Proposed Amendment of V-6, V-30, V-58, V-119, and V-226 in the Vicinity of Clarion, PA, 49324-49327 [2020-17598]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 157 (Thursday, August 13, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49324-49327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17598]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0709; Airspace Docket No. 20-AEA-2]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of V-6, V-30, V-58, V-119, and V-226 in the 
Vicinity of Clarion, PA

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 airways V-6, V-30, V-58, V-119, and V-226 in the vicinity of 
Clarion, PA. The VOR Federal airway modifications are necessary due to 
the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Clarion, PA, VOR/
Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) which

[[Page 49325]]

provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. 
The Clarion VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR 
Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 28, 2020.

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-2020-0709; Airspace Docket No. 20-AEA-2 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order 7400.11D, 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. The Order is also available for inspection at the National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the 
availability of FAA Order 7400.11D at NARA, email: 
[email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

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 route structure as necessary to 
preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National 
Airspace System (NAS).

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-2020-0709; Airspace Docket No. 20-AEA-2) 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-2020-0709; Airspace Docket No. 20-AEA-2.'' 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 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 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 7400.11D, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and effective 
September 15, 2019. FAA Order 7400.11D is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11D lists 
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

Background

    The FAA is planning decommissioning activities for the VOR portion 
of the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME in February, 2021. The Clarion VOR is a 
candidate VOR 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 Clarion, PA, VOR/DME is planned 
for decommissioning, the co-located DME portion of the NAVAID is being 
retained to support Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) 
PBN flight procedure requirements.
    The ATS route dependencies to the Clarion VOR/DME are VOR Federal 
airways V-6, V-30, V-58, V-119, and V-226. With the planned 
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Clarion VOR/DME, the 
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the areas is insufficient to 
enable the continuity of the affected VOR Federal airways. As such, 
proposed modifications to the affected VOR Federal airways would result 
in the existing gaps in V-6 and V-30 being extended and V-58, V-119, 
and V-226 being shortened.
    To overcome the airway gaps and loss of airway segments, instrument 
flight rules (IFR) traffic could use adjacent ATS routes, including V-
10, V-12, V-37, V-41, V-43, V-106, and V-115, or receive air traffic 
control (ATC) radar vectors to fly through or circumnavigate the 
affected area. IFR pilots equipped with area navigation (RNAV) PBN 
capabilities could also navigate point to point using the existing 
fixes that will

[[Page 49326]]

remain in place to support continued operations though the affected 
area. Visual flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the 
airways through the affected area could also take advantage of the air 
traffic services previously listed.
    Additionally, the V-58 description includes the exclusionary 
language, ``The airspace within R-4105 is excluded during times of 
use.'' That exclusion language was added to the airway description, 
effective March 10, 1988, and has been unchanged since (53 FR 2007; 
January 26, 1988). However, later that same year, the FAA published a 
rule in the Federal Register (53 FR 37544; September 27, 1988), 
effective October 20, 1988, that subdivided restricted area R-4105 into 
R-4105A and R-4105B. Then, in 2014, the FAA published a rule in the 
Federal Register (79 FR 61989; October 16, 2014), effective November 
17, 2014, that removed R-4105A and R-4105B. Therefore, the restricted 
area exclusion language in the V-58 description is no longer required.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by modifying VOR Federal airways V-6, V-
30, V-58, V-119, and V-226. The planned decommissioning of the VOR 
portion of the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME NAVAID has made this action 
necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway changes are outlined below.
    V-6: V-6 currently extends between the Oakland, CA, VOR/DME and the 
DuPage, IL, VOR/DME; between the intersection of the Chicago Heights, 
IL, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) 358[deg] and Gipper, MI, 
VORTAC 271[deg] radials (NILES fix) and the intersection of the Gipper, 
MI, VORTAC 092[deg] and Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME 196[deg] radials (MODEM 
fix); and between the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME and the La Guardia, NY, VOR/
DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment overlying the 
Clarion, PA, VOR/DME between the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME and the 
Philipsburg, PA, VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing airway 
would remain as charted.
    V-30: V-30 currently extends between the Badger, WI, VOR/DME and 
the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME; and between the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME and 
the Solberg, NJ, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
overlying the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME between the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME and 
the Philipsburg, PA, VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing 
airway would remain as charted.
    V-58: V-58 currently extends between the intersection of the 
Franklin, PA, VOR 176[deg] and Clarion, PA, VOR/DME 222[deg] radials 
(GRACE fix) and the Williamsport, PA, VOR/DME; and between the 
intersection of the Sparta, NJ, VORTAC 018[deg] and Kingston, NY, VOR/
DME 270[deg] radials (HELON fix) and the Nantucket, MA, VOR/DME. The 
airspace within R-4105 is excluded during times of use. The FAA 
proposes to remove the airway segment between the Franklin, PA, VOR 
176[deg] and Clarion, PA, VOR/DME 222[deg] radials (GRACE fix) and the 
Philipsburg, PA, VORTAC. Additionally, the restricted area exclusion 
language is proposed to be removed also. The unaffected portions of the 
existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-119: V-119 currently extends between the Henderson, WV, VORTAC 
and the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment overlying the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME between the Indian Head, PA, 
VORTAC and the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME. The unaffected portions of the 
existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-226: V-226 currently extends between the intersection of the 
Franklin, PA, VOR 175[deg] and Clarion, PA, VOR/DME 222[deg] radials 
(GRACE fix) and the Stillwater, NJ, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove 
the airway segment overlying the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME between the 
intersection of the Franklin, PA, VOR 175[deg] and Clarion, PA, VOR/DME 
222[deg] radials (GRACE fix) and the Keating, PA, VORTAC. The 
unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    The NAVAID radials in the VOR Federal airway descriptions below are 
unchanged and stated in True degrees.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
7400.11D, dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019, which 
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The ATS routes listed in 
this document would be subsequently published in the Order.
    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 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 7400.11D, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and 
effective September 15, 2019, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-6 [Amended]

