[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58318-58319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25186]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Office of Commercial Space Transportation: Notice of Availability
of the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant
Impact/Record of Decision for the Shuttle Landing Facility Launch Site
Operator License
AGENCY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT) is the lead agency. The National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Air Force, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), and National Park Service (NPS) are cooperating
agencies for this Environmental Assessment (EA) due to their special
expertise and jurisdictions.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA
implementing regulations, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, the FAA
is announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment
and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for the Shuttle
Landing Facility (SLF) Launch Site Operator License (Final EA and
FONSI/ROD).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Stacey M. Zee, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue SW, Suite 325, Washington, DC 20591; email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF)
encompasses about 4,432 acres of property at Kennedy Space Center,
including the 15,000 foot long, 300 foot wide runway. The SLF, which
previously supported the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration's Space Shuttle Program, is now a state-licensed private
use airport managed by Space Florida. Under the Proposed Action
described in the Final EA, Space Florida would construct launch site
facilities and the FAA would issue a launch site operator license to
Space Florida for the operation of a commercial space launch site at
the SLF. The EA may be used to support the issuance of launch licenses
or experimental permits to prospective vehicle operators that propose
to conduct launches of horizontal takeoff and horizontal landing launch
vehicles from the SLF. However, if a prospective launch vehicle
operator's vehicle
[[Page 58319]]
parameters fall outside those analyzed in the EA, the FAA would re-
evaluate the potential impacts and, if necessary, prepare additional
NEPA analysis.
The Final EA addresses the potential environmental impacts of Space
Florida's proposal to construct and operate the SLF as a launch
location for horizontally launched and landed rockets. The Final EA
considers the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action
and the No Action Alternative. The successful completion of the
environmental review process does not guarantee that the FAA Office of
Commercial Space Transportation would issue a Launch Site Operator
License to Space Florida. The project must also meet all FAA
requirements of a Launch Site Operator License. Individual launch
operators proposing to launch from the site would be required to obtain
a separate launch operator license.
An electronic version of the Final EA and FONSI/ROD is available on
the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation website at: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_progress/space_florida/.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2018.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-25186 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P