[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49370-49371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19818]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
of the Final 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, 
and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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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, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the 
availability of the Final EA for Issuing an Experimental Permit to 
SpaceX for Operation of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test 
Site, McGregor, Texas, and FONSI.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final 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 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 Final 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 Final 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 and safety 
risks. The Final EA also considers the potential cumulative 
environmental impacts.
    The FAA has posted the Final EA and FONSI on the FAA Web site at 
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/review/permits/.
    The FAA published a Notice of Availability of the Draft EA in the 
Federal Register on May 21, 2014. A Notice of Availability of the Draft 
EA was also published in The McGregor Mirror on May 22, 2014. The FAA 
mailed copies of the Draft EA to the following agencies: Texas 
Historical Commission (State Historic Preservation Officer), Texas 
Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. An electronic version 
of the Draft EA was also made available on the FAA Web site. In 
addition, the FAA printed and mailed a copy of the Draft EA to the 
McGinley Memorial Library, located at 317 Main Street, McGregor, Texas 
76657. The public comment period ended on June 19, 2014. The FAA 
received letters from the U.S. Department of Interior, Texas Parks and 
Wildlife Department, and Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma. The Final EA 
responds to all substantive comments and includes any changes or edits 
resulting from the comments received.


[[Page 49371]]


    Issued in Washington, DC on: August 12, 2014.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2014-19818 Filed 8-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-13-P