[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62832-62833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25663]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice: (02-121)]


National Environmental Policy Act; International Space Research 
Park at the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) and conduct scoping meetings for the proposed International Space 
Research Park (ISRP) on the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

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SUMMARY: In compliance with 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 intends to conduct 
scoping and prepare an EIS for the proposed International Space 
Research Park (ISRP) on the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). NASA is 
proposing an agreement with the State of Florida, through the Florida 
Space Authority (FSA), to allow the State of Florida to develop up to 
160 hectares (400 acres) of land on KSC as a research park. The State 
of Florida would develop the property in phases during the next 20 to 
25 years. KSC, which is located in Brevard County on the east coast of 
Florida, is a major locus within NASA of Shuttle and International 
Space Station (ISS) activities and is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Air 
Force Station (CCAFS) from which many NASA missions are launched. 
NASA's goal in developing the ISRP at KSC is to provide an opportunity 
for commercial, research and educational interests from both 
governmental and non-governmental sectors to develop new, state-of-the-
art facilities to promote the expanded use of space.
    The EIS will address, among other matters, the environmental 
impacts of the development and operation of the research park at two 
possible locations on KSC.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments on 
environmental concerns in writing on or before December 9, 2002, to 
assure full consideration. In addition, interested parties may attend 
one or both of the two public scoping meetings to be held on October 
24, 2002. The first meeting will be held at the KSC Visitors Complex at 
9:30 a.m. The second meeting will be held at the Florida Solar Energy 
Center on the Cocoa Campus of the Brevard Community College at 7 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Mr. Mario Busacca, 
Environmental Program Office, Mail Code TA-C3, Kennedy Space Center, 
Florida, 32899. Comments may also be sent by electronic mail to: 
[email protected], by facsimile to Mr. Busacca's attention 
at 321-867-8040, or by visiting the ISRP

[[Page 62833]]

EIS Web page at http://eis.ksc.nasa.gov/index.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mario Busacca, Environmental 
Program Office, Mail Code TA-C3, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 32899; 
321-867-8456; fax, 321-867-8040; electronic mail: [email protected]. In addition, status updates and other additional 
information can be found on the following Web site: http://eis.ksc.nasa.gov/index.cfm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Some of the key objectives of the KSC 
mission are to support development of the ISS and growth in the 
commercial space industry; promote and facilitate general commercial 
use and development of space; and continue to develop KSC as a world 
leader in spaceport and range technology development while maintaining 
the prominence in launch and landing operations of KSC and CCAFS, 
collectively known as the Cape Canaveral Spaceport (CCS). Towards these 
ends, KSC believes the development and operation of a commercial-based 
research park would attract and promote broad-based research and 
technology development activities. In addition, the development and 
testing activities would increase the availability of intellectual, 
physical, and financial resources to directly support the use and 
development of space and its commercial potential. This outcome would 
enable NASA to more efficiently perform its core research and 
exploration missions. Therefore, NASA is proposing to allow the State 
of Florida, through its FSA, to develop up to 160 hectares (400 acres) 
of land on KSC as a ISRP. This area would be developed and managed by 
the FSA for the life of the ISRP, which is up to 50 years. The FSA 
would seek tenants to build and operate commercial and educational 
facilities within the ISRP, which would be subdivided into about 24 
available parcels ranging in size from approximately two to eight 
hectares (five to 20 acres) each.
    Enterprises, both private and public wishing to engage in or 
support research and technology, space product development, or 
commercialized space services that are in alignment with the strategic 
direction and needs of the FSA would be invited to consider locating 
their laboratories and offices in the ISRP. The proposed ISRP would be 
unique and as such would be expected to attract a broad, but 
synergistic range of activities. Such activities may include 
university-sponsored research and education, commercial space 
experiment processing services, spaceport and range technology 
development and support activities, international laboratories and 
administrative support for NASA's global partners on the space station, 
technical and scientific support labs, space business assistance 
activities, space technology brokerage activities, and business support 
services required by ISRP tenants. NASA envisions the ISRP as a 
pedestrian-friendly campus, with features to encourage interaction and 
collaboration among its tenants. The ISRP would manage all utilities 
and services for the tenants. All tenants would be required to meet 
strict eligibility requirements to be allowed to build in the ISRP. 
Heavy manufacturing or large-scale assembly of space hardware, and any 
operations deemed hazardous or incompatible with other ISRP users, 
would not be allowed. Full build-out of the ISRP is not expected for 20 
to 25 years. At full build-out, the ISRP would contain facilities that 
represent a combined floor space of more than 185,000 square meters (2 
million square feet) of research and development and related facility 
space and a total estimated population of approximately 10,000 workers.
    An initial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between KSC and FSA 
was signed in December 2001, describing the respective roles of the 
partners in planning the ISRP and establishing common understandings 
related to the subsequent implementation and operation of the ISRP. The 
MOU provides that NASA fund and lead the concept development study with 
FSA involvement, and FSA fund and manage follow-on engineering, 
technical, and business studies to prepare for ISRP implementation. The 
proposed management approach envisioned for the ISRP is that NASA would 
retain ownership of the property but convey land use and development 
rights to the FSA for up to 50 years. The FSA would enter into long-
term arrangements with ISRP tenants to enable commercially financed 
space industry firms and academic institutions to build and operate in 
the ISRP.
    NASA is planning to evaluate two locations as reasonable 
alternatives for the proposed ISRP on KSC: the first alternative site 
(Alternative 1) is located south of the KSC Visitor Complex and west of 
Kennedy Parkway, and the second alternative site (Alternative 2) is 
located east of Kennedy Parkway just to the north of the south gate 
entrance (Gate 2) to KSC. The EIS will also consider the No Action 
Alternative (i.e., not developing the ISRP). Alternative 1, the 
Proposed Action, would result in development in an area of 
approximately 160 hectares (440 acres) that currently is comprised 
mostly of citrus groves, some of which are no longer in production. 
Citrus production will cease, in any event, in 2008. Alternative 1 also 
contains some 32 hectares (79 acres) of wetlands, not all of which 
would be impacted by ISRP development. Alternative 2 would result in 
development in an area that contains 134 hectares (332 acres) of pine 
flatwoods and scrub habitat and some 27 hectares (67 acres) of 
wetlands, not all of which would be impacted by ISRP development. Both 
of these locations were selected in part to accommodate the need for 
the ISRP to be located outside the KSC security zone to allow for 24-
hour access by the tenants.
    The EIS will consider the full range of potential environmental 
impacts associated with these alternatives. Environmental issues 
addressed will include, but not necessarily be limited to: land use, 
motor vehicle traffic, air and water quality, infrastructure and 
drainage, hazardous materials and site contamination, pollution 
prevention, geology, biological resources, noise, aesthetics, cultural 
resources, socioeconomic impacts (including environmental justice), and 
other issues identified for emphasis during the scoping process. NASA 
will consult with the State Historic Preservation Office during the 
planning process because Alternative 2 may potentially affect 
archeological and historic sites. NASA will also consult with the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the potential for the ISRP to 
impact threatened and endangered species and critical habitat.

    Dated: October 3, 2002.
Jeffrey E. Sutton,
Assistant Administrator for Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 02-25663 Filed 10-7-02; 8:45 am]
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