[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75285-75286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32048]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 03-155]


National Environmental Policy Act; Outrigger Telescopes Project

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) and conduct scoping for the Outrigger Telescopes Project.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4231 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 prepare 
an EIS for the proposed Outrigger Telescopes Project (OTP). The EIS 
will address environmental issues associated with the on-site 
construction, installation, and operation of four to six 1.8-meter (72-
inch) Outrigger Telescopes. NASA proposes to fund the OTP at the W.M. 
Keck Observatory (WMKO) site within the Astronomy Precinct of the Mauna 
Kea Science Reserve on the Island of Hawaii, State of Hawaii.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 16, 2004, to assure full consideration during the scoping 
process.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Dr. Carl B. Pilcher, Office 
of Space Science, Code SZ; NASA Headquarters; 300 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20546-0001. In addition, electronic comments may be sent 
to Dr. Carl B. Pilcher at [email protected] or by hardcopy facsimile at 
202-358-3096.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Carl B. Pilcher, at telephone 877-
283-1977 (toll-free), electronically at [email protected], or by hardcopy 
facsimile at 202-358-3096.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OTP is a key element in NASA's Origins 
Program. The Origins Program addresses two fundamental questions: (1) 
How do galaxies, stars, and planets form? (i.e., ``Where do we come 
from?''); and (2) Are there planets, aside from ours, that have the 
conditions necessary to support life? (i.e., ``Are we alone?''). The 
OTP has four scientific objectives that contribute to achieving the 
goals of the Origins Program:
    [sbull] Detect the ``wobble'' of stars due to the gravity of unseen 
orbiting planetary companions as small as Uranus.
    [sbull] Make images of disks of gas and dust surrounding young 
stars and stars that are still forming.
    [sbull] Make high-resolution images of faint objects outside our 
galaxy.
    [sbull] Make high-resolution images of objects within our solar 
system, including asteroids, comets, and outer planets.
    The first of these four objectives can be accomplished with the 
Outrigger Telescopes alone linked together as an interferometer. (An 
interferometer combines the light from two or more separate telescopes 
so that they act like one big telescope.) The last three objectives 
require that the Outrigger Telescopes be linked as an interferometer to 
at least one 8-meter or larger telescope.
    NASA proposes to fund the OTP at the W.M. Keck Observatory (WMKO) 
site located within the Astronomy Precinct of the Mauna Kea Science 
Reserve on the Island of Hawaii. WMKO is the site of the two largest 
optical telescopes in the world--the twin 10-meter Keck I and Keck II. 
The OTP, if fully implemented as proposed, would consist of up to six 
1.8-meter (72-inch) telescopes placed strategically around the two 
existing Keck Telescopes.
    The California Association for Research in Astronomy (CARA), a non-
profit corporation established by the University of California and 
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), operates and maintains 
the WMKO. The approximately 2-hectare (5-acre) WMKO site is subleased 
to Caltech by the University of Hawaii (UH). The WMKO site is located 
within the Astronomy Precinct (approximately 212 hectares (525 acres)) 
of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. The 4,500 hectare (11,000 acre) 
Science Reserve, is leased to UH by the State of Hawaii.
    Because of present funding constraints, only four Outrigger 
Telescopes would initially be installed and operated, although the 
foundations for six would be constructed. It is anticipated that the 
on-site construction and installation of four of the six Outrigger 
Telescopes, along with on-site construction of the underground 
structures for Telescopes 5 and 6, would begin early in 2005, with 
initial operations anticipated in 2006. If funding were available, NASA 
would intend to complete the on-site construction, installation, and 
operation of Telescopes 5 and 6, with on-site construction and 
installation likely to begin no earlier than 2006.
    In addition to the WMKO site, alternative sites with at least one 
existing 8-meter or larger telescope will be considered in the EIS. If 
NASA decides not to or cannot implement the OTP at the WMKO site or a 
reasonable alternative site with an existing 8-meter or larger optical 
telescope, NASA would consider sites where at least the one objective 
that does not require such a large telescope (i.e.,) the survey of 
stars for ``wobble'' due to the gravity of unseen orbiting planetary 
companions as small as Uranus) can be achieved. Alternative sites to be 
considered in the EIS under such a materially reduced science OTP 
option will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the Mt. Wilson 
Observatory in Los Angeles County, California, and the Navy Prototype 
Optical Interferometer (NPOI) site near Flagstaff, Arizona. The No 
Action alternative will also be addressed.
    The EIS will analyze the potential environmental impacts associated 
with the on-site construction, installation, and operation of the 
Outrigger Telescopes at the WMKO site and other reasonable alternative 
sites. The potential environmental impacts at alternative sites for the 
materially reduced science OTP option will also be evaluated. 
Environmental issues to be emphasized will include, but not necessarily 
be limited to, cultural resources, flora and fauna, sewage, and 
cumulative impacts.
    Because it is evident that there is substantial environmental 
controversy and concern about locating the Outrigger Telescopes on 
Mauna Kea, public scoping meetings will be held in the State of Hawaii 
on the following dates:

[[Page 75286]]

    (a) January 5, 2004, King Kamehameha Beach Hotel; 75-5660 Palani 
Road, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (paid parking at the hotel will be free 
for attendees);
    (b) January 7, 2004, Hawaii Naniloa; 93 Banyan Drive, Hilo, Hawaii 
96720 (parking is free);
    (c) January 8, 2004, Waimea YMCA; 67-1435 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela, 
Hawaii 96743 (parking is free);
    (d) January 12, 2004, Japanese Cultural Center; 2554 South 
Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 (paid parking at the Cultural 
Center will be free for attendees);
    (e) January 13, 2004, Wai-Anae District Park; 85-601 Farrington 
Highway, Wai-anae, Hawaii 96792 (parking is free).
    All of the meetings will begin with an informal open house from 
5:15 to 6:15 p.m. The formal meetings to listen to public comments and 
concerns will begin at 6:30 p.m. NASA is planning to have a Hawaiian 
language translator at all of the meetings.
    NASA will also consider conducting public scoping meetings near 
reasonable alternative sites in the United States as Wilson and NPOI 
sites, if there is sufficient public environmental interest and 
concern.
    Written public input and comments on alternatives and environmental 
issues and concerns associated with the OTP are hereby requested.

Olga M. Dominguez,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 03-32048 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
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