[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 55 (Monday, March 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15268-15269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06538]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Complementary Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Capability; 
Notice; Request for Public Comments

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to seek comment from the public 
and industry regarding potential plans by the United States Government 
to implement an enhanced Long Range Navigation (eLoran) system as a 
complementary positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capability to 
the Global Positioning System (GPS). The positioning, navigation, and 
timing performance of eLoran will vary widely depending on the number 
of transmitters and monitor sites for corrections that are implemented.
    The Department of Transportation seeks input on: (a) A brief 
description of your application(s) of positioning, navigation, and 
timing services; (b) the positioning, navigation, and/or timing 
performance required for a complementary PNT capability to

[[Page 15269]]

support operations during a disruption of GPS that could last for 
longer than a day, (c) availability and coverage area required for a 
complementary PNT capability, (d) willingness to equip with an eLoran 
receiver to reduce or prevent operational and/or economic consequences 
from a GPS disruption, (e) current and planned availability of e-Loran 
capable user equipment, (f) other non-eLoran PNT technologies or 
operational procedures, currently available or planned, that could be 
used during a disruption of GPS for longer than a day.

DATES: Submit comments on or before May 22, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number [DOT-
OST-2015-0053] using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting comments.
    Confidential Business Information: If you wish to submit any 
information under a claim of confidentiality, you should submit three 
copies of your complete submission, including the information you claim 
to be confidential business information, to the address given below 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. In addition, you should submit a 
copy from which you have deleted the claimed confidential business 
information to the docket. When you send a comment containing 
information identified as confidential business information, you should 
include a cover letter setting forth the reasons you believe the 
information qualifies as ``confidential business information''. (49 CFR 
7.17)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice, 
contact Karen L. Van Dyke, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Research and Technology Administration; Director, Positioning, 
Navigation, and Timing and Spectrum Management, telephone 202-366-3180 
or email [email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Barbara Hairston, Docket 
Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    The United States Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing 
policy requires that the Department of Transportation in coordination 
with the Department of Homeland Security, develop, acquire, operate, 
and maintain backup positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities 
that can support critical transportation, homeland security, and other 
critical civil and commercial infrastructure applications within the 
United States, in the event of a disruption of the Global Positioning 
System or other space-based positioning, navigation, and timing 
services. The United States Government is currently investigating 
implementation of an eLoran system to serve as a complementary PNT 
capability to GPS. The positioning, navigation, and timing performance 
of eLoran will vary widely depending on the number of transmitters and 
monitor sites for corrections that are implemented.
    The Department of Transportation seeks input on: (a) A brief 
description of your application(s) of positioning, navigation, and 
timing services; (b) the positioning, navigation, and/or timing 
performance required for a complementary PNT capability during a 
disruption of GPS that could last for longer than a day, (c) 
availability and coverage area required for a complementary PNT 
capability, (d) willingness to equip with an eLoran receiver to reduce 
or prevent operational and/or economic consequences from a GPS 
disruption, (e) current and planned availability of e-Loran capable 
user equipment,(f) other non-eLoran PNT technologies or operational 
procedures, currently available or planned, that could be used during a 
disruption of GPS for longer than a day.

Public Participation

    You may submit comments and related material regarding this notice. 
All comments received will be posted, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include the 
docket number for this notice (DOT-OST-2015-0053) and provide a reason 
for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and 
material online or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but please use only 
one of these means. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of 
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
use ``DOT-OST-2015-0053'' as your search term. Locate this notice in 
the results and click the corresponding ``Comment Now'' box to submit 
your comment. If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, 
submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, 
suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by 
mail and would like to know that they reached the docket, please 
enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    We will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period.
    Viewing the comments: To view comments, as well as documents 
mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov and use ``DOT-OST-2015-0053'' as your search term. 
Use the filters on the left side of the page to highlight ``Public 
Submissions'' or other document types. If you do not have access to the 
Internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket 
Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a 
Privacy Act system of records notice regarding our public dockets in 
the January 17, 2008 issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2015.
Gregory D. Winfree,
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2015-06538 Filed 3-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P