[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6504-6506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02330]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 73

[Docket No. FAA-2013-1063; Airspace Docket No. 13-ASO-25]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of Restricted Areas R-3008A, B, C, and D; 
Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend the time of designation for 
restricted areas R-3008A, B, C, and D, Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA, by 
expanding the timeframe during which the areas may be activated without 
prior issuance of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). This change would better 
inform the flying public of routine use periods for the airspace as 
well as reduce the need to issue NOTAMs when necessary to activate the 
restricted areas outside the published ``core hours.''

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 21, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 
telephone: (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2013-
1063 and Airspace Docket No. 13-ASO-25, at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Comments on environmental and land use aspects to 
should be directed to:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, Airspace Policy and 
Regulations Group, Office of Airspace Services, 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-2013-1063 and Airspace Docket No. 13-ASO-25) 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://www.regulations.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-2013-1063 and Airspace Docket No. 13-ASO-25.'' 
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

[[Page 6505]]

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://www.regulations.gov.
    You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any 
comments received and any final disposition in person at the Dockets 
Office (see ADDRESSES section for 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 office of the Operations Support Group, Eastern 
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 1701 Columbia Ave., 
College Park, GA 30337.
    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

    Restricted areas R-3008A, B, and C, Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA, 
were established in July 1987 (52 FR 18552). R-3008D was added in April 
1994 (59 FR 10748). Originally, the time of designation for all areas 
was 0700-1900 Monday-Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance. 
The time of designation for R-3008A, B, C and D was expanded to 0700-
2200 local time Monday-Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance 
to accommodate increased night flying training requirements (62 FR 
67268, February 26, 1998). The restricted areas may also be activated 
outside the above ``core hours,'' including on weekends, provided a 
NOTAM is issued 6 hours in advance.
    For several years, use of the restricted areas by the 23rd Wing at 
Moody Air Force Base, GA, has routinely extended past the charted 2200 
local time on Monday through Thursday (routine use on Fridays has 
remained 0700-2200 local time). This requires the using agency to issue 
NOTAMs daily from Monday to Thursday in order to activate the airspace 
between 2200 and 0130 local time. In addition, current usage has shown 
that operations during the Monday to Thursday period normally begin at 
0800 local time instead of 0700.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 73 to change the 
time of designation for restricted areas R-3008A, B, C, and D, Grand 
Bay Weapons Range, GA, from ``0700-2200 local time, Monday-Friday; 
other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance,'' to ``0800-0130 local time 
Monday-Thursday; 0700-2200 hours local time Friday; other times by 
NOTAM 6 hours in advance.'' The change would expand the time frame 
during which the restricted areas could be activated without prior 
issuance of a NOTAM.
    The proposed times would capture the vast majority of the day-to-
day operations currently occurring in R-3008, provide more accurate 
notice to the flying public of expected routine use of the airspace and 
reduce the time and workload needed to issue daily NOTAMs. A NOTAM 
would still be required to activate the airspace outside the proposed 
amended times, to include any weekend operations.
    As with the current practice, the restricted areas would be 
returned to the controlling agency and made available for access by 
nonparticipating aircraft during periods when the airspace is not 
needed by the using agency.
    The FAA would also make a minor editorial change to the R-3008C 
description by moving the wording that excludes the airspace around the 
city of Lakeland, GA from the ``designated altitudes'' section to the 
``boundaries'' section. This change would retain the exclusion 
requirement, but would simply move the text to a different place in the 
description of R-3008C.
    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.
    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 the 
airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient 
use of airspace. This proposed regulation is within the scope of that 
authority as it would amend the time of designation for restricted area 
R-3008 to accommodate essential military training and better inform the 
flying public of expected usage of the airspace.

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subjected to an 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, Prohibited Areas, Restricted Areas.

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

0
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.  73.30  (Amended)

0
2. Sec.  73.30 is amended as follows:
* * * * *

1. R-3008A Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA [Amended]

    By removing ``Time of designation. 0700-2200 local time, Monday-
Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance,'' and adding in its 
place ``Time of designation. 0800-0130 local time, Monday-Thursday; 
0700-2200 local time Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance.

2. R-3008B Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA [Amended]

    By removing ``Time of designation. 0700-2200 local time, Monday-
Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance,'' and adding in its 
place ``Time of designation. 0800-0130 local time, Monday-Thursday; 
0700-2200 local time Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance.

[[Page 6506]]

3. R-3008C Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA [Amended]

    By removing the current Boundaries, Designated altitudes and Time 
of designation, and adding in their place:
    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 31[deg]04'01'' N., long. 
83[deg]01'00'' W.; to lat. 31[deg]04'01'' N., long. 83[deg]08'00'' W.; 
to lat. 31[deg]02'01'' N., long. 83[deg]09'00'' W.; to lat. 
31[deg]01'31'' N., long. 83[deg]06'00'' W.; to lat. 30[deg]54'31'' N., 
long. 83[deg]06'00'' W.; to lat. 30[deg]53'31'' N., long. 
83[deg]09'00'' W.; to lat. 30[deg]51'01'' N., long. 83[deg]08'00'' W.; 
to lat. 30[deg]51'01'' N., long. 83[deg]01'00'' W.; to the point of 
beginning; excluding the airspace below 1,500 feet AGL within a one 
nautical mile radius of lat. 31[deg]02'31'' N., long. 83[deg]04'15'' W 
(Lakeland, GA).
    Designated altitudes. 500 feet AGL to 10,000 feet MSL.
    Time of designation. 0800-0130 local time, Monday-Thursday; 0700-
2200 local time Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance.

4. R-3008D Grand Bay Weapons Range, GA [Amended]

    By removing ``Time of designation. 0700-2200 local time, Monday-
Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance,'' and adding in its 
place ``Time of designation. 0800-0130 local time, Monday-Thursday; 
0700-2200 local time Friday; other times by NOTAM 6 hours in advance.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2014.
Gary A. Norek,
Manager, Airspace Policy and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2014-02330 Filed 2-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P