Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 217 / Monday, November 10, 1997 / Notices 60533

have become members of SI2. Advanced

Micro Devices; Seiko Instruments; Ikos

Systems; CNET–Grenoble; CPQD

Telebras; Earl F. Ecklund; Nokolay

Vitsyn; and Carl Hage, are no longer

members of SI2.

The purpose of SI2 has been amended

to read as follows: ‘‘Provide

collaborative technology and services

which enable higher levels of

semiconductor design integration

leading to industry accepted standards.’’

On December 30, 1988, SI2 filed its

original notification pursuant to Section

6(a) of the Act. That filing was amended

on February 7, 1989. The Department of

Justice published a notice concerning

the amended filing in the Federal

Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of the

Act on March 13, 1989 (54 FR 10456).

A correction notice was published on

April 20, 1989 (54 FR 16013).

The last notification was filed with

the Department on May 1, 1997. A

notice as published in the Federal

Register pursuant to Section 6(b) of the

Act on July 23, 1997 (62 FR 39549).

Constance K. Robinson,

Director of Operations, Antitrust Division.

[FR Doc. 97–29530 Filed 11–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–11–M

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND

SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (97–161)]

National Environmental Policy Act;

Expansion of Launch Range

Operations at Goddard Space Flight

Center’s Wallops Flight Facility

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Finding of no significant

impact.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et

seq.), the Council on Environmental

Quality (CEQ) Regulations for

Implementing the Procedural Provisions

of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508), and

NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR

Part 1216, Subpart 1216.3), NASA has

made a finding of no significant impact

(FONSI) with respect to the proposed

expansion of launch range operations at

Goddard Space Flight Center’s Wallops

Flight Facility (WFF), Wallops Island,

Virginia. NASA proposes to enhance

national launch capabilities through

improvements to infrastructure and the

expansion of its launch range operations

at WFF. The major elements of the

proposed action include: (1) support of

the Virginia Commercial Space Flight

Authority’s establishment of a

commercial launch site to operate from

WFF under a Use Agreement with

NASA (operation of this launch site

would be licensed by the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA)); (2)

improvements to real property

necessary to support the expansion of

launch operations; (3) expansion of

operations at WFF to accommodate an

increase in orbital launch capability;

and (4) restoration of the historical level

and nature of suborbital operations on

the WFF range. The improvements to

infrastructure and the establishment of

a licensed commercial launch site at

WFF would increase the national

capacity for the launch of commercial

satellites, and provide additional

capacity for all launch operations from

Wallops Island.

The FAA has acted as a cooperating

agency throughout the NEPA process.

DATE: Upon publication of this FONSI,

NASA will proceed immediately to

implement the proposed action.

ADDRESSES: The environmental

assessment (EA) for the proposed

expansion of launch range operations at

WFF may be reviewed at the following

locations:

(a) NASA Headquarters, Library,

Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20546.

(b) NASA, Goddard Space Flight

Center’s Wallops Flight Facility, Public

Affairs Office, Wallops Island, Virginia

23337.

(c) Eastern Shore Public Library,

Accomack, VA 23301.

(d) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors

Lobby, Building 249, 4800 Oak Grove

Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818–354–

5179).

(e) Spaceport U.S.A., Room 2001,

John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL

32899. Please call Lisa Fowler

beforehand at 407–867–2497.

In addition, the EA may be reviewed

at the following NASA locations by

contacting the pertinent Freedom of

Information Act Office.

(f) NASA, Ames Research Center,

Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650–604–4190)

(g) NASA, Dryden Flight Research

Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805–258–

3448).

(h) NASA, Goddard Space Flight

Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301–286–

0730)

(i) NASA, Johnson Space Center,

Houston, TX 77058 (281–483–8612).

(j) NASA, Langley Research Center,

Hampton, VA 23665 (757–864–2497).

(k) NASA, Lewis Research Center,

21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH

44135 (216–433–2222).

(l) NASA, Marshall Space Flight

Center, AL 35812 (205–544–0031).

