[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 139 (Friday, July 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 58872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15948]


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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 and Record of 
Decision for Drone Package Delivery in North Carolina

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces the 
availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) 
and Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision 
(FONSI/ROD) for Drone Package Delivery in North Carolina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning this action, 
contact Nicholas Baker, Environmental Protection Specialist, Unmanned 
Aircraft Systems Integration Office, Safety & Integration Division, 
Strategic Programs Branch, AUS-430; telephone 1-202-267-4714; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final PEA evaluates the potential 
environmental impacts of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) package 
delivery operations in the state of North Carolina. The proposed action 
analyzed in the PEA is UAS operators conducting commercial drone 
package deliveries under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 135 
in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is 
the project proponent.
    The Draft PEA was submitted for review pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 4321 et 
seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA Implementing 
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental 
Impacts: Policies and Procedures, Section 4(f) of the Department of 
Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 303), and section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470) on April 30, 2024. The FAA 
held a virtual public meeting for the Draft PEA on May 21, 2024. The 
comment period for the Draft PEA closed on May 30, 2024. The Final PEA 
includes public comments received during the public comment period and 
the FAA's responses.
    The Final PEA and Mitigated FONSI/ROD are available to view and 
download electronically at https://www.faa.gov/uas/advanced_operations/nepa_and_drones/. The documentation is available from any internet 
access, including from computers freely available at public libraries.
    Based on the analysis in the Final PEA, including mitigation 
measures that may be used to prevent significant noise impacts, the FAA 
has determined there will not be significant impacts to the human 
environment. As a result, an Environmental Impact Statement has not 
been initiated. The FAA intends for this PEA to create efficiencies by 
establishing a framework that can be used for ``tiering,'' when 
appropriate, to project-specific actions that require additional 
analysis. As decisions on specific applications are made, to the extent 
additional NEPA analysis is required, environmental review will be 
conducted to supplement the analysis set forth in this PEA.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2024.
Derek W. Hufty,
Manager, General Aviation and Commercial Branch, Emerging Technologies 
Division, Office of Safety Standards, Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-15948 Filed 7-18-24; 8:45 am]
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