[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10067-10068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3405]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (08-018)]


National Environmental Policy Act; Space Shuttle Program

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment (PEA) for Space Shuttle Program (SSP) transition and 
property disposal.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended (NEPA) (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), NASA's NEPA policy and procedures (14 CFR 
Part 1216, Subpart 1216.3), and Executive Order 12114, Environmental 
Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions, NASA has prepared and issued a 
Draft PEA for proposed Space Shuttle Program transition and property 
disposal activities to assist in the NASA decision making process. The 
Proposed Action is to implement a structured process for the 
disposition of the SSP real and personal property consisting of a 
coordinated series of actions. The focus of the SSP Transition and 
Property Disposal activity is to evaluate SSP real and personal 
property in accordance with NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 8800.15, 
``Real Estate Management Program Implementation Manual,'' and NPR 
4300.1, ``NASA Personal Property Disposal Procedural Requirements,'' to 
select the best option for disposition. The only alternative to the 
Proposed Action discussed in detail is the No Action Alternative where 
disposition of SSP property would be unplanned rather than being 
accomplished in a systematic and orderly process. At a minimum, NASA 
would reduce maintenance to levels consistent with Federal Government 
standards for excess and surplus properties (i.e., 41 CFR 101-47.401 
and 101-47.4913).

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments on 
environmental issues and concerns, preferably in writing, on or before 
March 28, 2008, or 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal 
Register of this notice, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted via first class, registered, or certified 
mail should be addressed to AS10/Environmental NEPA Coordinator, SSP 
Transition & Retirement Program, NASA Marshall Space Fight Center, 
Building 4249/100C, MSFC, Alabama 35812. While hard copy comments are 
preferred, comments may be submitted via electronic mail to: [email protected].
    The Draft PEA may be reviewed at the following location:
    (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20546-0001 (202-358-0168).
    It also may be examined at the following locations by contacting 
the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office:
    (b) NASA, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 
35812 (256-544-1837); and
    (c) NASA, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 (321-867-2745).
    Hard copies of the Draft PEA also may be viewed at other NASA 
Centers (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below).
    Limited hard copies of the Draft PEA are available, on a first 
request basis, by contacting Donna L. Holland at the address or 
telephone number indicated herein. The Draft PEA will be available for 
public review online at the following address: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/relatedlinks.htm.

[[Page 10068]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: AS10/Environmental Engineering and 
Occupational Health Office, SSP Transition and Property Disposal, 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Building 4249/100C, Marshall Space Flight 
Center, AL 35812, 1-256-544-7201, or electronic mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SSP is an extremely large and complex 
program spanning decades and requiring the efforts of a broad spectrum 
of talent located throughout NASA and many commercial entities. On 
January 14, 2004, President George W. Bush presented a new U.S. Space 
Exploration Policy to the nation. In the announcement, the President 
directed NASA to use the Space Shuttle to fulfill its obligation to 
complete assembly of the International Space Station and then to retire 
the Space Shuttle in 2010. Consequently, SSP Transition and Retirement 
is being proposed as a structured process for the disposition of SSP 
real and personal property consisting of a coordinated series of 
actions. SSP real and personal property would be evaluated in 
accordance with NPR 8800.15, ``Real Estate Management Program 
Implementation Manual,'' and NPR 4300.1, ``NASA Personal Property 
Disposal Procedural Requirements,'' to select the best option for 
disposal. The Draft SSP PEA addresses the environmental impacts 
associated with implementing a series of actions in the structured 
process for disposition of SSP real and personal property.
    For the purpose of real and personal property disposition, the 
overall goals of SSP Transition and Retirement are to methodically 
assess the SSP assets and provide for their disposition in a manner 
that fully realizes any remaining value of those assets, and to ensure 
that the actions taken by NASA comply with applicable federal, state 
and local laws and regulations. The primary decision to be made by 
NASA, supported by information contained in the PEA, is the manner of 
disposition of the SSP assets. NASA has applied a systematic and 
interdisciplinary approach to ensure that the environmental resources 
at each site were analyzed and potential issues identified for the 
disposition of SSP-related real and personal property. Shuttle-related 
personal property includes hundreds of thousands of items ranging from 
common parts to complex tooling and flight hardware. The disposition of 
common parts would have no potential for significant impacts to the 
environment and is not analyzed in the PEA. Personal property, such as 
complex tooling and flight hardware, may have the potential to 
adversely affect the environment and is analyzed in the PEA. The 
environmental impacts of principal concern are those that would result 
from disposition of Historic Resources. As the SSP approaches the end 
of its mission, a variety of buildings and facilities at several NASA 
installations will be modified for other NASA Programs or will no 
longer be of use to NASA. For any SSP building or facility no longer 
needed by NASA, NASA will initiate the standard process for addressing 
excess infrastructure. NASA will conduct any additional NEPA analysis, 
as necessary and appropriate, before final decisions on the disposition 
of SSP infrastructure are made. If any such SSP assets are listed or 
eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, NASA 
will take no action that would affect any such property until the 
National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 process is complete.
    Under NASA's Proposed Action, SSP transition and property disposal 
activities would be expected to occur at the following NASA sites:

--Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California
--George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
--John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County, Florida
--John C. Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, Mississippi
--Johnson Space Center El Paso Forward Operating Location, El Paso, 
Texas
--Johnson Space Center Ellington Field, Houston, Texas
--Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility (and the U.S. Army's 
White Sands Missile Range), Las Cruces, New Mexico
--Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
--Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
--Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, Louisiana

    The Draft PEA may be viewed at the following NASA locations by 
contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office or by 
telephoning:
    (a) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650-604-
3273);
    (b) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (661-
276-2704);
    (c) NASA, Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, Cleveland, OH 44135 
(1-866-404-3642);
    (d) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-
286-4721);
    (e) NASA, John C. Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (228-688-2118);
    (f) NASA, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-
483-8612);
    (g) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681 (757-864-
2497);
    (h) NASA, Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, LA 70189 (504-
257-2629); and
    (i) NASA, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM 88004 (505-524-
5024).
    In addition the Draft PEA may be examined at:
    (j) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800 
Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109.
    Written public input and comments on alternatives and environmental 
issues and concerns associated with proposed SSP transition and 
property disposal activities are hereby requested.

Olga M. Dominguez,
Assistant Administrator for Infrastructure and Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-3405 Filed 2-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-13-P