Amendment of Class E Airspace; Benton Harbor, MI

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Part 71</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2025-5367; Airspace Docket No. 25-AGL-19]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AA66</RIN> <SUBJECT>Amendment of Class E Airspace; Benton Harbor, MI</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 amends the Class E airspace at Benton Harbor, MI. The name and geographic coordinates of the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport, Benton Harbor, MI, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action is the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Keeler very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. It brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and supports instrument flight rule (IFR) procedures and operations. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective 0901 UTC, May 14, 2026. 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 the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), all comments received, 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 <E T="03">www.federalregister.gov.</E> FAA Order JO 7400.11K, 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, Office of Policy, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-8783. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5711. </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 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 at the affected airports to support IFR operations. <HD SOURCE="HD1">History</HD> The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-5367 in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> (90 FR 56711; December 8, 2025) proposing to amend the Class E airspace at Benton Harbor, 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. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Incorporation by Reference</HD> Class E airspace designations are published in paragraphs 6002 and 6005 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 7400.11K, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025. These amendments will be published in the next update to FAA Order JO 7400.11. FAA Order JO 7400.11K, which lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points, is publicly available as listed in the <E T="02">ADDRESSES</E> section of this document. <HD SOURCE="HD1">The Rule</HD> This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by modifying the Class E surface airspace and the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface at Benton Harbor, Michigan, due to an airspace review conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Keeler VOR as part of the VOR MON Program. For the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport, Benton Harbor, MI, Class E surface area, this action: (1) increases the radius from 4.2 miles to 4.5 miles; (2) updates the name of the airport from Ross-Field-Twin Cities Airport to Southwest Michigan Regional Airport and updates the geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; (3) removes the city associated with the airport from the airspace legal description header to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2R, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; and (4) updates the outdated term “Airport/Facility Directory” to “Chart Supplement.” For the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface, this action: (1) increases the radius from 6.5 miles to 7 miles; (2) adds an extension within 3.7 miles each side of the 090° bearing from the Southwest Michigan RGNL: RWY 28-LOC extending from the 7-mile radius of the airport to 9.3 miles east of the airport; (3) adds an extension within 2 miles each side of the 090° bearing from the airport extending from the 7-mile radius to 11.5 miles east of the airport; (4) updates the name of the airport from Ross-Field-Twin Cities Airport to Southwest Michigan Regional Airport and updates the geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; and (5) removes the city associated with the airport from the airspace legal description header to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2R. <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 qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1G, “FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures,” Paragraph B-2.5(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. <LSTSUB> <HD SOURCE="HED">Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR 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 7400.11K, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025, is amended as follows: <EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD2">6002 Class E Airspace Areas Designated as Surface Areas.</HD> <STARS/> <HD SOURCE="HD1">AGL MI E2 Benton Harbor, MI [Amended]</HD> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">Southwest Michigan Regional Airport, MI</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">(Lat. 42°07′42″ N, long. 086°25′30″ W)</FP> Within a 4.5-mile radius of Southwest Michigan Regional Airport. This Class E airspace area is effective during the specific dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Airmen. The effective dates and times will thereafter be continuously published in the Chart Supplement. <STARS/> <HD SOURCE="HD2">Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.</HD> <STARS/> <HD SOURCE="HD1">AGL MI E5 Benton Harbor, MI [Amended]</HD> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">Southwest Michigan Regional Airport, MI</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">(Lat. 42°07′42″ N, long. 086°25′30″ W)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">Southwest Michigan RGNL: RWY 28-LOC</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">(Lat. 42°07′41″ N, long. 086°26′15″ W)</FP> That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 7-mile radius of Southwest Michigan Regional Airport; and within 3.7 miles each side of the 090° from the Southwest Michigan RGNL: RWY 28-LOC extending from the 7-mile radius of the airport to 9.3 miles east of the airport; and within 2 miles each side of the 090° bearing from the airport extending from the 7-mile radius of the airport to 11.5 miles east of the airport. <STARS/> </EXT ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 10k characters. 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