[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32884-32886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16108]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No. 28611]


Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact; Notice.

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SUMMARY: An Environmental Assessment (EA), which addresses the Alaska 
Aerospace Development Corporation's (AADC) proposal to construct and 
operate a launch site at Narrow Cape on Kodiak Island, Alaska, has been 
prepared. After reviewing and analyzing currently available data and 
information on existing conditions, project impacts, and measures to 
mitigate those impacts, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 
Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space 
Transportation (AST) proposes to determine that licensing the operation 
of the proposed launch site, is not a major Federal action that would 
significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the 
meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. 
Therefore the preparation of an environmental impact statement would 
not be required and AST is proposing to issue a Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI).
FOR A COPY OF THE KODIAK LAUNCH COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
For further information contact: Mr. Nikos Himaras, Office of the 
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Licensing 
and Safety Division, Suite 5402A, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
D.C. 20590; phone (202) 366-2455; or refer to the following Internet 
address:

http://www.dot.gov/dotinfo/faa/cst/cst.html.

DATES: There will be a thirty (30) day comment period before the FAA 
makes its final determination on the proposed FONSI. Interested 
individuals, Government agencies, and private organizations are invited 
to send comments on the proposed FONSI to the address set forth below 
by July 25, 1996.

ADDRESS: Written comments should be sent to, Docket Clerk, Docket No. 
[28611], Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., 
Room 915, Washington, D.C. 20591.

PROPOSED ACTION: Operation of a non-Federal launch site in the United 
States, such as AADC's proposed construction and operation of Kodiak 
Launch Complex (KLC), a commercial space launch site, on Kodiak Island, 
Alaska, must be licensed by the FAA pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Secs. 70101-
70119, formerly the Commercial Space Launch Act. Licensing the 
operation of a launch site is a Federal action requiring environmental 
analysis by the FAA in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq. Upon receipt of a 
complete application the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space 
Transportation must determine whether to issue a license to AADC to 
operate KLC. Environmental findings are required for a license 
evaluation.
    The launch site would be located on a 3,100-acre tract of state-
owned land on a peninsula known as Narrow Cape. Construction for the 
project would involve (1) upgrading about 3 km of gravel access road; 
(2) creating two laydown areas for construction equipment; (3) building 
a launch control center, a payload processing facility, the launch 
area, and a water pumphouse; and (4) expanding an existing borrow pit 
to obtain fill material. Construction would disturb approximately 43 
acres, including about 1.5 acres of wetlands, most of which is adjacent 
to the gravel road leading to the launch complex.
    To launch launch vehicles from KLC, fee-paying customers would (1)

[[Page 32885]]

transport launch vehicle components, payloads, associated parts, and 
staff to the site; (2) assemble components and prepare for launches; 
and (3) launch and track payloads into orbit. Operations would begin in 
1997, and about 3 launch vehicles per year would be launched during the 
first four years. Anticipated frequency of use would increase to a 
maximum of 9 launches per year over the 22 years of operation. 
Materials would be transported to Kodiak Island by boat (container ship 
or ocean barge) or airplane and transported to the KLC by truck. 
Initially, approximately 100 people would be onsite for 6 weeks before 
a launch. Operations could eventually involve up to 14,000 person-days 
per year onsite. The KLC would provide the site for launches of small 
solid rocket motor launch vehicles, such as Lockheed Martin Launch 
Vehicles 1 and 2, Minuteman II (modified for commercial use), Taurus, 
and Conestoga.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:

