[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 227 (Monday, November 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58430-58431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-28812]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of Commercial Space Transportation
[Docket OST-95-852]
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement; Commercial
Expendable Launch Vehicle Operations
AGENCY: Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of intent and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST) intends
to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) to
address the environmental impact of commercial expendable launch
vehicle operations. This action is necessary to update an environmental
assessment the Office prepared in 1986. An EIS will encompass topics
not previously addressed.
DATES: Comments must be submitted no later than December 27, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Docket Clerk, Docket OST-
95-852, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Room PL-
401, Washington DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Nikos Himaras, Office of
Commercial Space Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20590. (202) 366-2929.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984, as
recodified at 49 U.S.C. Subtitle IX--Commercial Space Transportation,
ch. 701, Commercial Space Launch Activities, 49 U.S.C. Secs. 70101-
70119 (1994) (the Act) grants the Secretary of Transportation the
authority to license and regulate commercial launches of launch
vehicles and the operation of launch sites within the United States or
as carried out by its citizens. The Secretary has delegated this
authority to the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST).
Because licensing constitutes a major Federal action, section
415.31 of OCST's licensing regulations (14 CFR ch III) states that the
potential environmental impacts of licensing commercial launch
activities must be considered by the Office in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.
(NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, 40
C.F.R. Secs. 1500-1508, and Department of Transportation Procedures for
Considering Environmental Impacts, DOT Order 5610.1C.
A programmatic environmental assessment (EA) of commercial
expendable launch vehicle programs (Programmatic EA) was prepared by
OCST in February 1986, and has served as a basis for licensing
determinations for commercial launches to date. Commercial expendable
launch vehicle operations encompass a variety of launch vehicle
technologies and a number of launch sites and systems. Expendable
launch vehicles are one-use launch systems utilized to carry payloads
to orbit or to suborbital trajectories. They include such launch
vehicles as the Black Brant, Atlas, Delta, Pegasus, and Taurus families
of rockets. They employ liquid fueled engines and solid rocket motors
as booster stages. They also utilize on-board guidance systems which
rely on chemical batteries and power cells. Ground-controlled, flight/
thrust termination systems containing explosives and powered by
batteries, are also integral parts of launch vehicles. These systems
are used to protect persons and property on the surface of the earth
from errant launch vehicles. Launch vehicle payloads usually contain
propulsion and power systems similar to those found on launch vehicles.
Several factors warrant the preparation of a programmatic EIS to
replace the 1986 EA. The commercial launch industry has grown
significantly since 1986, and this trend is projected to continue. New
launch vehicle technologies, propulsion systems, and associated fuels
and oxidizers have been introduced and are under development.
Additionally, environmental regulations have been issued or amended
since the publication of the Programmatic EA in 1986. Lastly,
significant research discoveries have been made since 1986 concerning
ozone. These developments merit the more expansive review of an EIS.
This review will allow OCST to continue to evaluate commercial
applications for licenses for launch activities and ensure that the
information used as a basis for a license determination is current.
The programmatic EIS for commercial expendable launch vehicle
operations will evaluate a broader range of launch vehicle
technologies, their propulsion systems, fuels, and oxidizers. Potential
environmental impacts to terrestrial, water, and particularly
atmospheric environments from launches, combustion by-products, noise,
and other effects will be assessed. The programmatic EIS will examine
potential environmental impacts from commercial launches broadly,
without
[[Page 58431]]
site-specific consideration of launch locations. Analysis of potential
environmental impacts from construction and launch operations at the
proposed commercial launch sites will be completed through site-
specific environmental assessments or impact statements.
Alternatives to the proposed commercial launch actions include
either a total ban to launch activity or less restrictive approaches
such as limits on the number of launches, the size or performance of
the launch vehicles, and restrictions to launch mission profiles
designed to limit the scope of environmental consequences of commercial
launch activities. Constraints would be designed to mitigate the
potential impacts on air, water, and land resources, biotic resources
and affected communities both adjacent to and downrange from the launch
site. The Programmatic EA of Commercial Expendable Launch Vehicle
Programs issued in 1986, identified conditions which might result in
potentially significant impacts. It addresses, for example, the effects
of expendable launch vehicle exhaust products to the upper atmosphere,
the release of liquid propellants to the marine environment and the
leaching of contaminants from a launch facility to ground water. The
Office will address any reasonable alternatives presented during the
scoping process and subsequent comment periods. OCST requests that
written comments on significant environmental issues be provided by
interested parties. No public scoping meeting is scheduled at this
time.
The content of comments from the public will determine whether this
meeting is convened. Copies of the 1986 Programmatic Environmental
Assessment may be obtained from the Office.
Issued in Washington, DC on November 13, 1995.
Frank C. Weaver,
Director, Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 95-28812 Filed 11-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P