(m) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS

39529 (601–688–2164). A limited

number of copies of the EA are

available, on a first request basis, by

contacting the WFF Public Affairs Office

at the address or telephone number

indicated herein.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Public Affairs Office, NASA Goddard

Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight

Facility, Wallops Island, VA 23337;

telephone 757–824–1579.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has

reviewed the EA prepared for the

expansion of launch operations at WFF

and determined that it represents an

accurate and adequate analysis of the

scope and level of associated

environmental impacts. NASA hereby

incorporates the EA by reference in this

FONSI.

The purpose of the proposed action is

to enhance national launch capabilities

through improvements to infrastructure

and the expansion of launch range

operations at WFF. An FAA licensed

commercial launch site at WFF would

be established to promote this

expansion of launch capabilities. The

licensed commercial launch site is

needed to further encourage, facilitate,

and promote a competitive United

States commercial launch industry.

The EA identifies potential impacts

that may occur during implementation

of the proposed actions. The EA

addresses environmental impacts

associated both with launch operations

and construction of launch support

facilities. The expansion of launch range

operations would accommodate an

increase in orbital launch capability,

and a restoration of the historical level

of suborbital launches conducted at the

WFF launch range. The proposed

annual orbital launch schedule for WFF

is anticipated to be twelve per year,

with environmental impacts associated

with an individual launch less than or

equivalent to launching a LockheedMartin Launch Vehicle-3 with eight

strap-ons (LMLV–3). The proposed

improvements to WFF’s real property

and infrastructure necessary to

accomplish the proposed expansion

include: (1) modifications to existing

launch pad 0–A; (2) modifications to

existing buildings for payload

processing facilities; and (3) the

construction of a new launch pad

designated as pad 0–B. WFF’s proposed

launch range expansion would

accommodate various solid and liquid

(liquid oxygen-hydrogen, liquid oxygenkerosene) rocket motor configurations.

Reasonable alternatives to the

proposed action that were considered

included launch sites at: (1) Spaceport
60534 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 217 / Monday, November 10, 1997 / Notices

Florida, located adjacent to Cape

Canaveral Air Station on the east coast

of Florida; (2) California Spaceport,

located at Vandenberg Air Force Base,

California; (3) and Kodiak Launch

Complex, near Kodiak, Alaska. Foreign

launch sites, such as Russia, Japan,

China, Canada, and India, are not

considered reasonable alternative sites.

NASA also considered the ‘‘no action’’

alternative.

Impacts to the human environment

associated with the proposed action can

be divided into short-term (construction

phase) and long-term (operational

phase) impacts. The construction phase

would last approximately 12–15

months. The EA evaluated the

environmental consequences of both the

construction and operational phases

including, but not limited to, air and

water quality, noise, flora and fauna,

threatened and endangered species,

health and safety, solid and hazardous

waste management, socioeconomics,

land use, wetlands and floodplain

management.

Overall impacts individually and

cumulatively to the human environment

are not anticipated to be substantial.

Neither construction nor operational

activities will have a substantial impact

on air quality at WFF. The highly

localized, short duration air emissions

from rocket launches quickly dissipate

and are well below exposure standards

established to protect human health.

Neither construction nor operational

noise levels will differ substantially

from current noise levels at WFF.

During launch operations, the noise is

maintained for only a few seconds, is of

low frequency, attenuates rapidly, and

occurs infrequently.

Construction activities will disturb

some vegetation. Operational activities

may include the searing of vegetation

within approximately 200 to 300 meters

(660 to 980 feet) of the combustion path.

The proposed construction area is

dominated by Pharagmities australis

(common reed) and no longer supports

indigenous hydrophilic floral species.

Construction activities will not disturb

wildlife in the vicinity. Operational

activities may include injury or death to

fauna within 200 to 300 meters of the

combustion path. Some temporary

interruption of foraging and nesting

activities within a 1,000 meter (3300

feet) radius of the launch pad for 2 to

10 minutes during launch operations

may be expected. Construction activities

will not disturb any federally or state

listed threatened or endangered species

or critical habitat. There are no known

endangered species within a 1,000

meter (3300 foot) radius of the launch

pad. However, a piping plover nesting

area is adjacent to this 1,000 meter zone.

