[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 98 (Wednesday, May 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29260-29261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11780]


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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 
Issuing an Experimental Permit to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. 
(SpaceX) for Operation of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test 
Site, McGregor, Texas.

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of Availability, Notice of Public Comment Period, 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 
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 Issuing an Experimental Permit 
to SpaceX for Operation of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test 
Site, McGregor, 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 SpaceX's proposal to conduct 
suborbital launches and landings of the DragonFly reusable launch 
vehicle (RLV) at the McGregor, Texas test site located in McLennan and 
Coryell Counties. To conduct this experimental testing, SpaceX must 
obtain an experimental permit from the FAA. Under the Proposed Action 
addressed in the EA, the FAA would issue an experimental permit to 
SpaceX, which would authorize SpaceX to conduct suborbital launches and 
landings of the DragonFly RLV from the McGregor test site. To support 
the DragonFly RLV activities under the experimental permit, SpaceX 
would construct a 40 foot (ft) by 40 ft launch pad. Therefore, the 
Proposed Action analyzed in the Draft EA includes the activities that 
would be authorized by the experimental permit (i.e., the operation of 
the launch vehicle) as well as the construction of the launch pad. 
SpaceX anticipates the DragonFly RLV program would require up to two 
years to complete (2014-2015). Therefore, the Proposed Action considers 
one new permit and one potential permit renewal. A maximum of 30 annual 
operations are proposed in each year of operation.
    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 an experimental 
permit to SpaceX for the operation of the DragonFly RLV at the McGregor 
test site. Existing SpaceX activities would continue at the McGregor 
test site, which include engine testing for the Falcon 9 launch 
vehicle.
    The impact categories considered in the Draft EA include air 
quality; noise and compatible land use; Department of Transportation 
Act: Section 4(f); historical, architectural, archaeological, and 
cultural resources; fish, wildlife, and plants; water quality (surface 
waters, groundwater, wetlands, and floodplains); natural resources and 
energy supply; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, and solid 
waste; light emissions and visual impacts; and socioeconomics, 
environmental justice, and children's environmental health risks and 
safety risks. 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/review/permits/.
    A paper copy of the Draft EA may be reviewed during regular 
business hours at the following library:

 McGinley Memorial Library, 317 Main Street, McGregor, TX 76657

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, preferably in writing, on or before June 16, 
2014, or 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice of 
Availability, whichever is later. Comments should be as specific as 
possible and address the analysis of potential environmental impacts 
and the adequacy of the proposed action or merits of alternatives being 
considered. 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].


[[Page 29261]]


    Issued in Washington, DC on: May 14, 2014.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2014-11780 Filed 5-20-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-13-P