[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 162 (Thursday, August 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44490-44491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22252]



[[Page 44490]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (97-111)]


National Environmental Policy Act; Advanced Space Transportation 
Program

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 FEIS for the Engine Technology Support of NASA's Advanced 
Space Transportation Program. The proposed action by NASA is to test 
new and advanced engines, 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 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: NASA will take no final action on the proposed testing of new 
and advanced engines, components, and modification of facilities for 
the Engine Technology Support for NASA's Advanced Space Transportation 
Program before September 22, 1997, or 30 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 FEIS, 
whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: The FEIS may be reviewed at the following locations:
    (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20546.
    (b) Spaceport U.S.A., Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL 
32899. Please call Lisa Fowler beforehand at 407-867-2497 so that 
arrangements can be made.
    (c) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800 
Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (828-354-5179).
    (d) Huntsville Library, 915 Monroe Street, SW, Huntsville, AL 
35801.
    (e) Huntsville Library, Madison Branch, 181, Hughes Road, Suite 6, 
Madison, AL 35758.
    (f) Triana Town Hall, 101 Main Street, Triana, AL 35758.
    (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
    (j) Palmdale City Library, 700 East Palmdale Boulevard, Palmdale, 
California 93550
    In addition, the FEIS may be examined at the following NASA 
locations by contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act 
Office:
    (d) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (415-604-
4190).
    (e) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805-
258-3448).
    (f) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-
286-0730).
    (g) NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (713-483-8612).
    (h) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665 (757-864-
2497).
    (i) NASA, Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 
OH 44135 (216-433-2222).
    (j) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812 (205-544-0031).
    (k) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (601-688-2164).
    Limited copies of the FEIS are available, on a first request basis, 
by contacting Dr. Rebecca McCaleb, Director, Environmental Engineering 
and Management Office, Code AE01, Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 
at the address or telephone number indicated below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Rebecca McCaleb, Director, Environmental Engineering and Management 
Office, Code AE01, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812; 
telephone 205-544-4367; or Mr. Ron Magee, Environmental Officer, Code 
GAOO, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529; telephone 601-688-7384.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To meet the technical and programmatic 
challenges of developing a new space vehicle(s), key advanced 
technologies in propulsion systems need to 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 liquid engines and components that 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. NASA's 
preferred alternative is to primarily conduct the propulsion testing at 
SSC with some engine system component testing at MSFC.
    The reasonable alternative under consideration for testing these 
engines include, but are not 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 
undertaken in the 1960's associated with 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) 
disapproval of the proposed activities (``no action'').
    The FEIS considers potential environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed testing activities and any needed construction or 
modification of facilities. The areas of potential environmental 
concern include primarily impact 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

[[Page 44491]]

endangered species, cultural resources, wetlands, or recreational or 
scenic areas. No facilities would be constructed within the 100 year 
flood plain.
    Comments on the draft environmental impact statement were solicited 
from Federal, State and local agencies, organizations, and members of 
the general public through: (a) Notices published in the Federal 
Register--NASA notice on November 14, 1996 (61 FR 58426), and U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency notice on November 15, 1996 (61 FR 
58548). Comments received have been addressed in the FEIS.
Benita A. Cooper,
Associate Administrator for Management Systems and Facilities.
[FR Doc. 97-22252 Filed 8-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-01-M