[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49370-49371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19818]
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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 Issuing an Experimental
Permit to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) for Operation
of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, McGregor, 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 Issuing an Experimental Permit to
SpaceX for Operation of the DragonFly Vehicle at the McGregor Test
Site, McGregor, 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 SpaceX's proposal to conduct
suborbital launches and landings of the DragonFly reusable launch
vehicle (RLV) at the McGregor, Texas test site located in McLennan and
Coryell Counties. To conduct this experimental testing, SpaceX must
obtain an experimental permit from the FAA. Under the Proposed Action
addressed in the EA, the FAA would issue an experimental permit to
SpaceX, which would authorize SpaceX to conduct suborbital launches and
landings of the DragonFly RLV from the McGregor test site. To support
the DragonFly RLV activities under the experimental permit, SpaceX
would construct a 40 foot (ft) by 40 ft launch pad. Therefore, the
Proposed Action analyzed in the EA includes the activities that would
be authorized by the experimental permit (i.e., the operation of the
launch vehicle) as well as the construction of the launch pad. SpaceX
anticipates the DragonFly RLV program would require up to two years to
complete (2014-2015). Therefore, the Proposed Action considers one new
permit and one potential permit renewal. A maximum of 30 annual
operations are proposed in each year of operation.
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 an experimental
permit to SpaceX for the operation of the DragonFly RLV at the McGregor
test site. Existing SpaceX activities would continue at the McGregor
test site, which include engine testing for the Falcon 9 launch
vehicle.
The impact categories considered in the Final EA include air
quality; noise and compatible land use; Department of Transportation
Act: Section 4(f); historical, architectural, archaeological, and
cultural resources; fish, wildlife, and plants; water quality (surface
waters, groundwater, wetlands, and floodplains); natural resources and
energy supply; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, and solid
waste; light emissions and visual impacts; and socioeconomics,
environmental justice, and children's environmental health and safety
risks. 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/review/permits/.
The FAA published a Notice of Availability of the Draft EA in the
Federal Register on May 21, 2014. A Notice of Availability of the Draft
EA was also published in The McGregor Mirror on May 22, 2014. The FAA
mailed copies of the Draft EA to the following agencies: Texas
Historical Commission (State Historic Preservation Officer), Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality, 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
McGinley Memorial Library, located at 317 Main Street, McGregor, Texas
76657. The public comment period ended on June 19, 2014. The FAA
received letters from the U.S. Department of Interior, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, and Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma. The Final EA
responds to all substantive comments and includes any changes or edits
resulting from the comments received.
[[Page 49371]]
Issued in Washington, DC on: August 12, 2014.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2014-19818 Filed 8-19-14; 8:45 am]
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