[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 20, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12113-12114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05586]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 20, 2018 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 12113]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 73

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0102; Airspace Docket No. 17-AWP-20]


Modification to Restricted Areas R-2501E, R-2501N, R-2501W, and 
R-2501S; Bullion Mountains, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule, technical amendment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action amends the internal subdivision of R-2501 at 
United States Marine Corps (USMC) Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine 
Palms, CA. Restricted Areas R-2501E, R-2501N, R-2501S, and R-2501W; 
Bullion Mountains, CA will be deleted and reestablished as restricted 
areas R-2501A, R-2501B, R-2501C, R-2501D, and R-2501E. This action does 
not alter the overall vertical or lateral boundary of the restricted 
area complex, designated altitudes, times of designation, controlling 
agency, using agency, or activities conducted within the Twentynine 
Palms complex.

DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, May 24, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Ready, Airspace Policy Group, 
Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority for This Rulemaking

    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 regulation is within the scope of that 
authority as it removes restricted areas R-2501E, R-2501N, R-2501S, and 
R-2501W; Bullion Mountains, CA and realigns the internal boundaries of 
the Twentynine Palms Complex to restricted areas R-2501A, R-2501B, R-
2501C, R-2501D, and R-2501E; Bullion Mountains, CA.

Background

    In January 2015, a Special Use Airspace (SUA) review team comprised 
of members from the FAA and the USMC convened for the purpose of 
evaluating the safety and efficiency of R-2501 as an integral part of 
the National Airspace System (NAS). The team recognized that R-2501 is 
situated in a highly dynamic and increasingly strategic area within the 
NAS due to its close proximity to multiple large capacity terminal 
areas in Southern California, numerous arrival and departure routings, 
and expected future enhancements such as METROPLEX procedures to 
promote efficiency.
    Although it was the consensus of the Team for the retention of R-
2501, there was also agreement that improvements to the scheduling and 
coordination processes must be made to enhance efficiency to the NAS 
and allow more frequent access to non-participating aircraft while 
maintaining the availability of R-2501 to meet mission requirements. 
Accordingly, a functional working group was convened from team members 
to collaboratively identify where efficiencies and improvements could 
be made in meeting these objectives.
    One major potential improvement decided upon was to redesign the 
internal subdivisions of R-2501 from their current ``puzzle piece'' 
depiction to reflect a more layered configuration oriented along a 
northwest-southeast axis without actually changing the existing 
peripheral boundary of the restricted area. Thus, the aggregate 
geographical footprint of R-2501 will remain unchanged, while only the 
internal sectorization is altered. After several negotiations between 
the FAA and USMC, a final prototype was agreed on and placed into 
operational use in July 2017 through an update to the joint-use Letter 
of Procedure between Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center 
(ARTCC) and USMC. Immediate and continued feedback has been positive 
from all concerned and the FAA is taking action to legally change the 
existing internal boundaries of R-2501N, R-2501E, R-2501S, R-2501W to 
reflect the new boundaries of R-2501A, R-2501B, R-2501C, R-2501D, and 
R-2501E. The internal alterations improve airspace efficiency by better 
compartmentalizing the cumulative impact to the NAS and thus enhance 
joint-use procedures.

The Rule

    This action amends 14 CFR part 73 by removing restricted areas R-
2501N, R-2501E, R-2501S, R-2501W and establishing R-2501A, R-2501B, R-
2501C, R-2501D, and R-2501E; Bullion Mountains, CA. This action does 
not alter the overall outer vertical or lateral boundary of the 
Twentynine Palms complex. The FAA is taking this internal boundary 
realignment action to allow critical commercial air routes into the Los 
Angeles basin without impacting training at USMC Air Ground Combat 
Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.
    This is an administrative change that does not alter the 
boundaries, designated altitudes, or activities conducted within the 
restricted areas; therefore, notice and public procedure under 5 U.S.C. 
553(b) are unnecessary.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

    The FAA has determined that this regulation only involves an 
established body of technical regulations for which frequent and 
routine amendments are necessary to keep them operationally current. 
It, therefore: (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 only affects air traffic procedures 
and air navigation, it is certified that this rule, when promulgated, 
does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

[[Page 12114]]

Environmental Review

    The FAA has determined that this action of amending the internal 
subdivision of certain Restricted Ares within the Twentynine Palms 
complex, qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National 
Environmental Policy Act and in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, 
Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, paragraph 5-6.5.d, 
``Modification of the technical description of special use airspace 
(SUA) that does not alter the dimensions, altitudes, or times of 
designation of the airspace (such as changes in designation of the 
controlling or using agency, or correction of typographical errors).'' 
This airspace action is an administrative change to the internal 
subdivision of Restricted Areas within the Twentynine Palms complex. It 
does not alter the dimensions, altitudes, time of designation, or use 
of the airspace. Therefore, this airspace action is not expected to 
result in any significant environmental impacts. In accordance with FAA 
Order 1050.1F, paragraph 5-2 regarding Extraordinary Circumstances, 
this action has been reviewed for factors and circumstances in which a 
normally categorically excluded action may have a significant 
environmental impact requiring further analysis, and it is determined 
that no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of 
an environmental assessment.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 73

    Airspace, Prohibited areas, Restricted areas.

