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Background

    In October 2005, it was determined that continued operation of the 
Bishop, AK, NDB was in jeopardy at its current location because of 
riverbank erosion along the Yukon River to within 150 feet of the NDB 
site. This action is needed to reconfigure the airways to exclude the 
Bishop, AK, NDB.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to revoke colored Federal Airway B-12, 
modify three colored Federal Airways B-4, R-50 and G-7, and establish 
colored Federal Airway R-4 in Alaska. The FAA is proposing this action 
to remove all airways and routes off the Bishop NDB, AK, in preparation 
for the NDB's eventual decommissioning from the NAS.
    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 Department of Transportation (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 proposed 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.

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--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(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 
FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

    2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 
7400.9N, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated September 1, 
2005, and effective September 15, 2005, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6009(d)--Blue Federal Airways

* * * * *

B-12 [Revoked]

* * * * *

B-4 [Revised]

    From Utopia Creek, AK, NDB; Evansville, AK, NDB; to Yukon River, 
AK, NDB.
* * * * *

Paragraph 6009(b)--Red Federal Airways

* * * * *

R-4 [New]

    From Chena, AK, NDB; to Bear Creek, AK, NDB
* * * * *

R-50 [Revised]

    From Nanwak, AK, NDB, via Oscarville, AK, NDB; Anvik, AK, NDB.
* * * * *

Paragraph 6009(a)--Green Federal Airways

* * * * *

G-7 [Revised]

    From Gambell, AK, NDB; Fort Davis, AK, NDB; Norton Bay, AK, NDB
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, November 29, 2005.
Edith V. Parish,
Manager, Airspace and Rules.

[FR Doc. 05-23759 Filed 12-7-05; 8:45 am]
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