Terminate Long Range Aids to Navigation (Loran-C) Signal, 998 [2010-83]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 4 / Thursday, January 7, 2010 / Notices
(5) Automate, Secure, Unstaff, and
Transfer Management of the Loran-C
Program to Another Government
Agency to Deploy an eLoran system.
The environmentally preferable
alternatives selected in the ROD are (1)
no action alternative and (2) to
decommission the USCG Loran-C
Program and terminate the North
American Loran-C Radionavigation
Signal. It is important to note that the
Final PEIS did not obligate the USCG,
DHS, or any other entity to undertake
any specific course of action with
respect to Loran.
This notice is issued under authority
of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (Section 102 (2)(c)), as
implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), USCG
Commandant Instruction M16475.1D.,
and ‘‘Aids to Navigation Authorized,’’
which appears at 14 U.S.C. 81.
Dated: January 4, 2010.
Kevin S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of
Prevention Policy.
[FR Doc. 2010–84 Filed 1–6–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG–2009–0299]
Terminate Long Range Aids to
Navigation (Loran-C) Signal
U.S. Coast Guard, DHS.
Notice.
AGENCY:
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: On October 28, 2009, the
President signed into law the 2010
Department of Homeland Security
Appropriations Act. The Act allows for
the termination of the Loran-C system
subject to the Coast Guard certifying
that termination of the Loran-C signal
will not adversely impact the safety of
maritime navigation and the Department
of Homeland Security certifying that the
Loran-C system infrastructure is not
needed as a backup to the GPS system
or to meet any other Federal navigation
requirement. Those certifications were
made; and the U.S. Coast Guard will,
commencing on or about February 8,
2010, implement plans to terminate the
transmission of the Loran-C signal and
commence a phased decommissioning
of the Loran-C infrastructure. These
plans include ending transmissions at
18 Loran stations located in the
contiguous United States and 6 Loran
stations in Alaska. The Department of
Homeland Security anticipates that all
VerDate Nov<24>2008
14:42 Jan 06, 2010
Jkt 220001
Loran stations will cease transmitting
the Loran-C signal by October 1, 2010.
DATES: Transmission of the Loran-C
signal and phased decommissioning of
the Loran-C infrastructure will
commence on or about February 8,
2010. All Loran stations are expected to
cease transmitting the Loran-C signal by
October 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: To view this notice go to
https://www.regulations.gov, insert
USCG–2009–0299 in the ‘‘Keyword’’
box, and then click ‘‘Search.’’ If you do
not have access to the internet, you may
view the docket online by visiting the
Docket Management Facility in Room
W12–140 on the ground floor of the
Department of Transportation West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. We have an
agreement with the Department of
Transportation to use the Docket
Management Facility.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have questions on this notice,
contact Mr. Mike Sollosi, U.S. Coast
Guard, Department of Homeland
Security, telephone (202) 372–1545,
Mike.M.Sollosi@uscg.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
The U.S. Loran-C system is a low
frequency hyperbolic radionavigation
system. A Loran-C receiver measures the
slight difference in time it takes for
pulsed signals to reach a ship or aircraft
from the transmitting stations within a
Loran-C chain to develop a navigational
position. Loran-C is approved for use in
the U.S. Coastal Confluence Zone and as
a supplemental air navigation aid.
Loran-C is operated and maintained by
the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Loran-C system was a valuable
position and navigation system when it
was established in 1957. As a result of
technological advancements over the
last 20 years and the emergence of the
U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS),
Loran-C is no longer required by the
armed forces, the transportation sector,
or the nation’s security interests, and is
used only by a small segment of the
population.
The Loran-C system was not
established as, nor was it intended to be,
a viable systemic backup for GPS.
Backups to GPS for safety-of-life
navigation applications, or other critical
applications, can be other
radionavigation systems, or operational
procedures, or a combination of these
systems and procedures. Backups to
GPS for timing applications can be a
highly accurate crystal oscillator or
PO 00000
Frm 00031
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
atomic clock and a communications link
to a timing source that is traceable to
Coordinated Universal Time.
With respect to transportation to
include aviation, commercial maritime,
rail, and highway, the Department of
Transportation has determined that
sufficient alternative navigation aids
currently exist in the event of a loss of
GPS-based services, and therefore Loran
currently is not needed as a back-up
navigation aid for transportation safetyof-life users.
The Department of Homeland
Security will continue to work with
other Federal agencies to look across the
critical infrastructure and key resource
sectors identified in the National
Infrastructure Protection Plan
assessment to determine if a single,
domestic system is needed as a GPS
backup for critical infrastructure
applications requiring precise time and
frequency. If a single, domestic national
system to back up GPS is identified as
being necessary, the Department of
Homeland Security will complete an
analysis of potential backups to GPS.
The continued active operation of
Loran-C is not necessary to advance this
evaluation.
On January 22, 2009 (74 FR 4047), the
U.S. Coast Guard began a public review
process for its Draft Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS),
under the National Environmental
Policy Act, which evaluated the
environmental impacts of several
alternatives for the Loran-C system,
including termination of the Loran-C
signal. The U.S. Coast Guard considered
comments received in response to the
Draft PEIS and released a Final PEIS on
June 12, 2009 (USCG–2007–28046). A
public notice will be issued to announce
the Record of Decision.
