Renaming of Gulf of Mexico High and Gulf of Mexico Low Offshore Airspace Areas

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Part 71</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2025-0956; Airspace Docket No. 25-AWA-2]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AA66</RIN> <SUBJECT>Renaming of Gulf of Mexico High and Gulf of Mexico Low Offshore Airspace Areas</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This action is an administrative change to rename the Gulf of Mexico High and Gulf of Mexico Low offshore airspace areas. The FAA is taking this action to implement the Gulf of Mexico name changes directed in Executive Order (E.O.) 14172, Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness, published January 20, 2025. This action does not change the airspace boundaries, altitudes, or operating requirements. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective date 0901 UTC, August 7, 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. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> A copy of this final rule and all background material may be viewed online at <E T="03">www.regulations.gov</E> 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 <E T="03">www.federalregister.gov.</E> FAA Order JO 7400.11J, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at <E T="03">www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/.</E> 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. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Colby Abbott, Rules and Regulations Group, Policy Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20597; telephone: (202) 267-8783. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Authority for This Rulemaking</HD> 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 updates the name of the Gulf of Mexico High and Gulf of Mexico Low offshore airspace areas in accordance with E.O. 14172, Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness. <HD SOURCE="HD1">History</HD> On January 20, 2025, the President of the United States signed E.O. 14172, Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness, directing that appropriate actions be taken to rename the area formerly known as the “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.” Consequently, this rulemaking action implements the requisite changes to part 71 by removing the “Gulf of Mexico” name and replacing it with “Gulf of America.” <HD SOURCE="HD1">Incorporation by Reference</HD> Offshore Airspace Areas are listed in paragraph 2003 (Class A airspace areas) and paragraph 6007 (Class E airspace areas) 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 is publicly available as listed in the <E T="02">ADDRESSES</E> section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11J lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points. <HD SOURCE="HD1">The Rule</HD> This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by renaming the offshore airspace area “Gulf of Mexico High” as the “Gulf of America High” and the “Gulf of Mexico Low” as the “Gulf of America Low.” The FAA is taking this action in support of E.O. 14172 that was published January 20, 2025. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Good Cause for Bypassing Notice and Comment</HD> The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) authorizes agencies to dispense with ordinary notice and comment requirements for rules when the agency for “good cause” finds that those procedures are “impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest.” 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B). This action is an administrative change only and does not affect the boundaries, altitudes, or operating requirements within the airspace areas. This amendment will not impose any additional substantive restrictions or requirements on the persons affected by these regulations. Therefore, the FAA has determined that notice and public procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) is unnecessary. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Regulatory Notices and Analyses</HD> 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, when promulgated, does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Environmental Review</HD> The FAA has determined that this action of making administrative name changes to the Gulf of Mexico High and Gulf of Mexico Low offshore airspace areas, which do not alter the boundaries, altitudes, or time of designation, qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321, <E T="03">et seq.</E> ) and in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, paragraph 5-6.5a, which categorically excludes from further environmental impact review rulemaking actions that designate or modify classes of airspace areas, airways, routes, and reporting points (see 14 CFR part 71, Designation of Class A, B, C, D, and E Airspace Areas; Air Traffic Service Routes; and Reporting Points); and paragraph 5-6.5k which categorically excludes from further environmental impact review the publication of existing air traffic control procedures that do not essentially change existing tracks, create new tracks, change altitude, or change concentration of aircraft on these tracks.. In accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, paragraph 5-2 regarding Extraordinary Circumstances, the FAA has reviewed this action for factors and circumstances in which a normally categorically excluded action may have a significant environmental impact requiring further analysis. The FAA has determined that no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact study. <LSTSUB> <HD SOURCE="HED">Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71</HD> Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air). </LSTSUB> <HD SOURCE="HD1">The Amendment</HD> In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows: <HD SOURCE="HED">PART 71—DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS</HD> <REGTEXT TITLE="14" PART="71"> 1. The authority citation for 14 CFR part 71 continues to read as follows: <HD SOURCE="HED">Authority:</HD> 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p.389. </REGTEXT> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 71.1</SECTNO> <SUBJECT> [Amended]</SUBJECT> </SECTION> <REGTEXT TITLE="14" PART="71"> 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: <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">Paragraph 2003 Offshore Airspace Areas.</FP> <STARS/> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Gulf of America High [Amended]</HD> That airspace extending upward from FL 280 to and including FL 600 bounded on the west, north, and east by a line 12 miles offshore and parallel to the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida shorelines; bounded on the south from east to west by the southern boundary of the Jacksonville ARTCC, Miami Oceanic CTA/FIR; Merida UTA/UIR, Houston CTA/FIR; Monterrey UTA/UIR, Houston CTA/FIR; to the point of beginning, and that airspace extending upward from 18,000 feet MSL to and including FL 280 bounded on the west, north, and east by a line 12 miles offshore and parallel to the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida shorelines bounded on the south from east to west by the southern boundary of the Jacksonville ARTCC, Miami Oceanic CTA/FIR, Houston CTA/FIR and lat. 26°00′00″ N. <STARS/> <HD SOURCE="HD2">Paragraph 6007 Offshore Airspace Areas.</HD> <STARS/> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Gulf of America Low [Amended]</HD> That airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet MSL bounded on the west, north, and east by a line 12 miles offshor ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 11k characters. 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