[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 221 (Thursday, November 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58426-58427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29099]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 96-135]


National Environmental Policy Act; Advanced Space Transportation 
Program

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) for the Engine Technology Support for NASA's Advanced 
Space Transportation Program.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and 
procedures (14 CFR Part 1216, Subpart 1216.3), NASA has prepared and 
issued a DEIS for the Engine Technology Support of NASA's Advanced 
Space Transportation Program. The proposed action by NASA is to test 
new and advanced engines, and components, and to modify facilities to 
support the programmatic development of future launch vehicles. NASA is 
considering a wide variety of liquid-fueled engines to accommodate

[[Page 58427]]

the propulsion requirements of new space vehicle(s). The primary sites 
being evaluated for the testing activities are NASA's Marshall Space 
Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, and John C. Stennis Space 
Center (SSC) in Hancock, Mississippi. In addition, Edwards Air Force 
Base near Lancaster County, California, is also being considered as a 
potential test site.

DATES: Comments on the Engine Technology Support for NASA's Advanced 
Space Transportation Program must be submitted in writing to NASA on or 
before December 29, 1996, or 45 days from the date of publication in 
the Federal Register of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 
notice of availability of the Engine Technology Support for NASA's 
Advanced Space Transportation Program DEIS, whichever notice is later.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Dr. Rebecca McCaleb, 
Director, Environmental Engineering and Management Office, Code AE01, 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812. The DEIS may be reviewed 
at the following locations:
    (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20546.
    (b) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Library, Building 4200, 
Huntsville, AL 35812.
    (c) Huntsville Library, 915 Monroe Street, SW, Huntsville, AL 
35801.
    (d) Huntsville Library, Madison Branch, 181 Hughes Road, Suite 6, 
Madison, AL 35758.
    (e) Triana Town Hall, 101 Main Street, Triana, AL 35758.
    (f) NASA, Stennis Space Center, Maury Oceanographic Library, 
Building 1003, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000.
    (g) Hancock County Library, 312 Highway 90, Bay St. Louis, MS 
39520.
    (h) Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library, 900 Goodyear Boulevard, 
Picayune, MS 39466
    (i) St. Tammany Parish Library, 555 Robert Avenue, Slidell, LA 
70458 and
    (j) Palmdale City Library, 700 East Palmdale Boulevard, Palmdale, 
California 93550
    In addition, the Engine Technology Support for NASA's Advanced 
Space Transportation Program DEIS may be reviewed at the following NASA 
locations by contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act 
Office:
    (a) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (415-604-
4190).
    (b) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805-
258-3448).
    (c) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-
286-0730).
    (d) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800 
Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818-354-5179).
    (e) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665 (804-864-
6125).
    (f) NASA, Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 
OH 44135 (216-433-2313).
    (g) Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 (407-867-2497)
    (h) Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (713-483-8612)
    Limited copies of the Engine Technology Support for NASA's Advanced 
Space Transportation Program DEIS are available, on a first request 
basis, by contacting the Marshall Space Flight Center at the address or 
telephone number indicated below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Dominic Amatore, NASA Marshall 
Space Flight Center, Code CA01, MSFC, AL 35812; Telephone 205-544-0031, 
or Ms. Myron Webb, NASA Stennis Space Center, Code PAOO, SSC, MS 39529-
6000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To meet the technical and programmatic 
challenges of developing a new space vehicle(s), key advanced 
technologies in propulsion systems must be explored. The activities 
would be designed to demonstrate the technology maturity levels 
necessary to reduce the development risk of the selected propulsion 
system(s) to an acceptable level and to produce a highly operable, high 
thrust-to-weight propulsion system(s). Therefore, NASA is proposing to 
develop and test one or more liquid engines so components could be used 
in the final configuration(s) of a new space vehicle(s). Engines under 
consideration would use liquid oxygen as the oxidizer. The fuel would 
be liquid hydrogen, kerosene, or a combination of the two.
    Facilities under consideration for testing these engines include, 
but are not necessarily limited to, those located at MSFC and SSC. 
Existing test facilities at these two NASA Centers may need to be 
upgraded to accommodate objectives. Modifications may include addition 
of a kerosene tank on the test stand(s), a common structural and 
functional interface, and an engine mounting adapter. Many aspects of 
the program would be similar to test activities of propulsion systems 
undertaken in the 1960's for the Apollo program.
    All test facilities at MSFC are located in the southern portion of 
the center and in the center of Redstone Arsenal's 15,400 hectares 
(38,000 acres). The closest private property is approximately 4 
kilometers (2.4 miles) from the proposed MSFC test facilities. SSC 
occupies 5,585 hectares (13,800 acres) and is surrounded by 50,616 
hectares (125,071 acres) of acoustical buffer zone primarily in western 
Hancock County, Mississippi and eastern St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. 
Alternatives for this proposal include, but are not necessarily limited 
to: (1) alternative test sites; (2) test facility construction and 
modification options; (3) fuels, engines and components; (4) 
cancellation of the proposed activities (``no action'').
    The DEIS considers potential environmental impacts associated with 
the activities and any needed construction or modification of 
facilities. The areas of Environmental concern include impacts on air 
quality and from noise. However, analyses indicate that air quality 
will remain within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards at both 
MSFC and SSC. If MSFC and/or SSC were selected, no substantial 
environmental impact is anticipated on biological resources, threatened 
and endangered species, cultural resources, wetlands, and recreational 
or scenic areas. A public meeting will be held near MSFC at the 
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe Street, 
Huntsville, Alabama on December 2, 1996, starting at 7:00 p.m. Another 
such meeting will be held near SSC at the Hancock County High School, 
7084 Stennis Airport Drive, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on December 11, 
1996, starting at 7:00 p.m.
    Comments were solicited at public scoping meetings and from 
federal, state, and local agencies, organizations and members of the 
general public through a Federal Register NASA notice published on 
November 20, 1994 (59 FR 61346), newspaper advertisements, and direct 
mailing to interested parties.
    Comments received have been addressed in the DEIS. Written public 
input and comments on environmental issues of the proposed program are 
hereby solicited. These issues include, but are not limited to, test 
site and facility options, fuel and engine alternatives, and related 
environmental concerns.

    Dated: November 7, 1996.
Benita A. Cooper,
Associate Administrator for Management Systems and Facilities.
[FR Doc. 96-29099 Filed 11-13-96; 8:45 am]
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