[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 135 (Monday, July 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32750-32751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14872]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0706]


Recommendations for Facilities Realignments To Support Transition 
to NextGen as Part of Section 804 of the FAA Modernization and Reform 
Act of 2012--Part 3; Request for Comments

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of the FAA National 
Facilities Realignment and Consolidation Report, Part 3. The report was 
developed in response to Section 804 of the FAA Modernization and 
Reform Act of 2012. The report and recommendations contained therein 
have been developed collaboratively with the National Air Traffic 
Controllers Association (NATCA) and the Professional Aviation Safety 
Specialists (PASS) labor unions and with input from stakeholders. The 
FAA seeks comments on this report.

DATES: Send comments on or before August 31, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-0706 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the 
docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all 
comments received into any FAA dockets, including name of the 
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or visit Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of 
the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Middleswart, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 
email: [email protected]; phone: (202) 267-1439.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 804 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. 
L. 112-95) requires the FAA to develop a plan for realigning and 
consolidating facilities in an effort to support the transition to 
NextGen and reduce costs where such cost reductions can be implemented 
without adversely affecting safety. To address Section 804 
requirements, the FAA formed a collaborative workgroup of 
representatives from the FAA and NATCA and PASS labor unions to develop 
a comprehensive process to analyze different realignment and 
consolidation scenarios. The collaborative process takes into account 
the following factors and criteria when prioritizing facilities for 
realignment analysis: NextGen readiness; the Terminal Automation 
program schedule; operational and airspace factors; existing facility 
conditions and workforce impacts; industry stakeholder input; costs and 
benefits associated with each potential realignment alternative; 
facilities and engineering planning and priorities; and employee career 
development.
    The collaborative workgroup developed the guiding principles and 
criteria for evaluating existing Terminal Radar Approach Control 
(TRACON) operations. The principles support the goals of developing 
operationally viable realignment and consolidation scenarios, capturing 
recommendations, and outlining next steps. The workgroup has developed 
a repeatable and defensible four-step process to evaluate facility 
TRACON operations and prioritize for analysis; determine an initial set 
of realignment scenarios and a set of alternatives for each scenario; 
collect facility and operational data and

[[Page 32751]]

document system requirements; document facility, equipment, 
infrastructure, operational and safety data; capture qualitative 
workforce considerations, including training, transition, facility, and 
potential workforce impacts of potential realignments; consider 
potential impacts on operations, airspace modifications, route/fixes 
changes, arrival/departure procedures, intra/inter-facility 
coordination, and pilot community interaction; collect and consider 
industry stakeholder input; quantify benefits and cost of potential 
realignments; and develop a recommendation for each realignment 
scenario. A copy of this report has been placed in the docket for this 
notice. The docket may be accessed at http://www.regulations.gov. A 
copy of the report has also been made available on the FAA's Web site 
at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/recently_published/.
    The realignment recommendations outlined in the Part 3 report are 
the result of a collaborative process that involved a multi-
disciplinary team of FAA management, labor, field facilities, finance, 
and subject matter experts. The Section 804 process serves as a stable 
foundation for future realignment analyses and recommendations. The 
process aims to maximize operational, administrative, and maintenance 
efficiencies, support transition to NextGen, and deliver the highest 
value to stakeholders.
    The FAA is requesting comments on this report pursuant to Section 
804 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. The agency will 
consider all comments received on or before August 31, 2017. Following 
a 60-day comment review period, the final report along with public 
comments will be submitted to Congress. The FAA continues to analyze 
data collected from facilities across the United States and evaluate 
possible realignment scenarios.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 10, 2017.
William Middleswart,
Management Services, Federal Aviation Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-14872 Filed 7-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P