[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 134 (Friday, July 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39989-39991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15751]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (08-054)]


National Environmental Policy Act; Disposition of Space Shuttle 
Program's Real and Personal Property

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) 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 has made a Finding 
of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the disposition of the 
Space Shuttle Program's (SSP's) real and personal property using a 
structured process consisting of a coordinated series of actions. Under 
Presidential direction, NASA will cease operations of its SSP by 2010. 
A number of assets will be dispositioned during the transition and 
retirement (T&R) activities. NASA proposes to implement a structured 
process for the disposition of the SSP real and personal property 
consisting of a coordinated series of actions. SSP T&R activities would 
include potential retirement, transfer, and disposal of property. SSP 
property disposition activities would extend for several years beyond 
2010. On January 14, 2004, President George W. Bush presented his 
Vision for U.S. Space

[[Page 39990]]

Exploration (hereinafter ``the Vision'') to the nation. Congress 
expressly endorsed the President's exploration initiative and provided 
additional direction for the initiative in the NASA Authorization Act 
of 2005. In announcing the Vision, the President directed NASA to use 
the Space Shuttle to fulfill its obligation to complete assembly of the 
International Space Station and then retire the Space Shuttle by 2010. 
Under Presidential direction, NASA will cease operations of its SSP 
activities at all locations, including Kennedy Space Center (KSC), 
Florida; Johnson Space Center (JSC), Ellington Field (EF), and El Paso 
Forward Operating Location (EPFOL), Texas; Stennis Space Center (SSC), 
Mississippi; Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF), Louisiana; Marshall Space 
Flight Center (MSFC), Alabama; White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), New 
Mexico; Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) and Palmdale (Air Force 
Plant 42, Site 1), California; and the associated contractor 
facilities. The cessation of SSP operations will necessitate the 
disposition of all program-related assets. Public comments received on 
the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) during the public 
review period conducted from February 27, 2008, through March 28, 2008, 
are provided along with responses in Appendix E of the Final PEA.

DATES: July 11, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The Final 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 Final PEA also may be viewed at other NASA 
Centers (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below). Limited hard copies of 
the Final PEA are available, on a first request basis, by contacting 
Donna L. Holland at the address or telephone number indicated herein. 
The Final PEA will be available for viewing online at the following 
address: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/pea.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General: Ms. Monica Vest, Government 
Community Relations Dept., NASA MSFC, CS30, Marshall Space Flight 
Center, AL 35812, Phone: (256) 544-5560, mail: [email protected].
    Technical: Ms. Donna L. Holland, Environmental Engineering Office, 
NASA MSFC, AS10, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812, Phone: (256) 
544-7201, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the Final PEA prepared for 
the disposition of the SSP's real and personal property and has 
determined that it represents an accurate and adequate analysis of the 
scope and level of associated environmental impacts. The Final PEA is 
hereby incorporated by reference in this FONSI.
    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.
--Palmdale Air Force Plant 42, Site 1, Palmdale, California.

    The Final PEA may be viewed at the following NASA locations by 
contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office in writing 
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);
    (g) NASA, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-
483-8612);
    (h) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681 (757-864-
2497);
    (i) NASA, Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, LA 70189 (504-
257-2629); and
    (j) NASA, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM 88004 (505-524-
5024).
    In addition the Final PEA may be examined at:
    (k) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800 
Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109.
    Alternatives that were evaluated include the: (1) No-Action 
Alternative; and (2) the Proposed Action Alternative. Under the No-
Action Alternative, NASA would not implement the proposed comprehensive 
and coordinated effort to disposition SSP property under a structured 
and centralized SSP process. Instead, the disposition of SSP property 
would occur on a Center-by-Center and item-by-item basis in the normal 
course of NASA's ongoing facility and program management. Under the 
Proposed Action (which is also NASA's Preferred Alternative), NASA 
would conduct disposition actions for real and personal property using 
a structured process consisting of a coordinated series of actions in 
accordance with 41 CFR, Chapter 101, ``Federal Property Management 
Regulations;'' Subchapter H, ``Utilization and Disposal;'' Federal 
Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 45; 48 CFR Part 45, ``Government 
Property''; and NASA FAR Supplement Part 1845, 48 CFR 1845, 
``Government Property''.
    When the SSP disposes of or transfers real or personal property, 
the responsible NASA Center will evaluate the property using Federal 
and NASA property management regulations and guidance.
    The notice of availability of the Draft PEA was published in the 
Federal Register on February 28, 2008. Notice also was published in 
local newspapers serving communities near NASA Centers and 
installations primarily involved in SSP. NASA received 20 comments on 
the Draft PEA. Environmental concerns were expressed in the context of 
general interest and support, historic and cultural property 
disposition, and natural resource management. These comments are 
addressed in the Final PEA, and were considered along with responses in 
reaching NASA's decision.
    The analyses of environmental impacts due to activities associated 
with the disposition of shuttle property revealed minimal to no impact 
on environmental resources with the exception of the effect on 
historical resources. The impact to historic resources was found to be 
moderate, but adverse. The moderate impact is due to the potential for 
demolition or modification of buildings that will no

[[Page 39991]]

longer be needed after the retirement of the SSP. NASA believes that 
the ultimate impact will be moderate because, before any final decision 
is made about demolishing or modifying any facility, NASA will conduct 
an appropriate level of environmental and cultural resource analysis. 
If any such properties are listed in 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.
    On the basis of the evaluations documented in the SSP T&R Final 
PEA, the environmental impacts associated with the proposed action 
would not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment. An Environmental Impact Statement 
need not and will not be prepared, and NASA is issuing this Finding of 
No Significant Impact.

William H. Gerstenmaier,
Associate Administrator for Space Operations.
[FR Doc. E8-15751 Filed 7-10-08; 8:45 am]
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