Federal Register, Volume 78 Issue 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2013)

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78467-78469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30823]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Open a Public Scoping 
Period, and Conduct a Public Scoping Meeting.

AGENCY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the lead Federal 
agency. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park 
Service are cooperating agencies.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS, Open a Public Scoping 
Period, and Conduct a Public Scoping Meeting

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SUMMARY: This Notice provides information to Federal, State, and local 
agencies, Native American tribes, and other interested persons 
regarding the FAA's intent to prepare an EIS that will evaluate the 
potential environmental impacts associated with the issuance of a 
Launch Site Operator License to Space Florida. Space Florida, an 
independent special district and a subdivision of the State of Florida, 
proposes to construct and operate a commercial space launch site (the 
``Shiloh Launch Complex'') and two off-site operations support areas. 
The Shiloh Launch Complex would include two vertical launch facilities 
that would accommodate up to 24 launches per year (12 launches per 
vertical launch facility), as well as up to 24 static fire engine tests 
or wet dress rehearsals per year (12 static fire engine tests or wet 
dress rehearsals per vertical launch facility). The launch vehicles 
would include liquid fueled, medium- to heavy-lift class orbital and 
suborbital vehicles. In addition to the 24 launches per year, the first 
stage of the launch vehicle could return to and land at the Shiloh 
Launch Complex. The proposed commercial space launch site is located on 
the west side of Kennedy Parkway North (State Road [SR] 3), which 
straddles Brevard and Volusia counties, Florida. Space Florida would be 
required to apply for a Launch Site Operator License to be issued by 
the FAA. The FAA will prepare the EIS in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 
4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 Code of Federal 
Regulations [CFR] parts 1500-1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, 
Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, as part of its 
licensing process. Concurrent with the NEPA process, the FAA is 
initiating National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 Consultation 
to determine the potential effects of the Proposed Action on historic 
properties. The FAA will also consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS) under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act regarding 
potential impacts to federally-listed threatened and endangered 
species. Pursuant to the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, 
this EIS will comply with the requirements of Section 4(f).

DATES: The FAA invites interested agencies, organizations, Native 
American tribes, and members of the public to submit comments or 
suggestions to assist in identifying significant environmental issues 
and in determining the appropriate scope of the EIS. The public scoping 
period starts with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. To ensure sufficient time to consider issues identified 
during the public scoping period, comments should be submitted to Ms. 
Stacey M. Zee, FAA Environmental Specialist, by one of the methods 
listed below no later than February 21, 2014. All comments will receive 
the same attention and consideration in the preparation of the EIS.

ADDRESSES: Comments, statements, or questions concerning scoping issues 
or the EIS process should be mailed to: Ms. Stacey M. Zee, FAA 
Environmental Specialist, Shiloh EIS c/o Cardno TEC Inc., 2496 Old Ivy 
Road, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
    Comments can also be sent by email to [email protected] or 
by fax to (434) 295-5535.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 78468]]

Background

    The FAA is preparing an EIS to analyze the potential environmental 
impacts of the issuance of a Launch Site Operator License to Space 
Florida. Space Florida proposes to construct and operate a commercial 
space launch site, called the ``Shiloh Launch Complex,'' that would 
allow Space Florida to offer the commercial space launch site to 
commercial launch providers to conduct launch operations of liquid 
fueled, medium- to heavy-lift class orbital and suborbital vertical 
launch vehicles. The EIS will consider the potential environmental 
impacts of the Proposed Action and reasonable alternatives, including 
the No Action Alternative. The successful completion of the 
environmental review process does not guarantee that the FAA would 
issue a Launch Site Operator License to Space Florida. The project must 
also meet all FAA safety, risk, and indemnification requirements.