Adoption of the Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends 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(f), 106(g); 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 
10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec.  73.25   [Amended]

0
2. Section 73.25 is amended as follows:

R-2501E Bullion Mountains, CA [Removed]

R-2501N Bullion Mountains, CA [Removed]

R-2501S Bullion Mountains, CA [Removed]

R-2501W Bullion Mountains, CA [Removed]

R-2501A Bullion Mountains, CA [New]

    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 34[deg]43'00 N, long. 
116[deg]26'23'' W; to lat. 34[deg]43'00'' N, long. 116[deg]17'03'' 
W; to lat. 34[deg]39'24'' N, long. 116[deg]29'19'' W; to lat. 
34[deg]40'30'' N, long. 116[deg]29'43'' W; to the point of 
beginning.
    Designated altitudes. Unlimited.
    Time of designation. Continuous.
    Controlling agency. FAA, Los Angeles ARTCC.
    Using agency. Commanding General Marine Corps Base, Twentynine 
Palms, CA.

R-2501B Bullion Mountains, CA [New]

    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 34[deg]39'24'' N, long. 
116[deg]29'19'' W; to lat. 34[deg]43'00'' N, long. 116[deg]17'03'' 
W; to lat. 34[deg]41'15'' N, long. 116[deg]04'33'' W; to lat. 
34[deg]41'00'' N, long.116[deg]03'03'' W; to lat. 34[deg]31'30'' N, 
long. 116[deg]26'48'' W; to lat. 34[deg]36'00'' N, long. 
116[deg]28'03'' W; to the point of beginning.
    Designated altitudes. Unlimited.
    Time of designation. Continuous.
    Controlling agency. FAA, Los Angeles ARTCC.
    Using agency. Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Twentynine 
Palms, CA.

R-2501C Bullion Mountains, CA [New]

    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 34[deg]31'30'' N, long. 
116[deg]26'48'' W; to lat. 34[deg]41'00'' N, long. 116[deg]03'03'' 
W; to lat. 34[deg]35'30'' N, long. 115[deg]58'03'' W; to lat. 
34[deg]34'40'' N, long.115[deg]54'58'' W.; to lat. 34[deg]33'41'' N, 
long. 115[deg]50'24'' W; to lat. 34[deg]21'35'' N, long. 
116[deg]21'38'' W; to lat. 34[deg]30'00'' N, long. 116[deg]26'23'' 
W; to the point of beginning.
    Designated altitudes. Unlimited.
    Time of designation. Continuous.
    Controlling agency. FAA, Los Angeles ARTCC.
    Using agency. Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Twentynine 
Palms, CA.

R-2501D Bullion Mountains, CA [New]

    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 34[deg]21'35'' N, long. 
116[deg]21'38'' W; to lat. 34[deg]33'41'' N, long. 115[deg]50'24'' 
W; to lat. 34[deg]33'00'' N, long. 115[deg]47'03'' W; to lat. 
34[deg]25'00'' N, long.115[deg]47'03'' W; to lat. 34[deg]25'00'' N, 
long. 115[deg]44'03'' W; to lat. 34[deg]17'00'' N, long. 
115[deg]44'03'' W; to lat. 34[deg]14'01'' N, long. 115[deg]59'00'' 
W; to lat. 34[deg]14'00'' N, long. 116[deg]17'03'' W; to lat. 
34[deg]19'30'' N, long. 116[deg]20'29'' W; to the point of 
beginning.
    Designated altitudes. Unlimited.
    Time of designation. Continuous.
    Controlling agency. FAA, Los Angeles ARTCC.
    Using agency. Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Twentynine 
Palms, CA.

R-2501E Bullion Mountains, CA [New]

    Boundaries. Beginning at lat. 34[deg]17'00'' N, long. 
115[deg]44'03'' W; to lat. 34[deg]14'00'' N, long. 115[deg]44'03'' 
W; to lat. 34[deg]14'01'' N, long. 115[deg]59'00'' W; to the point 
of beginning.
    Designated altitudes. Unlimited.
    Time of designation. Continuous.
    Controlling agency. FAA, Los Angeles ARTCC.
    Using agency. Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Twentynine 
Palms, CA.
* * * * *


    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 12, 2018.
Rodger A. Dean, Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-05586 Filed 3-19-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P