Revision of Class E Airspace; Monroe, LA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 98-ASW-55]

Revision of Class E Airspace; Monroe, LA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Direct final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This amendment revises Class E airspace at Monroe, LA. The

development of very high frequency omnidirectional range/distance

measuring equipment (VOR/DME) and nondirectional radio beacon (NDB)

standard instrument approach procedures (SIAP's) to Monroe Regional

Airport, Monroe, LA, has made this rule necessary. This action is

intended to provide adequate controlled airspace extending upward from

700 feet or more above the surface for instrument flight rules (IFR)

operations to Monroe Regional Airport, Monroe, LA.

DATES: Effective: 0901 UTC, May 20, 1999. Comments must be received on

or before March 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the rule in triplicate to Manager, Airspace

Branch, Air Traffic Division, Federal Aviation Administration,

Southwest Region, Docket No. 98-ASW-55, Fort Worth, TX 76193-0520.

The official docket may be examined in the Office of the Regional

Counsel, Southwest Region, Federal Aviation Administration, 2601

Meacham Boulevard, Room 663, Fort Worth, TX, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00

p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. An informal

docket may also be examined during normal business hours at the

Airspace Branch, Air Traffic Division, Federal Aviation Administration,

Southwest Region, Room 414, Fort Worth, TX.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald J. Day, Airspace Branch, Air

Traffic Division, Southwest Region, Federal Aviation Administration,

Fort Worth, TX 76193-0520, telephone 817-222-5593.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This amendment to 14 CFR part 71 revises the

Class E airspace at Monroe, LA. The development of VOR/DME and NDB

SIAP's to Monroe Regional Airport, Monroe, LA, has made this rule

necessary. This action is intended to provide adequate controlled

airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface for

instrument flight rules (IFR) operations to Monroe Regional Airport,

Monroe, LA.

Class E airspace designations are published in Paragraph 6005 of

FAA Order 7400.9F, dated September 10, 1998, and effective September

16, 1998, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR Sec. 71.1. The

Class E airspace designation listed in this document will be published

subsequently in the order.

The Direct Final Rule Procedure

The FAA anticipates that this regulation will not result in any

adverse or negative comment and therefore is issuing it as a direct

final rule. A substantial number of previous opportunities provided to

the public to comment on substantially identical actions have resulted

in negligible adverse comments or objections. Unless a written adverse

or negative comment, or a written notice of intent to submit an adverse

or negative comment, is received within the comment period, the

regulation will become effective on the date specified above. After the

close of the comment period, the FAA will publish a document in the

Federal Register indicating that no adverse or negative comments were

received and confirming the date on which the final rule will become

effective. If the FAA does receive, within the comment period, an

adverse or negative comment or written notice of intent to submit such

a comment, a document withdrawing the direct final rule will be

published in the Federal Register, and a notice of proposed rulemaking

may be published with a new comment period.

Comments Invited

Although this action is in the form of a final rule and was not

preceded by a notice of proposed rulemaking,

[[Page 3208]]

comments are invited on this rule. Interested persons are invited to

comment on this rule by submitting such written data, views, or

arguments as they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules

Docket number and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified

under the caption ADDRESSES. All communications received on or before

the closing data for comments will be considered, and this rule may be

amended or withdrawn in light of the comments received. Factual

information that supports the commenter's ideas and suggestions is

extremely helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of this action and

determining whether additional rulemaking action is needed.

Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,

economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the rule that might

suggest a need to modify the rule. All comments submitted will be

available, both before and after the closing date for comments, in the

Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A report that

summarizes each FAA public contact concerned with the substance of this

action will be filed in the Rules Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this rule must submit a self-addressed,

stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments

to Docket No. 98-ASW-55.'' The postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Agency Findings

The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct

effects on the states, on the relationship between the national

government and the states, or on the distribution of power and

responsibilities among the various levels of government. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final

rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Further, the FAA has determined that this regulation is

noncontroversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative comments

and only involves an established body of technical regulations that

require frequent and routine amendments to keep them operationally

current. Therefore, I certify that this regulation (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) if promulgated, will not have

a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial

number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act. Since this rule involves routine matters that will

only affect air traffic procedures and air navigation, it does not

warrant preparation of a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis because the

anticipated impact is so minimal.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me, the Federal

Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows:

PART 71--DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C, CLASS D, AND

CLASS E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIRWAYS; ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS

1. The authority citation for 14 CFR part 71 continues to read as

follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854; 24

FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.

Sec. 71.1 [Amended]

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of the Federal

Aviation Administration Order 7400.9F, Airspace Designations and

Reporting Points, dated September 10, 1998, and effective September 16,

1998, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005: Class E airspace areas extending upward from 700

feet or more above the surface of the earth.

* * * * *

ASW LA E5 Monroe, LA [Revised]

Monroe Regional Airport, LA

(Lat. 32 deg.30'39'' N., long. 92 deg.02'16'' W.)

Monroe VORTAC

(Lat. 32 deg.31'01'' N., long 92 deg.02'10'' W.)

Rayville, John H. Hooks Jr. Memorial Airport, LA

(Lat. 32 deg.29'11'' N., long. 91 deg.46'15'' W.)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface

within a 7-mile radius of Monroe Regional Airport and within 2.7

miles north and 4.3 miles south of the 217 deg. radial of the Monroe

VORTAC extending from the 7-mile radius to 11.8 miles southwest of

the airport and within 3 miles north and 2.5 miles south of the

60 deg. radial of the Monroe VORTAC extending from the 7-mile radius

to 7.7 miles northeast of the airport and within a 6.4-mile radius

of John H. Hooks Jr. Memorial Airport and within 1.7 miles each side

of the 098 deg. radial of the Monroe VORTAC extending from the 6.4-

mile radius to 12.7 miles west of the airport.

* * * * *

Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on January 8, 1999.

Albert L. Viselli,

Acting Manager, Air Traffic Division, Southwest Region.

[FR Doc. 99-1357 Filed 1-20-99; 8:45 am]

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