    Ecological resources. Construction would disturb vegetation on 43 
acres of the site. With the exception of wetlands the disturbed areas 
are not considered high-quality habitat. The 1.5 acres of wetlands that 
would be disturbed constitute 0.2% of the 790 acres of wetlands on the 
3100-acre site. No practicable alternatives to disturbing wetlands are 
available and, based on the small areas involved, the wetland and 
vegetation losses are judged to be not significant.
    Noise from construction activity would temporarily disturb areas 
immediately adjacent to roads and proposed new facilities, but the 
valuable wildlife habitats, mostly along the shoreline and offshore, 
would not be significantly affected. Construction activities could 
expose ducks and seabirds resting and feeding in the waters off Narrow 
Cape to peak noise levels of approximately 72 dBA, below the 80-90 dBA 
known to disturb water fowl and wildlife. The closest site believed to 
have a bald eagle nest is located at least 3000 feet from construction 
activities, substantially greater than the 660-ft buffer zone 
recommended by the Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Department 
of the Interior (DOI) to protect nesting eagles. Launch vehicle 
launches would cause occasional noise levels sufficient to cause 
startle responses in birds and marine mammals. However, these brief 
disturbances, three to nine times per year, are not anticipated to have 
lasting or significant adverse impacts on wildlife, including 
endangered or sensitive species. Emissions from launch vehicle 
propulsion would be occasional and widely and rapidly dispersed, and no 
significant ecological effects would be expected. AADC and AST have 
informally discussed wildlife impacts with the Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS), DOI, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 
United States Department of Commerce (DOC). The only species now listed 
under the Endangered Species Act in the vicinity of the proposed site 
is the Stellar Sea Lion, a threatened species. This species falls under 
the purview of the NMFS, and based on discussions to date, AST expects 
that the NMFS would find that there would be no significant impacts on 
endangered or threatened species and that no further analysis would be 
necessary.
    Noise. Launch noise would be audible on Kodiak Island for a 
distance of approximately 12 miles for approximately 1 minute. Sonic 
booms would be heard only on the open ocean. Given the infrequency and 
short duration of launches, no significant adverse impacts to the 
public would be expected.
    Safety. The proposed KLC facilities would be located so that launch 
vehicles would fly primarily over open water. A flight and operational 
safety program would be implemented to manage risks to workers and the 
public. Total public casualty risk, for all mission activities, is 
estimated to be less than 1 in 1,000,000. All safety concerns will be 
addressed as part of AST's licensing process.
    Visual and Cultural Resources. Construction and operation of the 
proposed KLC would affect the visual resources of Narrow Cape by 
placing five new man-made structures into a relatively isolated area. 
The largest of these, the launch service structure would be 170 feet 
high, 40 feet wide and 70 feet long, and because of the relatively flat 
terrain, would be visible over most of Narrow Cape and from offshore. 
Because the site is isolated and has few viewers, the visual impacts 
are considered non-significant. Impacts to subsistence harvesting and 
archaeological or historic sites would be minor.
    Air and Water. Impacts of construction to both air and water would 
be short-term and minor. Launch vehicle launch emissions of hydrogen 
chloride and aluminum oxide would slightly degrade local air quality, 
and the hydrochloric acid (HCl) formed could be deposited in nearby 
surface waters. Maximum concentrations of HCl and particulates 
resulting from launches would not exceed the Air Force guideline of 10 
parts per million of HCl (averaged over a 30-minute period) or the 
National Ambient Air Quality Standard of a 24-hour average of 150 
micrograms per cubic meter for PM-10, particulate matter less than 10 
microns in diameter. Acid deposition impacts would be minor because of 
the high capacity of local streams and lakes for buffering acid inputs. 
Because launch vehicle launch impacts to air and water would be 
relatively minor, occasional, and short-term, no significant impacts 
would be expected to occur.
    Geology and Soil Resources. Soil erosion control practices, 
implemented under the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, would keep 
impacts to soils minor. Changes in soil pH resulting from acid 
deposition from launch combustion products would be non-significant, as 
KLC soils have a high cation exchange capacity.
    Socioeconomics. Construction of the proposed KLC would result in 
expenditures of $18-24 million on goods and services, which would have 
positive effects on the local and regional economies. Community 
resources and infrastructure are adequate to support the construction 
and operational workforces.
    Section 4(f). Impacts to recreational resources would be small. The 
site would be closed immediately before and during launch activities, 
but would remain open for recreational activities at all other times. 
No significant impacts to the Pasagshak State Recreation Area or the 
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, located about 4 miles and 40 miles 
respectively from the KLC site, would be expected because of the 
distances and the limited extent of construction and operational 
activities.
    Land Use. The proposed action underwent a review for consistency 
with standards established under the Alaska Coastal Management Program 
(Alaska Administrative Code, Title Six, Chapter 80) and was issued a 
final consistency determination. In addition, the Kodiak Island Borough 
Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed and tentatively approved an 
AADC permit application for construction in a conservation district, 
contingent upon approval of the project by the applicable Federal and 
state permitting agencies.

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED: Alternatives analyzed in the EA included (1) 
the proposed action, licensing the operation of a launch site at KLC, 
and (2) the no action alternative. AADC has conducted a state-wide 
siting survey that evaluated 27 alternative locations for a space 
launch facility. AST has given substantial weight to the preferences of 
AADC in selecting the proposed site

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because AST's review indicates that there is no substantially superior 
alternative site from an environmental standpoint.
    In designing the KLC, efforts were made to avoid wetlands when 
possible. The payload processing area and the access road to the launch 
area were re-sited to avoid wetland disturbance, and the launch control 
center was redesigned to minimize wetland impacts. The launch control 
center, however, must be located a minimum distance from the launch 
area and must have a direct view of the launch area. The only 
alternative for siting the launch control center to completely avoid 
wetlands would have required access road construction that would have 
affected more wetlands. The only alternative that would have avoided 
wetlands destruction in upgrading Pasagshak Point Road would have 
involved extensive road relocation, substantial destruction of non-
wetland habitat, and prohibitive expense. Because of these factors, no 
practicable alternatives to wetlands destruction were available (See 
Section 4.5.1.1 of the EA). The Alaska District of the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers issued a public notice regarding project construction and 
wetlands involvement on September 7, 1995, providing the public and 
appropriate state and Federal agencies an opportunity for early review 
of wetlands impacts.

MONITORING AND MITIGATION: Construction and operation of the KLC will 
include development of a Natural Resources Management Plan that will 
address monitoring and mitigation activities for special status 
species, as discussed in Section 5.13 of the EA. If monitoring detects 
adverse impacts greater than those identified in the EA, AADC would 
take action, if possible, to avoid or eliminate further similar 
impacts.

DETERMINATION: After careful and thorough consideration of the facts 
contained herein, the undersigned finds that the proposed Federal 
action is consistent with existing national environmental policies and 
objectives as set forth in Section 101(a) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and that it will not significantly affect the 
quality of the human environment or otherwise include any condition 
requiring consultation pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA. 
Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed action 
would not be required.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 18, 1996.
Frank C. Weaver,
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 96-16108 Filed 6-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P