Proposed Action

    The Proposed Action is for the FAA to issue a Launch Site Operator 
License to Space Florida that would allow Space Florida to offer the 
commercial space launch site (the ``Shiloh Launch Complex'') to 
commercial launch providers to conduct launch operations of liquid 
fueled, medium- to heavy-lift class orbital and suborbital vertical 
launch vehicles. Under the Proposed Action, Space Florida would 
construct and operate two vertical launch facilities and two off-site 
operations support areas. The Shiloh Launch Complex would accommodate 
up to 24 launches per year (12 launches per vertical launch facility), 
as well as up to 24 static fire engine tests or wet dress rehearsals 
per year (12 static fire engine tests or wet dress rehearsals per 
vertical launch facility).
    The proposed Shiloh Launch Complex is located on the west side of 
Kennedy Parkway North (SR 3), which straddles Brevard and Volusia 
counties in Florida. The proposed site is part of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Center 
(KSC) in an area of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge that is 
managed by the USFWS. The proposed Shiloh Launch Complex would be 
constructed on approximately 200 acres of undeveloped land in the 
vicinity of a former citrus community known as Shiloh. Of the 200 
acres, each vertical launch facility would require approximately 30 
acres of fenced land. Each vertical launch facility would include a 
launch pad and stand with its associated flame duct, propellant storage 
and handling areas, vehicle and payload integration facility, storage 
tanks, lightning protection systems, deluge water systems, and other 
launch-related facilities and systems.
    In addition, as part of the Proposed Action, commercial launch 
operators using the Shiloh Launch Complex would construct and operate 
two off-site operations support areas in separate locations from the 
Shiloh Launch Complex. Each off-site operations support area would 
include a launch vehicle pre-integration processing facility, a payload 
processing facility, and a control center building. There are two 
proposed off-site operations support areas that are close to the Shiloh 
Launch Complex: the Oak Hill site and the South Volusia County site, 
both in Volusia County. The Oak Hill site is approximately 22 acres and 
the South Volusia County site is approximately 51 acres. The 
development of access and supporting utility infrastructure for the 
vertical launch facility and the off-site operations support areas may 
occur on lands outside the Shiloh Launch Complex.
    Operations would consist of up to 24 launches per year (12 launches 
occurring per vertical launch facility. In addition to launches, other 
operations could occur including up to 24 static fire engine tests or 
wet dress rehearsals per year (12 static fire engine tests or wet dress 
rehearsals per vertical launch facility). All vehicles would launch to 
the east over the Atlantic Ocean. Under the Proposed Action, the first 
stage of the launch vehicle could return to and land at the Shiloh 
Launch Complex or it would land in the Atlantic Ocean.
    The potential environmental impacts of all proposed construction 
activities will be analyzed in the EIS, in addition to the impacts from 
operating the facilities and launching orbital vertical launch 
vehicles. The EIS will evaluate the potential environmental effects 
associated with: Air quality; noise and compatible land use; land use, 
including Section 4(f) properties and farmlands; coastal resources; 
biological resources, including threatened and endangered species; 
water resources, including surface waters and wetlands, groundwater, 
floodplains, and water quality; historical, architectural, 
archaeological, and cultural resources; light emissions and visual 
resources; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, and solid waste; 
infrastructure and utilities; and socioeconomics, environmental 
justice, and children's environmental health and safety. This includes 
addressing the potential environmental impacts associated with 
reasonably foreseeable changes to land administration, jurisdiction, 
and management with regards to the lands at the proposed Shiloh Launch 
Complex site currently administered by NASA and USFWS. The analysis 
will include an evaluation of the potential direct and indirect 
impacts, and will account for cumulative impacts from other relevant 
activities in the area of Brevard and Volusia Counties, Florida.

Alternatives

    Based on comments received during the scoping period, the FAA may 
analyze additional alternatives. However, at this time, the 
alternatives under consideration include the Proposed Action and the No 
Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not 
issue a Launch Site Operator License to Space Florida.

Scoping Meetings

    Two public scoping meetings will be held to solicit input from the 
public on potential issues that may need to be evaluated in the EIS. 
The first scoping meeting will be held on February 11, 2014 from 5:00 
p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the New Smyrna Beach High School Gymnasium, 1015 
10th Street, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168. The second scoping 
meeting will be held on February 12, 2014 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., 
at the Eastern Florida State College, Titusville Campus, John Henry 
Jones Gymnatorium, 1311 North U.S. 1, Titusville, Florida 32796. The 
meeting format will include an open-house workshop from 5:00 p.m. to 
6:00 p.m. The FAA will provide an overview of the environmental process 
from 6:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. followed by a public comment period from 
6:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The open-house workshop will consist of poster 
stations describing the proposed project and the NEPA process. The FAA 
and cooperating agency staff will be present during the open-house 
workshop portion of the meetings to answer general questions on the 
proposed project and the NEPA process. During each scoping meeting, one 
designated area of the room will focus on the Section 106 process and 
solicit public input on the identification of historic properties and 
potential effects of the Proposed Action on historic properties.
    Information on the proposed project and the NEPA process is 
available on the following Web site: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_progress/shiloh_launch_statement/.


[[Page 78469]]


    Issued in Washington, DC on December 18, 2013.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-30823 Filed 12-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P