[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 174 (Friday, September 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22191]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 9, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

 

U.S. Navy Lightweight Exoatmospheric Projectile (LEAP) Technology 
Demonstration Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).

ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) text is as follows:

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Background

    Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act, 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1500-1508, and 
Department of Defense Directive 6050.1, the BMDO conducted an 
assessment of the potential environmental consequences of an additional 
flight test range to support the Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration 
program. A No Action alternative was also considered. The LEAP 
Technology Demonstration program is a joint BMDO and Navy program aimed 
at developing and integrating miniature kinetic energy (hit-to-kill) 
interceptors and then validating the concept by experiment. These 
interceptors have applications to theater and tactical ballistic 
missile defense.

Description of Proposed Action

    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to add an alternative flight 
facility to the Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration program that can 
support flight tests before December 1994.
    The 1992 Navy LEAP program Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluated 
nine test ranges during the original range selection process for 
potential performance of the Navy LEAP missions. The BMDO and the Navy 
chose Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) as the primary flight 
test range to support Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration test flights. 
At the time it satisfied safety requirements, launch scheduling 
requirements, telemetry and mission control requirements, and had the 
necessary infrastructure to support flight test activities.
    The Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration program uses the SM2 Block 
II/III Extended Range Terrier Missile which is launched from a Leahy-
class guided missile cruiser. However, the Navy is decommissioning all 
Leahy-class cruisers by December 1994. It is now unlikely that CCAFS 
can meet cost, scheduling, environmental, and safety constraints for 
test flights before October 1994. Therefore, BMDO has identified a need 
to conduct flight tests at a test range that can accommodate Technology 
Demonstration flight tests before December 1994. The BMDO proposes to 
move the remaining flight tests to the NASA/Goddard Space Flight 
Center, Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), Wallops Island, Virginia.
    The flight test target, on an Aries booster, is launched from WFF 
in a southeasterly direction. The Terrier ship, positioned in the 
Atlantic Ocean southeast of WFF, launches the LEAP interceptor in a 
northeasterly direction. Intercept of the target vehicle occurs over 
open ocean approximately 350 km (220 miles) off the coast of South 
Carolina. No construction is required at any of these facilities to 
accommodate Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration activities. The Proposed 
Action alternative assessment resulted in a FONSI.

Alternatives Considered

    The No Action alternative is not to conduct further flight tests to 
support the Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration program. The CCAFS 
remains as an alternative flight test range, if test flights are not 
conducted at WFF. The No Action alternative would preclude a critical 
series of flight tests that are needed to demonstrate the feasibility 
of using existing Navy shipboard weapon systems with LEAP technologies. 
These tests are essential for the near-term evaluation of the Navy 
Upper-Tier Ballistic Missile Defense.

Anticipated Environmental Effects

    The BMDO conducted an EA to determine whether the Proposed Action 
or the No Action alternative would result in any impacts to the 
environmental resources in the Atlantic Ocean or at WFF. The EA also 
analyzed any potential impacts to determine if the impacts are 
potentially significant, as defined by 40 CFR 1508.27. The BMDO also 
reviewed the alternatives in the context of various laws and 
regulations to determine if impacts exceeded defined threshold levels.
    The EA impacts in the Atlantic Ocean to biological resources, 
including fish, marine mammals and migratory birds. The BMDO consulted 
both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service regarding potential impacts to protected and 
unprotected marine resources and bird species in the project and 
dispersion areas. Both agencies concurred that the Navy LEAP Technology 
Demonstration program would have little or no impact. Therefore, the 
BMDO concludes that implementing the Proposed Action will not have 
significant impacts on biological resources in the Atlantic Ocean.
    At WFF, the previous Firebird Program EA addressed the impacts of 
rocket launches at WFF which resulted in a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (March 1991). The NASA produced the Environmental Resources 
Document (ERD) (July 1990). It provided a comprehensive baseline 
description of environmental conditions at WFF and the environmental 
impacts associated with rocket flight tests conducted at WFF. Where 
appropriate, this Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration EA incorporated 
the findings of these documents by reference (Council on Environmental 
Quality, Sec. 1502.21). The BMDO, based on analysis conducted for the 
BMDO Navy LEAP EA, the Firebird Program EA, and the WFF ERD, finds the 
Proposed Action in the Navy LEAP Technology Demonstration EA does not 
have significant impacts to WFF resources.

Conclusion

    The environmental analysis concludes that implementing the Proposed 
Action would not result in significant impacts to the natural 
environment or to human health and safety, at any of the aforementioned 
program facilities. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental 
Impact Statement is not required. This EA, and the information herein, 
is unclassified and available to the public.

Point of Contact

    Major Tracy Bailey, USAF, BMDO Environmental Coordinator, BMDO/AQT, 
7100 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-7100.

    Dated: September 2, 1994.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 94-22191 Filed 9-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M