[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