[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 237 (Monday, December 12, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 75974-75975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26881]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1586; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-19]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of V-171 in the Vicinity of Roseau, MN

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) 
Federal airway V-171 in the vicinity of Roseau, MN. The amendment is 
due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Roseau, MN 
(ROX), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational aid 
(NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the 
affected airway. The Roseau VOR is being decommissioned as part of the 
FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 26, 2023.

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: 
1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2022-1586; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-19 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at 
www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order 7400.11G, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and 
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at 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: 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 would modify the Air Traffic Service (ATS) route 
structure as necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air 
traffic within the National Airspace System.

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-2022-1586; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-19) 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 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-2022-1586; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-19.'' 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 NPRMs

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
internet at www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at 
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 Operations Support Group, Central 
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX, 76177.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order JO 7400.11G, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 19, 2022, and effective 
September 15, 2022. FAA Order JO 7400.11G is publicly available as 
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11G 
lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service 
routes, and reporting points.

[[Page 75975]]

Background

    The FAA is planning to decommission the VOR portion of the Roseau, 
MN, VOR/DME in August, 2023. The Roseau VOR was one of the candidate 
VORs identified for discontinuance by the FAA's 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 Roseau VOR/DME NAVAID is planned 
for decommissioning, the co-located DME portion of the NAVAID is being 
retained to support NextGen PBN flight procedure requirements.
    The VOR Federal airway affected by the Roseau VOR decommissioning 
is V-171. With the planned decommissioning of the Roseau VOR, the 
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to 
enable the continuity of the affected airway. As such, the proposed 
modification to V-171 would result in the airway being shortened due to 
the Roseau VOR/DME end point being removed
    To overcome the proposed modification, instrument flight rules 
(IFR) traffic could use the adjacent VOR Federal airway V-430 for 
conventional navigation or Area Navigation (RNAV) routes T-383 and T-
407 for GPS navigation by properly equipped aircraft. Additionally, 
pilots equipped with RNAV capabilities could also navigate point to 
point using the existing fixes that would remain in place to support 
continued operations though the affected area. IFR aircraft may also 
receive air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors to fly around or 
through the affected area. Visual flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect 
to navigate via the affected VOR Federal airways could also take 
advantage of the adjacent ATS routes or ATC services listed previously.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to amend VOR 
Federal airway V-171 due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR 
portion of the Roseau, MN, VOR/DME. The proposed airway action is 
described below.
    V-171: V-171 currently extends between the Lexington, KY, VOR/DME 
and the Joliet, IL, VOR/DME; and between the Nodine, MN, VOR/Tactical 
Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the Roseau, MN, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes 
to remove the airway segment between the Grand Forks, ND, VOR/DME and 
the Roseau, MN, VOR/DME. As amended, the airway would be changed to 
extend between the Lexington VOR/DME and the Joliet VOR/DME; and 
between the Nodine VORTAC and the Grand Forks VOR/DME.
    The NAVAID radials contained in the airway description below are 
unchanged and stated in True degrees.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
JO 7400.11G, dated August 19, 2022, and effective September 15, 2022, 
which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal 
airway 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 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 
7400.11G, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 19, 
2022, and effective September 15, 2022, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways

* * * * *

V-171 [Amended]

    From Lexington, KY; INT Lexington 251[deg] and Louisville, KY, 
114[deg] radials; Louisville; Terre Haute, IN; Danville, IL; 
Peotone, IL; INT Peotone 281[deg] and Joliet, IL, 173[deg] radials; 
to Joliet. From Nodine, MN; INT Nodine 298[deg] and Farmington, MN, 
124[deg] radials; Farmington; Darwin, MN; Alexandria, MN; INT 
Alexandria 321[deg] and Grand Forks, ND, 152[deg] radials; to Grand 
Forks.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 6, 2022.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-26881 Filed 12-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P