This announcement is for the purpose
of informing the public of the Coast
Guard’s intention to begin termination
of the broadcast of the Loran-C signal
starting on or about February 8, 2010.
All Loran stations will cease
transmission by October 1, 2010.
The Department of Transportation
was consulted regarding the preparation
of this notice. This notice is issued
under the authority of 6 U.S.C. 111, 14
U.S.C. 81, and 5 U.S.C. 552.
Dated: January 4, 2009.
Kevin S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of
Prevention Policy.
[FR Doc. 2010–83 Filed 1–6–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
E:\FR\FM\07JAN1.SGM
07JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-83]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2009-0299]
Terminate Long Range Aids to Navigation (Loran-C) Signal
AGENCY: U.S. Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On October 28, 2009, the President signed into law the 2010
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. The Act allows for
the termination of the Loran-C system subject to the Coast Guard
certifying that termination of the Loran-C signal will not adversely
impact the safety of maritime navigation and the Department of Homeland
Security certifying that the Loran-C system infrastructure is not
needed as a backup to the GPS system or to meet any other Federal
navigation requirement. Those certifications were made; and the U.S.
Coast Guard will, commencing on or about February 8, 2010, implement
plans to terminate the transmission of the Loran-C signal and commence
a phased decommissioning of the Loran-C infrastructure. These plans
include ending transmissions at 18 Loran stations located in the
contiguous United States and 6 Loran stations in Alaska. The Department
of Homeland Security anticipates that all Loran stations will cease
transmitting the Loran-C signal by October 1, 2010.
DATES: Transmission of the Loran-C signal and phased decommissioning of
the Loran-C infrastructure will commence on or about February 8, 2010.
All Loran stations are expected to cease transmitting the Loran-C
signal by October 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: To view this notice go to https://www.regulations.gov, insert
USCG-2009-0299 in the ``Keyword'' box, and then click ``Search.'' If
you do not have access to the internet, you may view the docket online
by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the
ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We have an
agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the Docket
Management Facility.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice,
contact Mr. Mike Sollosi, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland
Security, telephone (202) 372-1545, Mike.M.Sollosi@uscg.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
The U.S. Loran-C system is a low frequency hyperbolic
radionavigation system. A Loran-C receiver measures the slight
difference in time it takes for pulsed signals to reach a ship or
aircraft from the transmitting stations within a Loran-C chain to
develop a navigational position. Loran-C is approved for use in the
U.S. Coastal Confluence Zone and as a supplemental air navigation aid.
Loran-C is operated and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Loran-C system was a valuable position and navigation system
when it was established in 1957. As a result of technological
advancements over the last 20 years and the emergence of the U.S.
Global Positioning System (GPS), Loran-C is no longer required by the
armed forces, the transportation sector, or the nation's security
interests, and is used only by a small segment of the population.
The Loran-C system was not established as, nor was it intended to
be, a viable systemic backup for GPS. Backups to GPS for safety-of-life
navigation applications, or other critical applications, can be other
radionavigation systems, or operational procedures, or a combination of
these systems and procedures. Backups to GPS for timing applications
can be a highly accurate crystal oscillator or atomic clock and a
communications link to a timing source that is traceable to Coordinated
Universal Time.
With respect to transportation to include aviation, commercial
maritime, rail, and highway, the Department of Transportation has
determined that sufficient alternative navigation aids currently exist
in the event of a loss of GPS-based services, and therefore Loran
currently is not needed as a back-up navigation aid for transportation
safety-of-life users.
The Department of Homeland Security will continue to work with
other Federal agencies to look across the critical infrastructure and
key resource sectors identified in the National Infrastructure
Protection Plan assessment to determine if a single, domestic system is
needed as a GPS backup for critical infrastructure applications
requiring precise time and frequency. If a single, domestic national
system to back up GPS is identified as being necessary, the Department
of Homeland Security will complete an analysis of potential backups to
GPS. The continued active operation of Loran-C is not necessary to
advance this evaluation.
On January 22, 2009 (74 FR 4047), the U.S. Coast Guard began a
public review process for its Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PEIS), under the National Environmental Policy Act, which
evaluated the environmental impacts of several alternatives for the
Loran-C system, including termination of the Loran-C signal. The U.S.
Coast Guard considered comments received in response to the Draft PEIS
and released a Final PEIS on June 12, 2009 (USCG-2007-28046). A public
notice will be issued to announce the Record of Decision.
This announcement is for the purpose of informing the public of the
Coast Guard's intention to begin termination of the broadcast of the
Loran-C signal starting on or about February 8, 2010. All Loran
stations will cease transmission by October 1, 2010.
The Department of Transportation was consulted regarding the
preparation of this notice. This notice is issued under the authority
of 6 U.S.C. 111, 14 U.S.C. 81, and 5 U.S.C. 552.
Dated: January 4, 2009.
Kevin S. Cook,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention Policy.
[FR Doc. 2010-83 Filed 1-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
