[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 179 (Thursday, September 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 57103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23694]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST); Notice of 
Availability of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) and 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA)/AST To Renew Launch Site Operator License (LSO 01-
005) to Spaceport Systems International (SSI) for the Continued 
Operation of the California Spaceport at Vandenberg Air Force Base 
(VAFB), CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of SEA and FONSI.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, 42 United States Code 4321-4347 (as amended), Council 
on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code 
of Federal Regulations [CFR] parts 1500-1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, 
Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of a SEA and FONSI for 
the FAA/AST to renew Launch Site Operator License (LSO-01-005) to SSI 
for the continued operation of the California Spaceport at VAFB, 
California. The SEA supplements the U.S. Air Force February 1995 EA for 
the California Spaceport (1995 EA) and was prepared to address the 
potential environmental impacts of the FAA/AST's Proposed Action to 
renew SSI's Launch Site Operator License for the continued operation of 
the California Spaceport. The Launch Site Operator License would be 
valid for 5 years. The 1995 EA analyzed the potential environmental 
impacts of construction and operation of a commercial launch facility 
(which is now the California Spaceport) at VAFB, California.
    Activities addressed in the SEA include launches of a variety of 
vertically-launched launch vehicles (Minuteman and Castor 120 
derivative boosters) at the California Spaceport over the 5-year term 
of the license. Since 1996 when FAA issued SSI its first Launch Site 
Operator License, SSI has supported eight commercial launches. Although 
the terms of the license do not specify the number of launches allowed, 
FAA selected a conservative value of up to 15 launches per year has 
been considered for the purposes of the SEA's environmental analysis. 
The largest launch vehicle proposed to launch from the California 
Spaceport is the Athena III, consisting of a two-stage Castor 120 
solid-propellant rocket motor with the addition of up to six Castor IVA 
or Castor IVXL rocket motors strapped to the first stage.
    The 1995 EA analyzed the potential environmental impacts of 
construction and operation of a commercial launch facility (which is 
now the California Spaceport) at VAFB, California. The analysis 
considered operation of variety of vertical launch vehicles, including 
the Athena III. The proposed activities at the California Spaceport 
remain consistent with those analyzed in the 1995 EA and are 
incorporated by reference in the SEA. The SEA summarizes the data and 
environmental analysis presented in the 1995 EA where the data and 
analysis remains substantially valid. In addition, the SEA provides new 
data and analysis where information presented in the 1995 EA is 
outdated.
    The resource areas considered in the SEA include air quality; 
biological resources (fish, wildlife, and plants); noise; land use 
(including coastal resources); historical, architectural, 
archaeological, and cultural resources; Department of Transportation 
Section 4(f) Properties; geology and soils; hazardous materials, 
pollution prevention, and solid waste; health and safety; 
socioeconomics, environmental justice, and children's environmental 
health and safety; and water quality (including floodplains and 
wetlands). Potential cumulative impacts of the Proposed Action were 
also addressed in the SEA. Alternatives analyzed in the SEA included 
the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action 
Alternative, the FAA would not renew the Launch Site Operator License 
to SSI for continued operation of the California Spaceport at VAFB. 
Existing USAF activities would continue at VAFB.
    After careful and thorough consideration of available data and 
information on existing conditions and potential impacts, the FAA has 
determined that there will be no significant short-term, long-term, or 
cumulative impacts to the environment or surrounding populations from 
the renewal of the Launch Site Operator License for continued 
operations of the California Spaceport at VAFB. The Proposed Action is 
consistent with existing national environmental policies and objectives 
as set forth in Section 101 of NEPA and other applicable environmental 
requirements and will not significantly affect the quality of the human 
environment within the meaning of NEPA. Therefore, an Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Proposed Action is not required and the FAA 
issued a FONSI.
    The FAA has posted the SEA and FONSI on the Internet at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Czelusniak, Environmental 
Program Lead, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 325, 
Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-5924; E-mail: 
[email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC on: September 7, 2011.
Michael McElligott,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-23694 Filed 9-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P