[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16669-16670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06061]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0231; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-46]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Establishment of United States Area Navigation (RNAV) 
Route T-377; Sitka, AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to establish United States Area 
Navigation (RNAV) route T-377 in the vicinity of Sitka, AK in support 
of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the 
state of Alaska.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 9, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2022-0231; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-46 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order JO 7400.11F, 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 
Rules and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher McMullin, 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 would expand the availability of RNAV in Alaska and 
improve the efficient flow of air traffic within the National Airspace 
System (NAS) by lessoning the dependency on ground based navigation.

Comments Invited

    Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed 
rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they 
may desire. Comments that provide the factual basis supporting the 
views and suggestions presented are particularly helpful in developing 
reasoned regulatory decisions on the proposal. Comments are 
specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 
environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal.
    Communications should identify both docket numbers (FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2022-0231; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-46) and be submitted in 
triplicate to the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES section for 
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the 
internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
on this action must submit with those comments a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to FAA Docket No. FAA-2022-0231; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-46.'' The 
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received on or before the specified comment 
closing date will be considered before taking action on the proposed 
rule. The proposal contained in this action may be changed in light of 
comments received. All comments submitted will be available for 
examination in the public docket both before and after the comment 
closing date. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with 
FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the 
docket.

Availability of NPRM

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
internet at https://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.
    You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any 
comments received and any final disposition in person in the Dockets 
Office (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number) between 
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. An informal docket may also be examined during normal 
business hours at the office of the Western Service Center, Operations 
Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th St., 
Des Moines, WA 98198.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 2021, and effective 
September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is publicly available as 
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11F 
lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service 
routes, and reporting points.

Background

    In 2003, Congress enacted the Vision 100--Century of Aviation 
Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. 108-176), which established a joint 
planning and development office in the FAA to manage the work related 
to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Today, 
NextGen is an ongoing FAA-led modernization of the nation's air 
transportation system to make flying safer, more efficient, and more 
predictable.
    In support of NextGen, this proposal is part of a larger and 
comprehensive T-route modernization project in the state of Alaska. The 
project mission statement states: ``To modernize Alaska's Air Traffic 
Service route structure using satellite based navigation Development of 
new T-routes and optimization of existing T-routes will enhance safety, 
increase efficiency and access, and will provide enroute continuity 
that is not subject to the restrictions associated with ground based 
airway navigation.'' As part of this project, the FAA evaluated the 
existing Colored airway structure for: (a) Direct replacement (i.e.,

[[Page 16670]]

overlay) with a T-route that offers a similar or lower Minimum Enroute 
Altitude (MEA) or Global Navigation Satellite System Minimum Enroute 
Altitude (GNSS MEA); (b) the replacement of the Colored airway with a 
T-route in an optimized but similar geographic area, while retaining 
similar or lower MEA; or (c) removal with no route structure (T-route) 
restored in that area because the value was determined to be 
insignificant.
    The aviation industry/users have indicated a desire for the FAA to 
transition the Alaskan en route navigation structure away from 
dependency on Non-Directional Beacons (NDB), and move to develop and 
improve the RNAV route structure. The Sitka, AK, (SIT) and the Nichols, 
AK, (ICK) NDBs are on the schedule to be decommissioned. Colored 
Federal airways Amber 1 (A-1) and Blue 28 (B-28) are dependent upon 
these two NDBs and will be rendered unusable once they are 
decommissioned. In order to mitigate the loss of these airways, the FAA 
proposes to establish a new T-route, T-377, in the area that would 
provide a generally lower GNSS MEA as well as continuous two-way VHF 
voice communications. The proposed route would also provide 
connectivity to RNAV route T-241 at the FOROP, AK, waypoint (WP) that 
would allow pilots to navigate to the northeast of that area toward 
Level Island, AK and points beyond.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to establish 
RNAV route T-377 in the vicinity of Sitka, AK in support of a large and 
comprehensive T-route modernization project in the state of Alaska. The 
proposed route is described below.
    T-377: The FAA proposes to establish RNAV route T-377 from the 
Annette Island, AK, (ANN) VHF Omnidirectional Radar/Distance Measuring 
Equipment (VOR/DME) to the Biorka Island, AK, (BKA) VOR and Tactical 
Air Navigational System (VORTAC) in anticipation of the decommissioning 
of SIT and ICK. The proposed route would provide alternate navigation 
options for Colored Federal airways A-1 and B-28.
    United States Area Navigation Routes are published in paragraph 
6011 of FAA Order JO 7400.11F dated August 10, 2021 and effective 
September 15, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. 
The RNAV route listed in this document would be published subsequently 
in FAA Order JO 7400.11.
    FAA Order JO 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 proposed 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 will only affect air traffic 
procedures and air navigation, it is certified that this proposed rule, 
when promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in 
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies 
and Procedures'' prior to any FAA final regulatory action.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

The Proposed Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration proposes to amend 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 14 CFR 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 JO 
7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 
2021, and effective September 15, 2021, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6011 United States Area Navigation Routes

* * * * *

T-377 Annette Island, AK (ANN) to Biorka Island, AK (BKA) [New]
 
Annette Island, AK (ANN)                          VOR/DME                       (Lat. 55[deg]03'37.47'' N, long. 131[deg]34'42.24'' W)
INEPE, AK                                         WP                            (Lat. 55[deg]35'25.84'' N, long. 133[deg]24'52.15'' W)
FOROP, AK                                         WP                            (Lat. 56[deg]05'08.84'' N, long. 134[deg]21'39.59'' W)
Biorka Island, AK (BKA)                           VORTAC                        (Lat. 56[deg]51'33.87'' N, long. 135[deg]33'04.72'' W)
 

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2022.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-06061 Filed 3-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P