Pursuant to formal Section 7

consultation, the United States Fish and

Wildlife Service has issued a biological

opinion that WFF’s proposed action is

not likely to jeopardize the continued

existence of the piping plover.

Monitoring the piping plover will take

place during the first three launches

from pad 0–B that take place during the

nesting season.

Relatively small amounts of toxic

substances may be needed for payload

processing, and limited amounts of

solid and hazardous wastes will be

generated. No water quality or cultural

resource impacts are anticipated, and

there are no environmental justice

concerns. The proposed action is

consistent to the maximum extent

practicable with the Virginia coastal

zone management program. The

proposed construction will occur in a

100-year floodplain and will convert

1,280 square meters (approximately 1⁄3

acre) of low quality wetlands to

industrial use. There are no practicable

alternatives which avoid the floodplain

or conversion of the wetlands. Wetlands

will be established or improved to

compensate for the loss created by the

project. There will be some positive

socioeconomic benefit to the

surrounding community through job

creation and purchases of goods and

services. There are no other issues of

potential environmental concern.

NASA sought public and agency

review and comment on the

environmental impacts of the proposed

action through: (1) a notice of

availability of the Draft EA concerning

expansion of launch range operations at

WFF in the Federal Register on

September 8, 1997 (62 FR 47223); (2)

notice of availability of the Draft EA in

local news media; (3) consultations with

state and federal agencies; and (4) direct

mailing of the Draft EA to interested

parties. No environmental concerns

were raised during the 30-day public

comment on the Draft EA.

On the basis of the EA for the

expansion of launch range operations at

WFF and underlying reference

documents, NASA has determined that

the environmental impacts associated

with the proposed action will not

individually or cumulatively have a

significant effect on the quality of the

human environment.

Therefore, an environmental impact

statement is not required.

William F. Townsend,

Acting Associate Administrator for Mission

to Planet Earth.

[FR Doc. 97–29637 Filed 11–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7510–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40–7580]

Consideration of License Amendment

Request for the Fansteel, Inc., Facility

in Muskogee, OK and an Opportunity

for Hearing

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission.

ACTION: Notice of consideration of

license amendment request for the

Fansteel, Inc., Facility in Muskogee,

Oklahoma and an opportunity for

hearing.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission is considering amendment

of Source Material License SMB–911,

issued to Fansteel, Inc., for modification

of the operation at its processing facility

in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Fansteel is

authorized to reprocess acid ‘‘Work-InProgress (WIP)’’ residues, which were

generated from previous operations at

its facility, to extract tantalum, niobium

and scandium. The WIP residues

contain, by weight, more than 0.05

percent natural uranium and thorium,

which are source materials and require

an NRC license under 10 CFR Part 40.

Fansteel has requested an amendment of

its license to authorize processing of

wastewater treatment residues

concurrently with the WIP residues and

to generate three additional products:

calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, and

sodium fluoroaluminate.

Prior to approving the amendment

application, NRC will have made

findings required by the Atomic Energy

Act of 1954, as amended, and NRC’s

regulations. These findings will be

documented in a Safety Evaluation

Report and an Environmental

Assessment. The amendment of the

license will be documented in the

issuance of an amended SMB–911

license.

The NRC hereby provides notice that

this is a proceeding on an application

for amendment of a license falling

within the scope of Subpart L, ‘‘Informal

Hearing Procedures for Adjudication in

Materials Licensing Proceedings,’’ of

NRC’s rules and practice for domestic

licensing proceedings in 10 CFR Part 2.

Pursuant to Section 2.1205(a), any

person whose interest may be affected

by this proceeding may file a request for

a hearing in accordance with

§ 2.1205(d). A request for a hearing must

be filed within thirty (30) days of the

date of publication of the Federal

Register Notice.

The request for a hearing must be

filed with the Office of the Secretary

either: