[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52442-52443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18342]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0758; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-24]
RIN 2120-AA66


Amendment of Class E Airspace; Coldwater and Sturgis, MI

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action amends the Class E airspace at Coldwater and 
Sturgis, MI. This action is due to an airspace review conducted as part 
of the decommissioning of the Litchfield very high frequency (VHF) 
omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimal Operational 
Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the airports are 
also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, November 3, 2022. 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: FAA Order JO 7400.11F, 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 
Airspace Policy Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 
Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5711.

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 
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 amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface at Branch County Memorial Airport, Coldwater, MI, and 
Kirsch Municipal Airport, Sturgis, MI, to support instrument flight 
rule operations at these airports.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal 
Register (87 FR 35689; June 13, 2022) for Docket No. FAA-2022-0758 to 
amend the Class E airspace at Coldwater and Sturgis, MI. Interested 
parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by 
submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments 
were received.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 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 Class 
E airspace designations listed in this document will be published 
subsequently in FAA Order JO 7400.11.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document amends 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.

The Rule

    This amendment to 14 CFR part 71:
    Amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface to within a 6.6-mile (decreased from an 8.1-mile) radius of 
Branch County Memorial Airport, Coldwater, MI; removes the city 
associated with the airport in the airspace legal description to comply 
with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2N, Procedures for Handling Airspace 
Matters; and updates the geographic

[[Page 52443]]

coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical 
database;
    And amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface to within a 6.5-mile (decreased from a 7-mile) radius 
of Kirsch Municipal Airport, MI; adds an extension 2.5 miles each side 
of the 052[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB extending from the 6.5-
mile radius of the airport to 7 miles northeast of the NDB; adds an 
extension 2.5 miles each side of the 341[deg] bearing from the Sturgis 
NDB extending from the 6.5-mile radius of the airport to 7 miles north 
of the NDB; removes the city associated with the airport in the 
airspace legal description to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 
7400.2N; and updates the geographic coordinates of the airport to 
coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.
    This action is due to an airspace review conducted as part of the 
decommissioning of the Litchfield VOR, which provided navigation 
information for the instrument procedures at these airports, as part of 
the VOR MON Program.
    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 regulation only involves an 
established body of technical regulations for which frequent and 
routine amendments are necessary to keep them operationally current, is 
non-controversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative 
comments. 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, when promulgated, 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.

Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

Adoption of 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 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 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

AGL MI E5 Coldwater, MI [Amended]

Branch County Memorial Airport, MI
    (Lat. 41[deg]56'01'' N, long. 85[deg]03'08'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.6-mile radius of Branch County Memorial Airport.
* * * * *

AGL MI E5 Sturgis, MI [Amended]

Kirsch Municipal Airport, MI
    (Lat. 41[deg]48'48'' N, long. 85[deg]26'20'' W)
Sturgis NDB
    (Lat. 41[deg]48'47'' N, long. 85[deg]26'02'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.5-mile radius of the Kirsch Municipal Airport; and within 
2.5 miles each side of the 052[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB 
extending from the 6.5-mile radius of the airport to 7 miles 
northeast of the Sturgis NDB; and within 2.5 miles each side of the 
341[deg] bearing from the Sturgis NDB extending from the 6.5-mile 
radius of the airport to 7 miles north of the Sturgis NDB.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 22, 2022.
Martin A. Skinner,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2022-18342 Filed 8-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


