[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 108 (Thursday, June 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32577-32578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13151]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice (14-044)]
National Environmental Policy Act: Mars 2020 Mission
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for the Mars 2020 Mission.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended, (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental
Quality 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 prepared and issued a DEIS for the
proposed Mars 2020 mission. The purpose of this notice is to apprise
interested agencies, organizations, and individuals of the availability
of the DEIS and to invite comments on the document during a 45-day
public comment period. The DEIS addresses the potential environmental
impacts associated with implementing the proposed mission. The purpose
of the proposed mission is to continue NASA's in-depth exploration of
Mars with a mobile science laboratory (rover). The DEIS includes:
Descriptions of the proposed Mars 2020 mission, spacecraft, and
candidate launch vehicles; an overview of the potentially affected
environment at and near the launch site; and the potential
environmental consequences associated with the Proposed Action and
Alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The DEIS is
available at the NASA Mars 2020 NEPA Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/mars2020eis.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments on
environmental issues and concerns, preferably in writing. Comments on
the DEIS will be accepted until July 21, 2014, or no later than 45 days
from the publication in the Federal Register of the U.S Environmental
Protection Agency's Notice of Availability of the Mars 2020 Mission
DEIS, whichever is later. NASA will hold a virtual public meeting on
June 26, 2014, during which the public is invited to participate in an
open exchange of information and electronic submission of comments. The
virtual meeting will be held from1:00 to 3:00 p.m. EDT at the following
Web address: https://ac.arc.nasa.gov/mars2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the Mars 2020 mission DEIS at any
time during the comment period by:
Email: Comments by electronic mail may be sent to
[email protected].
Mail: Mr. George Tahu, Planetary Science Division, Science
Mission Directorate, Mail Suite 3E46, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC
20546-0001.
Telephone: Comments will be accepted at 202-358-0016.
Comments will also be accepted electronically during the June 26th,
2014 virtual public meeting at the following Web site: https://ac.arc.nasa.gov/mars2020. The DEIS may be reviewed at the following
locations:
NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20546;
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249,
4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109.
Limited hard copies or CDs of the DEIS are available by contacting
Mr. George Tahu at the address, telephone number, or electronic mail
address provided below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. George Tahu, Planetary Science
Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington,
DC 20456-001, telephone 202-358-0016, or electronic mail at [email protected]. Additional information on NASA's NEPA process and
the proposed Mars 2020 mission can be found on the Internet at: http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/ and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mars2020/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Mars 2020 mission is planned
for launch during the July-August 2020 time period from Kennedy Space
Center (KSC) or Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, on
an expendable launch vehicle. The DEIS evaluates three alternatives in
addition to the No Action Alternative. Under the Proposed Action
(Alternative 1), the proposed Mars 2020 rover would utilize a
radioisotope power system, a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric
Generator (MMRTG), to continually provide electrical power to the
rover's battery and heat for on board systems so the rover can operate
and conduct science on the surface of Mars. Under Alternative 2, the
proposed Mars 2020 rover would utilize solar energy as its source of
electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars.
Under Alternative 3, the proposed Mars 2020 rover would utilize solar
energy augmented by the thermal output from Light Weight Radioisotope
Heater Units (LWRHUs) to help keep the rover's on board systems at
proper operating temperatures to conduct science on the surface of
Mars.
The DEIS assesses potential environmental impacts associated with a
normal launch as well as a potential launch accident. These include
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potential non-radiological and radiological impacts.
Public Meeting: As a follow-up to the public scoping meetings held
in Florida on October 9-10, 2013, NASA will hold a virtual public
meeting during which the public is invited to participate in an open
exchange of information, including briefings by agency and project
representatives, and electronic submission of formal comments before,
during, and after the meeting. This meeting will be held on June 26,
2014, at the following Web address: https://ac.arc.nasa.gov/mars2020.
Further information on the virtual public meeting can be obtained
by contracting Mr. George Tahu at the address and phone number indicted
herein or by visiting the Mars 2020 NEPA Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/mars2020eis.
NASA will consider all comments received in developing its Final
EIS; comments received and responses to comments will be included in
the final document.
Calvin F. Williams,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Strategic Infrastructure.
[FR Doc. 2014-13151 Filed 6-4-14; 8:45 am]
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