[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 109 (Thursday, June 6, 2019)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 26341-26342] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2019-11773] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 71 [Docket No. FAA-2019-0105; Airspace Docket No. 19-AGL-9] RIN 2120-AA66 Amendment of Class E Airspace; Manistique, MI AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This action modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Schoolcraft County Airport, Manistique, MI. This action is due to an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Schoolcraft VHF omnidirectional range (VOR), which provided navigation information to the instrument procedures at this airport, as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of Schoolcraft County Airport are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautic database. Airspace redesign is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport. DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, August 15, 2019. The Director of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under Title 1 Code of Federal Regulations part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA Order 7400.11 and publication of conforming amendments. ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the Airspace Policy Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267- 8783. The Order is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of FAA Order 7400.11C at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html. FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is published yearly and effective on September 15. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5711. 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 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 amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Schoolcraft County Airport, Manistique, MI, to support IFR operations at this airport. History The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register (84 FR 8834; March 12, 2019) for Docket No. FAA-2019-0105 to amend the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Schoolcraft County Airport, Manistique, MI. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. Two comments were received supporting the proposed action. The FAA provides the following response. Class E airspace extending from 700 feet and 1,200 feet above the surface of an airport is provided for transition to and from the terminal or en route environment within the National Airspace System. The size and design of this airspace is determined by FAA Order 7400.2M, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters, and is designed to enhance safety and support IFR operations at the associated airports. Airspace design does not ``cause'' the decommissioning of a navigational aid. The decommissioning of the Schoolcraft VOR was determined by the VOR MON Program, a national program. Airspace redesign is needed due to the decommissioning of the Schoolcraft VOR and the cancellation and revision of instrument flight procedures at the airport. Airspace design takes the current airport requirements and current instrument and visual departures and arrival procedures into consideration to insure the safety of operations at the airport. Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 of FAA Order 7400.11C, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class E airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in the Order. Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference This document amends FAA Order 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018. FAA Order 7400.11C is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11C lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points. The Rule This amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by amending the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface to within a 6.5-mile radius (reduced from a 7-mile radius) of Schoolcraft County Airport, Manistique, MI; amending the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface to within a 9-mile radius of Schoolcraft County Airport; removing the extension to the east of the airport, as it is no longer required; removing the city associated with the airport from the airspace legal description to comply with FAA Order 7400.2M, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; and updating the geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action is the result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Schoolcraft VOR, which provided [[Page 26342]] navigation information for the instrument procedures at these airports, as part of the VOR MON Program. 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, is non-controversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative comments. It, therefore: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under 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. Environmental Review The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures,'' paragraph 5-6.5.a. This airspace action is not expected to cause any potentially significant environmental impacts, and no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an environmental assessment. Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71 Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air). Adoption of the Amendment In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows: PART 71--DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS 0 1. The authority citation for part 71 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. 71.1 [Amended] 0 2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018, is amended as follows: Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth. * * * * * AGL MI E5 Manistique, MI [Amended] Schoolcraft County Airport, MI (Lat. 45[deg]58'29'' N, long. 86[deg]10'19'' W) That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 6.5-mile radius of Schoolcraft County Airport, and that airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface within a 9-mile radius of Schoolcraft County Airport. Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 29, 2019. John A. Witucki, Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center. [FR Doc. 2019-11773 Filed 6-5-19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-P