[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3817-3819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00995]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2019-0998; Airspace Docket No. 18-AGL-16]
RIN 2120-AA66
Amendment of Area Navigation (RNAV) Route T-217 in the Vicinity
of Springfield, OH
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action amends low altitude area navigation (RNAV) route
T-217 in the vicinity of Springfield, OH, to update the facility type
listed for the Springfield, OH (SGH), route point in the T-route
description. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned
decommissioning of the VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) portion of the
Springfield VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid
(NAVAID). No existing route structure or air traffic services are
affected by this action.
DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, March 26, 2020. 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 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting
Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/.
[[Page 3818]]
For further information, you can contact the Rules and Regulations
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
7400.11D at NARA, email [email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Rules and Regulations
Group, Office of Policy, 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 modifies the route structure in the National Airspace
System as necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air
traffic.
History
The FAA is planning to decommission the VOR portion of the
Springfield, OH, VOR/DME NAVAID in March, 2020. The Springfield, OH,
VOR was one of the candidate VORs identified for discontinuance by the
FAA's VOR Minimum Operating Network (VOR MON) program and listed in the
Final policy statement notice, ``Provision of Navigation Services for
the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Transition to
Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) (Plan for Establishing a VOR Minimum
Operational Network),'' published in the Federal Register of July 26,
2016 (81 FR 48694), Docket No. FAA-2011-1082. Although the VOR portion
of the Springfield, OH, VOR/DME is being decommissioned, the
Springfield, OH, DME is being retained in the same location and charted
as a DME facility with the same ``SGH'' identifier.
In reviewing ATS route dependencies associated with the
Springfield, OH, VOR/DME, the FAA identified T-217 as the only air
traffic service (ATS) route dependency. Since the Springfield, OH, DME
facility is being retained in the same location with the same SGH
identifier, the FAA determined T-217 could be retained as published,
with minor editorial corrections to the description, to continue
supporting enroute airspace users, as well as ongoing NextGen efforts
to transition the national airspace system to performance-based
navigation.
This rule makes an editorial amendment to the T-217 legal
description to reflect the Springfield, OH (SGH), route point as a DME
facility due to the Springfield, OH, VOR being decommissioned.
Additionally, other minor editorial corrections are being made to
comply with route description policy guidance. The editorial amendment
and corrections to T-217 do not change the route's structure,
operational use, or charted depiction.
Low altitude RNAV T-routes are published in paragraph 6011 of FAA
Order 7400.11D dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019,
which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The low altitude
RNAV T-route listed in this rule will be subsequently published in the
Order.
FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is
published yearly and effective on September 15.
Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference
This document amends FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and
Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15,
2019. FAA Order 7400.11D is publicly available as listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11D lists Class A,
B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and
reporting points.
The Rule
The FAA is amending Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR)
part 71 by modifying RNAV route T-217. The planned decommissioning of
the VOR portion of the Springfield, OH, VOR/DME NAVAID has made this
action necessary. The route modification is editorial in nature and
simply changes the type of facility listed for the Springfield, OH
(SGH) route point. A number of minor editorial formatting corrections
are also made. No air traffic services are affected by this action and
no substantive change to the RNAV route is being made. Therefore,
notice and public procedures under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) is unnecessary.
The RNAV route modifications accomplished by this action are
outlined below.
T-217: T-217 extends between the Lexington, KY, VOR/Tactical Air
Navigation (VORTAC) and the BONEE, OH, fix. This rule changes the
Springfield, OH (SGH) route point from being listed as ``VOR/DME'' to
``DME''. Additionally, the Lexington VORTAC ``HYK'' identifier is added
to the first line of the route description and the geographic
coordinates of each route point are updated to be expressed in degrees,
minutes, seconds, and hundredths of a second. The existing RNAV route
remains as charted.
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.
Environmental Review
The FAA has determined that this action of modifying RNAV route T-
217 near Springfield, OH, qualifies for categorical exclusion under the
National Environmental Policy Act and its implementing regulations at
40 CFR part 1500, and in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F,
Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, Paragraph 5-6.5a, which
categorically excludes from further environmental impact review
rulemaking actions that designate or modify classes of airspace areas,
airways, routes, and reporting points (see 14 CFR part 71, Designation
of Class A, B, C, D, and E Airspace Areas; Air Traffic Service Routes;
and Reporting Points). As such, this action is not expected to result
in any potentially significant environmental impacts. In accordance
with FAA Order 1050.1F, paragraph 5-2 regarding Extraordinary
Circumstances, the FAA
[[Page 3819]]
has reviewed this action for factors and circumstances in which a
normally categorically excluded action may have a significant
environmental impact requiring further analysis. The FAA has determined
no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an
environmental assessment or environmental impact study.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71
Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).
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(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 7400.11D,
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and
effective September 15, 2019, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6011 United States Area Navigation Routes.
* * * * *
T-217 Lexington, KY (HYK) to BONEE, OH [Amended]
Lexington, KY (HYK) VORTAC (Lat. 37[deg]57'58.86'' N, long. 84[deg]28'21.06'' W)
BOSTR, OH FIX (Lat. 38[deg]53'08.13'' N, long. 84[deg]04'58.02'' W)
HEDEN, OH FIX (Lat. 39[deg]16'44.88'' N, long. 84[deg]02'02.37'' W)
PRUDE, OH FIX (Lat. 39[deg]25'44.92'' N, long. 83[deg]56'58.60'' W)
Springfield, OH (SGH) DME (Lat. 39[deg]50'11.55'' N, long. 83[deg]50'41.84'' W)
BONEE, OH FIX (Lat. 40[deg]03'08.85'' N, long. 83[deg]56'56.15'' W)
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2020.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-00995 Filed 1-22-20; 8:45 am]
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