[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10170-10171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05165]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0153]


Recommendations for Facilities Realignments To Support Transition 
to NextGen as Part of Section 804 of the FAA Modernization and Reform 
Act of 2012--Parts 4 & 5; 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, Parts 4 & 5. 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 May 3, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2019-0153 
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 website, 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].

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; operational and airspace 
factors; existing facility conditions and workforce impacts; industry 
stakeholder input; costs and benefits associated with each potential 
realignment alternative; facilities and

[[Page 10171]]

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 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 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.\1\ A copy of the National Facilities Realignment 
and Consolidation Report, Parts 4 & 5 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 website 
at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/recently_published/.
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    \1\ The National Facilities Realignment and Consolidation 
Report, Part 1 was published in the Federal Register on March 26, 
2015 (80 FR 16078) (docket no.: FAA-2015-0693). The National 
Facilities Realignment and Consolidation Report, Part 2 was 
published in the Federal Register on June 7, 2016 (81 FR 36650) 
(docket no.: FAA-2016-4000). The National Facilities Realignment and 
Consolidation Report, Part 3 was published in the Federal Register 
on July 17, 2017 (82 FR 32750) (docket no.: FAA-2017-0706).
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    The realignment recommendations outlined in the National Facilities 
Realignment and Consolidation Report, Parts 4 & 5 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 May 3, 2019. 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 March 7, 2019.
William Middleswart,
Section 804 Analysis Program Manager, Management Services, Federal 
Aviation Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-05165 Filed 3-18-19; 8:45 am]
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