[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20787-20788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8020]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 73

[Docket No. FAA-2007-27850; Airspace Docket No. 07-ASO-5]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment to Restricted Areas R-3702A and R-3702B Fort 
Campbell, KY

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend the designated altitudes of 
restricted areas R-3702A and R-3702B, Fort Campbell, KY, to better 
accommodate training requirements and provide greater access to the 
airspace for nonparticipating aircraft flying through the area above 
10,000 feet MSL.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 11, 2007.

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 FAA Docket 
No. FAA-2007-27850 and Airspace Docket No. 07-ASO-05, at the beginning 
of your comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at 
http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, Airspace and Rules 
Group, 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-2007-27850 and Airspace Docket No. 07-ASO-05) 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 FAA Docket No. FAA-2007-27850 and Airspace Docket No. 07-ASO-05.'' 
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, 1601 Lind Avenue, 14, SW., Renton, WA 98055.
    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 
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Background

    R-3702A and R-3702B were established to contain a variety of 
hazardous activities involving both ground-based and aircraft weapons 
systems. Currently, R-3702A extends from ground level up to and 
including 6,000 feet MSL. R-3702B overlies R-3702A and extends from 
6,000 feet MSL to Flight Level (FL) 220. A third subdivision, 
restricted area R-3702C,

[[Page 20788]]

overlies R-3702A and B, and extends from FL 220 to FL 270, but is not 
affected by this proposed action.
    Hazardous training operations conducted in these areas only require 
restricted airspace up to 10,000 feet MSL. However, under the current 
configuration, R-3702A only extends up to 6,000 feet MSL. Therefore, to 
provide protection when hazardous training operations are being 
conducted at 10,000 feet MSL and below, R-3702B must also be activated. 
This results in periods when the airspace between 11,000 feet MSL and 
FL 220 is being unnecessarily restricted and unavailable for transit by 
nonparticipating aircraft. Resetting the altitude boundary between R-
3702A and R-3702B at 10,000 feet MSL instead of 6,000 feet MSL, would 
permit more efficient airspace management and allow air traffic control 
(ATC) to provide better service to civil aircraft in that area.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing to amend Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 
(14 CFR) part 73 to realign the designated altitudes of restricted 
areas R-3702A and R-3702B at Fort Campbell, KY. The proposal would 
change the designated altitudes for R-3702A from ``surface to 6,000 
feet MSL,'' to ``surface to 10,000 feet MSL.'' In addition, the 
designated altitudes for R-3702B would be changed from ``6,000 feet MSL 
to FL 220,'' to ``10,000 feet MSL to FL 220.'' The proposed change 
would permit Fort Campbell to conduct training that involves hazardous 
operations not exceeding 10,000 feet MSL without unnecessarily 
restricting aircraft from transiting the area at higher altitudes. This 
change would allow ATC to provide better service to nonparticipating 
aircraft in the area.
    Section 73.37 of Title 14 CFR part 73 was republished in FAA Order 
7400.8N, dated February 16, 2007.
    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.

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subject to the appropriate environmental 
analysis in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts: 
Policies and Procedures, 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.  73.37  [Amended]

    2. Section 73.37 is amended as follows:
* * * * *

R-3702A Fort Campbell, KY [Amended]

    Under Designated altitudes, by removing the words ``Surface to 
6,000 feet MSL,'' and inserting the words ``Surface to 10,000 feet 
MSL.''
* * * * *

R-3702B Fort Campbell, KY [Amended]

    Under Designated altitudes, by removing the words ``6,000 feet MSL 
to FL 220,'' and inserting the words ``10,000 feet MSL to FL 220.''
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, April 20, 2007.
Paul Gallant,
Acting Manager, Airspace and Rules Group.
[FR Doc. E7-8020 Filed 4-25-07; 8:45 am]
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