[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50210-50211]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21319]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Intent and Request for Comment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement for licensing launches of horizontally launched 
vehicles and reentries of reentry vehicles.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is publishing this notice to announce its intent to 
prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 
and the Council on Environmental Quality implementing regulations. This 
NOI also serves as an official request for comments in preparation of 
the PEIS. This PEIS will assess environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed action, reasonable alternatives including those identified 
during scoping, the no action alternative, and cumulative impacts. This 
PEIS will support decisions made to meet the FAA's responsibility to 
license commercial launches and reentries and launch and reentry site 
operations consistent with public health and safety, safety of 
property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the 
United States. Issuing a launch or reentry license is considered a 
Federal action and is therefore subject to NEPA review.
    Proposed Action and Possible Alternatives: The proposed action for 
this PEIS is to license the launch and landing of horizontally launched 
vehicles and the reentry of reentry vehicles. Reentry vehicles are 
defined as vehicles designed to return from Earth orbit or outer space 
to Earth; or reusable launch vehicles designed to return substantially 
intact from Earth orbit or outer space to Earth. A launch is defined as 
to place or try to place a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle and any 
payload from Earth (A) in a

[[Page 50211]]

suborbital trajectory; (B) in Earth orbit in outer space; or (C) 
otherwise in outer space, including activities involved in the 
preparation of a launch vehicle or payload for launch.
    Alternatives to the proposed action may include activities such as 
not licensing horizontal launches, not licensing vertical reentries, 
not licensing horizontal reentries, not licensing powered reentries, 
and not licensing unpowered reentries.
    FAA exercises licensing authority in accordance with the Commercial 
Space Launch Act and Commercial Space Transportation Licensing 
Regulations, 14 CFR Ch.III, which authorize the FAA to license the 
launch of a launch vehicle when conducted within the U.S. and those 
operated by U.S. citizens abroad. The scope of the PEIS would include 
launches on both orbital and suborbital trajectories.
    In May 1992, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued the Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Commercial Reentry 
Vehicles that assessed the environmental impacts of licensing the 
unpowered reentry of reentry vehicles from space to Earth. This 1992 
PEIS relied in part on the analysis in the Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment of Commercial Expendable Launch Vehicle Programs, February 
1986.
    In May 2001, the FAA issued the Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement for Licensing Launches, which assessed the environmental 
impacts of licensing commercial launches. This 2001 PEIS updated and 
replaced the 1986 Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA).
    The PEIS for Licensing Launches of Horizontally Launched Vehicles 
and Reentries of Reentry Vehicles will update and replace the 1992 PEIS 
and address the launch of horizontally launched vehicles and the 
reentry of all reentry vehicles.
    Scoping: Public scoping will be conducted as part of the PEIS 
development process to ensure that all interested government and 
private organizations, and the general public have an opportunity to 
express their concerns and identify topics that should be addressed in 
the PEIS. The FAA has developed a public participation Web site (http://ast.faa.gov/) which provides information on the development of this 
PEIS and provides the public an opportunity to submit comments 
electronically. Materials on the Web site include information about 
licensing and the NEPA process; frequently asked questions, a fact 
sheet on the PEIS; a comparison of the analysis of the previous 
programmatic documents; and public comment forms. Scoping meetings may 
be requested by organizations or individuals that feel their concerns 
cannot be met through the online opportunity to comment. Information 
regarding the development of the PEIS is available on the public 
participation Web site at http://ast.faa.gov/, under the ``What's new 
on the AST Web site--Announcements'' section.
    To Submit Comments: Written comments, statements, and/or questions 
regarding scoping issues or the PEIS process should be addressed to Ms. 
Michon Washington, FAA Environmental Specialist, FAA PEIS, c/o ICF 
Consulting, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia 22031; phone (703) 934-
3950; fax (703) 934-3951; e-mail at [email protected]; or by 
Web site http://ast.faa.gov/.
    Comments should clearly identify and describe the specific issue(s) 
or topics to be included in the PEIS. To ensure sufficient time to 
consider issues identified during public scoping, comments should be 
submitted no later than September 26, 2003.

    Issued in: Washington DC.

    Responsible Official:
Herbert Bachner,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. 03-21319 Filed 8-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P