[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27543-27544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12390]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation; 
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for 
Proposed Issuance of a Launch Operator License (LOL) or Launch Specific 
Licenses to Sea Launch Limited Partnership (SLLP)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Associate Administrator 
for Commercial Space Transportation (AST).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 12114, the implementation 
of which is guided by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
FAA is initiating a 30-day public review and comment period of a Draft 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed issuance of a launch 
operator license (LOL) or launch specific licenses to Sea Launch 
Limited Partnership (SLLP). If issued, the LOL would authorize SLLP to 
conduct, within certain launch parameters, up to eight commercial 
launches per year for five years without having to apply for a separate 
license for each launch. These launches would all be equatorial and 
would use azimuths between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg., inclusive, 
originating from the SLLP Launch Platform (LP) at 0 deg. latitude and 
154 deg. West (W) longitude, which is 425 kilometers (266 miles) from 
Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in the Kiribati Island Group in the 
Pacific Ocean. This Draft EA also addresses the proposed issuance of a 
launch-specific license for the launch of a Galaxy IIIC payload as well 
as other proposed launch specific licenses within the defined azimuth 
range and other specified launch parameters should the proposed LOL not 
be issued or be delayed. As a foreign entity in which a U.S. citizen 
has a controlling interest, in order to conduct commercial launch 
operations SLLP must obtain a license from FAA. Copies of the draft 
document are available through AST's Website (http://ast.faa.gov/) or 
by contacting Ms. Michon Washington at the address listed below.

DATES: The official comment period will begin with publication of this 
Notice of Availability. The comment period will end June 18, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the license 
applicant's proposed action and the Draft EA may be addressed to Ms. 
Michon Washington, Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial 
Space Transportation, Space System Development Division, Suite 331/AST-
100, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; email 
[email protected] or phone (202) 267-9305. Written comments 
regarding the Draft EA should be sent to the same mailing address.
    Additional Information: Under the license applicant's proposed 
action, the FAA would issue a license to SLLP to conduct (1) Up to 
eight launches per year over a five-year period, for a maximum of 40 
launches; (2) from a launch site at 0 deg. latitude and 154 deg. W 
longitude; (3) within a range of launch azimuths from 82.6 deg. to 
97.4 deg., inclusive; (4) using a Zenit-3SL launch vehicle; and (4) 
transporting specified classes of payloads. The FAA is also evaluating 
the possibility of issuing a launch-specific license to SLLP for the 
launch of Galaxy IIIC, as well as other potential launch-specific 
licenses (not to exceed eight per year) as necessary should the 
proposed LOL not be issued or be delayed. The proposed launch-specific 
licenses would authorize SLLP to conduct specific launches (1) From a 
launch site at 0 deg. latitude and 154 deg. W longitude; (2) for a 
launch along an azimuth of 90.0 deg.; (3) using a Zenit-3SL launch 
vehicle; and (4) transporting specified classes of payloads.
    The FAA is considering six alternatives to the license applicant's 
proposed action. Three of these alternatives were briefly considered 
and dismissed as not fulfilling the purpose and need of the proposed 
action. They include: (1) Increasing the annual number of launches to a 
range of up to 12 per year; (2) using a range of azimuths from 70 deg. 
to 110 deg. (identified as

[[Page 27544]]

possible azimuths for GSO launches); (3) launching along a range of 
azimuths between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg. but avoiding specific azimuths 
within this range that would overfly any nation's National Park or 
National Reserve. Two alternatives were carried forward and considered 
in detail in the Draft EA including: (1) Launching along a range of 
azimuths between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg. but avoiding any azimuth that 
would overfly any of the Oceanic Islands (Galapagos Islands, Cocos 
Island, and Malpelo Island) and (2) launching along a range of azimuths 
between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg. but avoiding any azimuths that overfly 
the Galapagos Islands. The No Action Alternative was also considered in 
detail. Under the No Action alternative, FAA would not issue a LOL to 
SLLP. SLLP would continue to prepare and submit launch-specific 
applications for individual licenses to launch up to six satellites per 
year, including appropriate environmental analyses and documentation to 
support launch-specific applications when required.
    Potential impacts of the license applicant's proposed action were 
analyzed in the Draft EA. Potential environmental impacts of successful 
launch vehicle flight include impacts to the geology, oceanography, 
atmospheric processes, and biological communities within the overflight 
and stage and fairing deposition areas. Additionally, possible impacts 
to commercial activities in these areas were analyzed. Potential 
environmental impacts of three failed mission scenarios were also 
considered including: (1) Possible failure at the launch platform, (2) 
possible failure during Stage I and Stage II flight over open ocean, 
and (3) possible failure during Upper Stage flight over the ocean, 
Oceanic Islands, or South America. Finally, potential environmental 
impacts associated with the avoidance of the Oceanic Islands 
alternative and the avoidance of the Galapagos Islands alternative were 
also analyzed. The impacts of the No Action Alternative would be the 
same as those addressed in the FAA's Final Environmental Assessment for 
the Sea Launch Project (February 11, 1999).
    Potential cumulative impacts of each phase of the launch operation 
associated with eight SLLP launches per year for five years, or a 
maximum of 40 proposed launches, over the broader range of azimuths of 
the license applicant's proposed action are also addressed in the Draft 
EA.
    Based on the Draft EA, FAA will determine whether there are 
potentially significant impacts requiring preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or whether to issue a Final EA and 
Environmental Finding Document finding no significant impact.

    Dated: May 11, 2001.
Herb Bachner,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. 01-12390 Filed 5-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P