[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 36199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12888]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment and Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of 
Decision for the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program at 
the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas

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), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA-
implementing regulations, and FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: 
Policies and Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of the 
Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Mitigated Finding of No 
Significant Impact/Record of Decision for the SpaceX Starship/Super 
Heavy Launch Vehicle Program at the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site 
(Final PEA and Mitigated FONSI/ROD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hanson, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue 
SW, Suite 325, Washington, DC 20591; phone (202) 243-7609; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is the lead agency. The National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Park Service, U.S. Coast 
Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
are cooperating agencies due to either their special expertise and/or 
jurisdiction. The FAA is evaluating SpaceX's proposal to conduct 
Starship/Super Heavy launch operations at its existing Boca Chica 
Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas. The proposal requires SpaceX to 
obtain an experimental permit and/or a vehicle operator license from 
the FAA. Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue an experimental 
permit(s) and/or vehicle operator license to SpaceX, which would 
authorize SpaceX to conduct Starship/Super Heavy launch operations at 
the Boca Chica Launch Site. Launch operations include launch vehicle 
landings at the Boca Chica Launch Site, in the Gulf of Mexico, or in 
the Pacific Ocean.
    The Final PEA evaluated the potential environmental impacts of the 
Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action 
Alternative, the FAA would not issue new experimental permits or 
licenses to SpaceX for any test or launch operations at the Boca Chica 
Launch Site. SpaceX's non-licensed production and manufacturing would 
continue at its existing facilities and infrastructure would expand at 
its production facility. Non-licensed testing operations, including 
tank tests and static fire engine tests, would also continue at the 
existing Vertical Launch Area. In addition, SpaceX could conduct 
missions of the Starship prototype launch vehicle as authorized by the 
current license (LRLO 20-119). The current license expires on May 27, 
2023. This alternative provides the basis for comparing the 
environmental consequences of the Proposed Action.
    The FAA published a Draft PEA for public comment on September 17, 
2021. The public comment period ended on November 1, 2021. The PEA was 
revised based on public comments, and the Final PEA includes responses 
to comments. The FAA has posted the Final PEA and Mitigated FONSI/ROD 
on the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation website: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship/.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 10, 2022.
Stacey M. Zee,
Manager, Operations Support Branch, Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2022-12888 Filed 6-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P