[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 29428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11929]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
of a Record of Decision (ROD) To Issue a Reentry License to Lockheed 
Martin Corporation for the Reentry of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew 
Vehicle (MPCV) From Earth Orbit to a Location in the Pacific Ocean

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the ROD.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA; 42 United States Code 4321 et seq.), Council on 
Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal 
Regulations parts 1500 to 1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, 
Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, the FAA is announcing 
the availability of the ROD to issue a reentry license to Lockheed 
Martin Corporation for the reentry of the Orion MPCV from Earth orbit 
to a location in the Pacific Ocean.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The potential environmental consequences of 
the Orion MPCV reentering the Earth's atmosphere and landing in the 
Pacific Ocean were analyzed in the 2008 Final Constellation 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (2008 PEIS) prepared by the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Because the FAA was not 
a cooperating agency on the 2008 PEIS, the FAA adopted in part the 2008 
PEIS and recirculated it as a Final EIS in accordance with 40 CFR 
1506.3(b). A public notice of FAA's adoption and recirculation of the 
2008 PEIS was published in the Federal Register on November 30, 2012.
    The ROD provides a description of the Proposed Action and the No 
Action Alternative. It includes a discussion of the potential 
environmental impacts associated with the Proposed Action for each 
applicable resource area, as analyzed in the 2008 PEIS. The 2008 PEIS 
serves as the primary reference and basis for preparation of the ROD. 
The 2008 PEIS documents the analysis of the potential environmental 
consequences associated with the above referenced Proposed Action and a 
No Action Alternative, and is made part of the ROD. The FAA adopted the 
2008 PEIS in part pursuant to the requirements of NEPA, CEQ 
Regulations, and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1. Furthermore, the ROD 
represents the FAA's final environmental determination and approval to 
support the issuance reentry license to Lockheed Martin Corporation for 
the reentry of the Orion MPCV from Earth orbit to a location in the 
Pacific Ocean.
    The FAA has posted the ROD on the FAA Web site at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_completed/.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on: May 9, 2013.
Daniel P. Murray,
Acting Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-11929 Filed 5-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P