[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 126 (Thursday, July 3, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29419-29420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12429]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2025-0182; Airspace Docket No. 22-AAL-75]
RIN 2120-AA66
Modification of Class E Airspace; Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, AK
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action modifies the Class E airspace extending upward
from 700 feet above the surface at Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, AK;
removes redundant Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet
above the surface; and makes administrative updates to the airport's
legal description. In sum, these actions support the safety and
management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.
DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, October 2, 2025. The Director of the
Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under
1 CFR part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA Order JO 7400.11
and publication of conforming amendments.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), all
comments received, this final rule, and all background material may be
viewed online at www.regulations.gov using the FAA Docket number.
Electronic retrieval help and guidelines are available on the website.
It is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. An electronic
copy of this document may also be downloaded from the Office of the
Federal Register's website at www.federalregister.gov.
FAA Order JO 7400.11J, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points,
and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. You may also contact the Rules and
Regulations Group, Policy Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration,
600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20597; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Drasin, Federal Aviation
Administration, Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200
S 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone (206) 231-2248.
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 Class E airspace extending upward from 700
feet above the surface, removes Class E airspace extending from 1,200
feet above the surface, and updates the airport's legal description, to
support IFR operations at Wrangell Airport, AK.
History
The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-0182 in the
Federal Register (90 FR 14217; March 31, 2025), proposing to modify
Class E airspace at Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, AK. Interested parties
were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting
written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.
Incorporation by Reference
Class E airspace areas are published in paragraph 6005 of FAA Order
JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, which is
incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 on an annual basis. This
document amends the current version of that order, FAA Order JO
7400.11J, dated July 31, 2024, and effective September 15, 2024. These
amendments will be published in the next update to FAA Order JO
7400.11. FAA Order JO 7400.11J, which lists Class A, B, C, D, and E
airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points, is
publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
The Rule
This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by modifying the Class E airspace
extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface at Wrangell
Airport, Wrangell, AK, to more appropriately contain flight procedures.
This action also expands Class E airspace coverage
[[Page 29420]]
to the north-northwest and southeast, removes unnecessary Class E
coverage to the west-northwest, and removes redundant Class E airspace
areas that extend upward from 1,200 feet above the surface.
The terrain-driven airspace design resulting from the modifications
above better contains departing IFR operations until reaching 1,200
feet above the surface to the south and southwest on the LASOE TWO Area
Navigation (RNAV) (Required Navigation Performance [RNP]) Runway (RWY)
10 DEPARTURE, LASOE TWO RNAV (RNP) RWY 28 DEPARTURE, KAJBU FIVE RNAV
(RNP) RWY 10 DEPARTURE, LEVEL ISLAND THREE DEPARTURE (OBSTACLE), and
SUMNER TWO (RNAV) DEPARTURE procedures. The action also accommodates
arriving IFR operations below 1,500 feet above the surface to the north
on the RNAV (Global Positioning System [GPS]) P RWY 10 and RNAV (GPS)-E
approach procedures.
Additionally, this action removes redundant Class E airspace areas
that extend upward from 1,200 and 5,700 feet above the surface at
Wrangell Airport as the Southeast En Route Domestic Airspace Area
provides sufficient airspace containment.
Finally, references to the Wrangell nondirectional beacon, Wrangell
localizer, and Level Island very high frequency omnidirectional range/
distance measuring equipment are removed from line three of the legal
description's text header as they are no longer needed to describe the
airspace.
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 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 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.
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 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
7400.11J, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated July 31,
2024, and effective September 15, 2024, is amended as follows:
* * * * *
AAL AK E5 Wrangell, AK [Amended]
Wrangell Airport, AK
(Lat. 56[deg]29'04'' N, long. 132[deg]22'11'' W)
That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface
within a 5.6-mile radius of the airport, within five miles on either
side of the 151[deg] bearing extending from the 5.6-mile radius to
9.5 miles southeast of the airport, within 5.6 miles on the
southwest side of the 320[deg] bearing extending from the 5.6-mile
radius to 11.8 miles northwest of the airport, and within 5.6 miles
on the northeast side of the 320[deg] bearing extending from the
5.6-mile radius to 13.5 miles northwest of the airport.
* * * * *
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on June 16, 2025.
B.G. Chew,
Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2025-12429 Filed 7-2-25; 8:45 am]
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