[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55366-55368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19606]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0551; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASW-6]
RIN 2120-AA66


Revocation, Establishment, and Amendment of Class E Airspace; 
Multiple Texas Towns

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action revokes the Class E airspace extending upward from 
700 feet above the surface at Ambassador Field, Big Sandy, TX; and 
establishes and amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface at several Texas airports. This action is the result 
of airspace reviews caused by the decommissioning of the Quitman VHF 
omnidirectional range (VOR) navigation aid as part of the VOR Minimum 
Operational Network (MON) Program. The names and geographic coordinates 
of several airports are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database.

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, November 5, 2020. The Director of the 
Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under 
Title 1 Code of

[[Page 55367]]

Federal Regulations part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA 
Order 7400.11 and publication of conforming amendments.

ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11E, Airspace Designations and Reporting 
Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://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 7400.11E at NARA, email [email protected] 
or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

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 revokes the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface at Ambassador Field, Big Sandy, TX; establishes Class E 
airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Fox 
Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal Airport, Gilmer, TX; Gladewater 
Municipal Airport, Gladewater, TX; and Winnsboro Municipal Airport, 
Winnsboro, TX; and amends the Class E airspace upward from 700 above 
the surface at Wood County Airport-Collins Field, Mineola/Quitman, TX, 
contained within the Mineola, TX, airspace legal description, and at 
Mount Pleasant Regional Airport, Mount Pleasant, TX, to support 
instrument flight rule operations at these airports.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal 
Register (85 FR 35206; June 8, 2020) for Docket No. FAA-2020-0551 to 
revoke the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at Ambassador Field, Big Sandy, TX; and establish and amend 
Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at 
several Texas airports. Interested parties were invited to participate 
in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the 
proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.
    Subsequent to publication of the NPRM, the FAA discovered 
typographical errors in the geographic coordinates of Gladewater 
Municipal Airport, Gladewater, TX, (``long. 94[deg]58'19'' W'' should 
be ``long. 94[deg]58'18'' W'') and Mount Pleasant Regional Airport, 
Mount Pleasant, TX (``lat. 33[deg]06'49'' N'' should be ``lat. 
33[deg]05'49'' N''). These errors are corrected in this action. 
Additionally, it was discovered that the name of Mineola Wisener Field 
(previously Mineola-Wisener Airport), Mineola, TX, should have been 
updated. As this update does not affect the airspace dimensions 
contained in the proposal, this omission is included in this action.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 of 
FAA Order 7400.11E, dated July 21, 2020, and effective September 15, 
2020, 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 7400.11E, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, and effective September 15, 
2020. FAA Order 7400.11E is publicly available as listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11E 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:
    Removes the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface at Ambassador Field, Big Sandy, TX, as the instrument 
procedures at this airfield have been cancelled so the airspace is no 
longer required;
    Establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface within a 6.4-mile radius of Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer 
Municipal Airport, Gilmer, TX (This airspace was previously contained 
within the Big Sandy, TX, airspace legal description.);
    Establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface within a 6.4-mile radius of Gladewater Municipal Airport, 
Gladewater, TX (This airspace was previously contained within the Big 
Sandy, TX, airspace legal description.);
    Amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface to within a 6.4-mile (increased from a 6.3-mile) radius of 
Wood County Airport-Collins Field, Mineola/Quitman, TX, contained 
within the Mineola, TX, airspace legal description; adds an extension 
3.8 miles east and 5.7 miles west of the 182[deg] bearing from Wood 
County Airport-Collins Field extending from the 6.4-mile radius to 21.3 
miles south of Wood County Airport-Collins Field; removes the cities 
associated with the Mineola Wisener Field, Mineola, TX, and Wood County 
Airport-Collins Field to comply with changes to FAA Order 7400.2M, 
Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; updates the name and 
geographic coordinates of the Wood County Airport-Collins Field 
(previously Mineola-Quitman Airport) to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database; and updates the name of Mineola Wisener Field 
(previously Mineola-Wisener Airport) to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database;
    Amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface to within a 6.6-mile (increased from a 6.4-mile) radius of 
Mount Pleasant Regional Airport, Mount Pleasant, TX; removes the 
Quitman VORTAC and Mount Pleasant RBN and the associated extensions 
from the airspace legal description, as they are no longer required; 
removes Winnsboro Municipal Airport, Winnsboro, TX, from the Mount 
Pleasant, TX, airspace legal description as the airspace no longer 
adjoins the Mount Pleasant Regional Airport airspace; and updates the 
name and geographic coordinates of the Mount Pleasant Regional Airport 
(previously Mount Pleasant Municipal Airport) to coincide with the 
FAA's aeronautical database.
    And establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface within a 6.3-mile radius of Winnsboro Municipal 
Airport, Winnsboro, TX. (This airspace was previously contained within 
the Mount Pleasant, TX, airspace legal description but is being 
separated as the Winnsboro Municipal Airport airspace and Mount

[[Page 55368]]

Pleasant Regional airspace no longer adjoin.) This action is the result 
of airspace reviews caused by the decommissioning of the Quitman VOR, 
which provided navigation information for the instrument procedures 
these airports, as part of the VOR MON Program.
    FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

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 7400.11E, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, and 
effective September 15, 2020, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Big Sandy, TX [Removed]

* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Gilmer, TX [Establish]

Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal Airport, TX
    (Lat. 32[deg]41'53'' N, long. 94[deg]56'56'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.4-mile radius of Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal 
Airport.
* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Gladewater, TX [Establish]

Gladewater Municipal Airport, TX
    (Lat. 32[deg]31'44'' N, long. 94[deg]58'18'' W)
    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.4-mile radius of Gladewater Municipal Airport.
* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Mineola, TX [Amended]

Mineola Wisener Field, TX
    (Lat. 32[deg]40'36'' N, long. 95[deg]30'39'' W)
Wood County Airport-Collins Field, TX
    (Lat. 32[deg]44'32'' N, long. 95[deg]29'47'' W)
    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.3-mile radius of Mineola Wisener Field, and within a 6.4-
mile radius of Wood County Airport-Collins Field, and within 3.8 
miles east and 5.7 miles west of the 182[deg] bearing from the Wood 
County Airport-Collins Field extending from the 6.4-mile radius of 
Wood County Airport-Collins Field to 21.3 miles south of Wood County 
Airport-Collins Field.
* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Mount Pleasant, TX [Amended]

Mount Pleasant Regional Airport, TX
    (Lat. 33[deg]05'49'' N, long. 94[deg]57'42'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.6-mile radius of Mount Pleasant Regional Airport.
* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Winnsboro, TX [Establish]

Winnsboro Municipal Airport, TX
    (Lat. 32[deg]56'20'' N, long. 95[deg]16'44'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.3-mile radius of Winnsboro Municipal Airport.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 1, 2020.
Martin A. Skinner,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2020-19606 Filed 9-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P