However, if both a MEA and a MOCA are prescribed for a particular route or route segment, a person may operate an aircraft below the MEA down to, but not below, the MOCA, when within 22 nautical miles of the VOR concerned (based on the pilot's reasonable estimate of that distance).

The last paragraph is particulary on-point and is regulatory.

Ok, but that is for actual operation, not for request. It is legal to
request the MOCA, it is just not legal to operate there when further
than 22 miles from the VOR. One may wonder why one would request an
altitued that one does not intend to use, but no violation has been
committed until the operation takes place.

Jose
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
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