[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 55064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21905]
[[Page 55064]]
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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 the Midland
International Air and Space Port, City of Midland, Midland County,
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 the Midland International Air and
Space Port, City of Midland, Midland County, 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 the City of Midland's proposal to
operate a commercial space launch site at the Midland International
Airport (MAF) in Midland County, Texas and offer the site to XCOR
Aerospace, Inc. (XCOR) for the operation of the Lynx horizontal take-
off and horizontal landing reusable launch vehicle (RLV) and engine
testing. To operate a commercial space launch site, the City of Midland
must obtain a commercial space launch site operator license from the
FAA. Under the Proposed Action addressed in the EA, the FAA would: (1)
Issue a launch site operator license to the City of Midland for the
operation of a commercial space launch site at MAF, (2) issue
experimental permits and/or launch licenses to XCOR that would allow
XCOR to conduct launches of the Lynx RLV from MAF, and (3) provide
approval to modify the existing Airport Layout Plan (ALP) to reflect
the designation of a launch site boundary, installation of aboveground
propellant storage tanks, and construction of a concrete pad for engine
testing. Proposed launch operations would begin in 2014 and continue
through 2018. The frequency of launch operations would initially be one
launch per week, eventually increasing to two launches per day, five
days a week. Fifty-two annual launch operations are proposed in 2014.
The total number of annual launch operations would increase each year
until 2018 when 520 annual launch operations are proposed.
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 a launch site
operator license to the City of Midland and thus would not issue
experimental permits and/or launch licenses to XCOR for operation of
the Lynx RLV at MAF. Also, there would be no need to update the ALP for
MAF, and thus there would be no approval of a revised ALP. Existing
commercial aviation and military operations would continue at MAF.
The impact categories considered in the Final EA include air
quality; compatible land use; Department of Transportation Act: Section
4(f); fish, wildlife, and plants; floodplains; hazardous materials,
pollution prevention, and solid waste; historical, architectural,
archaeological, and cultural resources; natural resources and energy
supply; noise; socioeconomic impacts, environmental justice, and
children's environmental health and safety risks; water quality; and
wetlands. 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/nepa_docs/review/operator/.
The FAA published a Notice of Availability of the Draft EA in the
Federal Register on March 24, 2014. A Notice of Availability of the
Draft EA was also published in the Midland Reporter-Telegram, Odessa
American, and Big Spring Herald on March 30, 2014 and in the Big Lake
Wildcat on April 3, 2014. The FAA mailed copies of the Draft EA to the
following agencies: Texas Historical Commission (State Historic
Preservation Officer), 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 following libraries: Midland
County Library, Ector County Library, and Reagan County Library. The
FAA held an open house public meeting on April 8, 2014 from 5:30 p.m.
to 8:30 p.m. at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Center
for Energy and Economic Diversification. The public comment period
ended on April 24, 2014. The FAA received two public comments on the
Draft EA, both in support of the Proposed Action. No substantive
changes were made to this Final EA.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 9, 2014.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2014-21905 Filed 9-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P