    From Oakland, CA; INT Oakland 039[deg] and Sacramento, CA, 
212[deg] radials; Sacramento; Squaw Valley, CA; Mustang, NV; 
Lovelock, NV; Battle Mountain, NV; INT Battle Mountain 062[deg] and 
Wells, NV, 256[deg] radials; Wells; 5 miles, 40 miles, 98 MSL, 85 
MSL, Lucin, UT; 43 miles, 85 MSL, Ogden, UT; 11 miles, 50 miles, 105 
MSL, Fort Bridger, WY; Rock Springs, WY; 20 miles, 39 miles, 95 MSL, 
Cherokee, WY; 39 miles, 27 miles, 95 MSL, Medicine Bow, WY; INT 
Medicine Bow 106[deg] and Sidney, NE, 291[deg] radials; Sidney; 
North Platte, NE; Grand Island, NE; Omaha, IA; Des Moines, IA; Iowa 
City, IA; Davenport, IA; INT Davenport 087[deg] and DuPage, IL, 
255[deg]

[[Page 49327]]

radials; to DuPage. From INT Chicago Heights, IL, 358[deg] and 
Gipper, MI, 271[deg] radials; Gipper; to INT Gipper 092[deg] and 
Litchfield, MI, 196[deg] radials. From Philipsburg, PA; Selinsgrove, 
PA; Allentown, PA; Solberg, NJ; INT Solberg 107[deg] and Yardley, 
PA, 068[deg] radials; INT Yardley 068[deg] and La Guardia, NY, 
213[deg] radials; to La Guardia.
* * * * *

V-30 [Amended]

    From Badger, WI; INT Badger 102[deg] and Pullman, MI, 303[deg] 
radials; Pullman; to Litchfield, MI. From Philipsburg, PA; 
Selinsgrove, PA; East Texas, PA; INT East Texas 095[deg] and 
Solberg, NJ, 264[deg] radials; to Solberg.
* * * * *

V-58 [Amended]

    From Philipsburg, PA; to Williamsport, PA. From INT Sparta, NJ, 
018[deg] and Kingston, NY, 270[deg] radials; Kingston; INT Kingston 
095[deg] and Hartford, CT, 269[deg] radials; Hartford; Groton, CT; 
Sandy Point, RI; to Nantucket, MA.
* * * * *

V-119 [Amended]

    From Henderson, WV; Parkersburg, WV; INT Parkersburg 067[deg] 
and Indian Head, PA, 254[deg] radials; to Indian Head.
* * * * *

V-226

    From Keating, PA; Williamsport, PA; Wilkes-Barre, PA; to 
Stillwater, NJ.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 7, 2020.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-17598 Filed 8-12-20; 8:45 am]
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