[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 56 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16093-16094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06360]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
and Request for Comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for 
the Midland International Air and Space Port, City of Midland, Midland 
County, Texas

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTIONS: Notice of Availability, Notice of Public Comment Period, 
Notice of Public Meeting, and Request for Comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), Council on

[[Page 16094]]

Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-
1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of and 
requesting comments on the Draft EA for the Midland International Air 
and Space Port, City of Midland, Midland County, Texas.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft EA was prepared to analyze the 
potential environmental impacts of the City of Midland's proposal to 
operate a commercial space launch site at the Midland International 
Airport (MAF) in Midland County, Texas and offer the site to XCOR 
Aerospace, Inc. (XCOR) for the operation of the Lynx horizontal take-
off and horizontal landing reusable launch vehicle (RLV) and engine 
testing. To operate a commercial space launch site, the City of Midland 
must obtain a commercial space launch site operator license from the 
FAA. Under the Proposed Action addressed in the EA, the FAA would: (1) 
Issue a launch site operator license to the City of Midland for the 
operation of a commercial space launch site at MAF, (2) issue 
experimental permits and/or launch licenses to XCOR that would allow 
XCOR to conduct launches of the Lynx RLV from MAF, and (3) provide 
unconditional approval to modify the existing Airport Layout Plan (ALP) 
to reflect the designation of a launch site boundary, installation of 
aboveground propellant storage tanks, and construction of a concrete 
pad for engine testing. Proposed launch operations would begin in 2014 
and continue through 2018. The frequency of launch operations would 
initially be one launch per week, eventually increasing to two launches 
per day, five days a week. Fifty-two annual launch operations are 
proposed in 2014. The total number of annual launch operations would 
increase each year until 2018 when 520 annual launch operations are 
proposed.
    The Draft EA addresses the potential environmental impacts of 
implementing the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under 
the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not issue a launch site 
operator license to the City of Midland and thus would not issue 
experimental permits and/or launch licenses to XCOR for operation of 
the Lynx RLV at MAF. Also, there would be no need to update the ALP for 
MAF, and thus there would be no approval of a revised ALP. Existing 
commercial aviation and military operations would continue at MAF.
    The impact categories considered in the Draft EA include air 
quality; compatible land use; Department of Transportation Act: Section 
4(f); fish, wildlife, and plants; floodplains; hazardous materials, 
pollution prevention, and solid waste; historical, architectural, 
archaeological, and cultural resources; natural resources and energy 
supply; noise; socioeconomic impacts, environmental justice, and 
children's environmental health and safety risks; water quality; and 
wetlands. The Draft EA also considers the potential cumulative 
environmental impacts.
    The FAA has posted the Draft EA on the FAA Web site at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_progress/.
    A paper copy of the Draft EA may be reviewed during regular 
business hours at the following libraries:
 Midland County Library, 301 West Missouri Avenue, Midland, TX 
79701
 Ector County Library, 321 W. 5th Street, Odessa, TX 79761
 Reagan County Library, 300 Courthouse Square, Big Lake, TX 
76932
The FAA will hold an open house public meeting to solicit comments from 
the public concerning the scope and content of the Draft EA.
 April 8, 2014, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., The University of Texas 
of the Permian Basin, Center for Energy & Economic Diversification 
(CEED), Foyer Room, 1400 N. FM 1788, Midland, TX 79707
    The public will be able to speak to project representatives one-on-
one and submit written comments or provide oral comments to a 
stenographer.

DATES: The FAA encourages all interested parties to provide comments 
concerning the scope and content of the Draft EA. To ensure that all 
comments can be addressed in the Final EA, comments on the draft must 
be received by the FAA no later than April 21, 2014. Reviewers should 
organize their comments to be meaningful and inform the FAA of their 
interests and concerns by quoting or providing specific references to 
the text of the Draft EA. Matters that could have been raised with 
specificity during the comment period on the Draft EA may not be 
considered if they are raised for the first time later in the decision 
process. This commenting procedure is intended to ensure that 
substantive comments and concerns are made available to the FAA in a 
timely manner so that the FAA has an opportunity to address them.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments in writing to Mr. Daniel Czelusniak, 
Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Suite 325, Washington, DC 
20591; or by email at [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC on: March 18, 2014.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2014-06360 Filed 3-21-14; 8:45 am]
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