[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 10139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4392]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of Commercial Space Transportation
Environmental Impact Statement; Sierra and Dona Ana Counties, NM
AGENCY: Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST) is
issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact
statement (EIS) will be prepared and scoping meetings held on the
proposed phased development of the Southwest Regional Spaceport in
southern New Mexico.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon D.W. Boddie, Office of
Commercial Space Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2929. Lucy Dunn, New Mexico Office of
Space Commercialization, Department of Economic Development, 1990 E.
Lohman Avenue, Atrium Suites 201, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 88001.
Telephone: (505) 524-6829.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Transportation's (DOT)
Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST), in cooperation with
the State of New Mexico's Office of Space Commercialization (NMOSC) and
Department of Economic Development, will prepare a joint Federal/State
EIS for the proposed commercial Southwest Regional Spaceport in
southern New Mexico. The operator of the spaceport will require a
license from OCST in accordance with the Commercial Space Launch Act of
1984, as recodified at 49 U.S.C. Subtitle IX, ch. 701--Commercial Space
Launch Activities, 49 U.S.C. Secs. 70101-70119 (1994). An EIS is
necessary for OCST to make a licensing determination and comply with
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et
seq.
The State of New Mexico proposes the establishment of a commercial
spaceport on lands located generally in the Sierra and Dona Ana
Counties, between the cities of Truth Or Consequences and Las Cruces,
New Mexico, as a key element of the State's efforts to bring regional
assets together as a consortium to form the Southwest Space Complex.
Other major elements of the Southwest Space Complex include the
Department of Defense-owned White Sands Missile Range and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration-owned White Sands Test Facility.
The New Mexico State University's Physical Sciences Laboratory, USAF
Phillips Laboratory, and the Department of Energy's Sandia and Los
Alamos National Laboratories are among the research and development or
educational institutions that would be available for additional support
as required.
Development of the Southwest Regional Spaceport, and other elements
of the Southwest Space Complex, will occur in phases over a number of
years. The proposed action encompassed by the EIS includes the
construction of launch and associated support facilities and the
extension of roads and utilities necessary to parallel the phased
development of single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) technology and to support
other existing or developmental rocket systems, such as sounding
rockets and expendable launch vehicles. Initial launch operations are
anticipated to begin as early as mid-1996. The State of New Mexico
anticipates a completed Southwest Regional Spaceport early in the next
century.
The purpose of the Southwest Regional Spaceport project is to
provide launch, recovery, and associated support facilities to the
developing commercial space industry. The State is proposing to locate
the Southwest Regional Spaceport in southern New Mexico because it
views the altitude, climatic, population density, and existing
infrastructure conditions as highly favorable. The State anticipates
that this project will enhance space-related economic development
within the State of New Mexico generally and throughout the southwest,
as well as increase the ability of the U.S. launch industry to
recapture a share of the international satellite launch market.
Alternatives to the proposed action include no action and
alternative sites for launch and support facilities within the general
area.
Two public scoping meetings will be held in New Mexico to solicit
comments on significant environmental issues associated with the
proposed action. The specific dates and locations are:
(1) March 22, 1995, 7:00-9:00 PM, City Council Chambers, 200 N.
Church Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
(2) March 23, 1995, 7:00-9:00 PM, Convention Center, 300 Daniel
Street, Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico.
Comments are solicited from Federal, State, and local agencies,
private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed or are
known to have an interest in this proposal. To ensure that the full
range of issues related to this proposed action are addressed and all
significant issues are identified, comments and suggestions are invited
from all interested parties no later than March 27, 1995. Comments and
questions concerning this proposed action should be directed to OCST in
duplicate (i.e. two copies) at the address provided above.
Issued in Washington, DC on February 16, 1995.
Frank C. Weaver,
Director, Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 95-4392 Filed 2-22-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P