[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70947-70949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30225]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 00-139]


National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Surveyor 2001 Mission

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

ACTION: Finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended (NEPA) (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 is providing notice that although a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Mars Surveyor 2001 
Mission was prepared and public comments were elicited and received, a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will not be prepared. 
Instead, NASA has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).
    The Mars Surveyor 2001 (MS 01) mission as proposed in the DEIS 
originally consisted of the launch and operation of two separate 
spacecraft--the MS 01 orbiter and the MS 01 lander/rover. The DEIS 
addressed the potential environmental impacts associated with 
implementation of this mission configuration (the Proposed Action) and 
included a risk assessment for potential launch accidents involving the 
release of radioactive material from the MS 01 lander/rover spacecraft. 
The MS 01 orbiter spacecraft would carry no radioactive material or 
other extremely hazardous materials or equipment and, hence, would 
involve a conventional launch entailing no significant effects to the 
quality of the human environment. The DEIS also addressed the potential 
environmental impacts of alternatives to this Proposed Action as well 
as the No Action alternative.
    Events that occurred during the intervening months since 
publication of the DEIS, including loss of the Mars Polar Lander 
mission on December 3, 1999, early in the public review period for the 
DEIS, have resulted in a reevaluation by NASA of the Mars Surveyor 2001 
mission. As a result of that reevaluation, NASA has proposed to 
reconfigure the Mars Surveyor 2001 mission to launch only the MS 01 
orbiter spacecraft in 2001. Thus the FONSI issued today covers the 
proposed reconfigured Mars Surveyor 2001 mission, specifically launch 
of the MS 01 orbiter only. Should NASA decide at

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some future date to launch the MS 01 lander/rover spacecraft, a 
separate NEPA document will be prepared in accordance with applicable 
policy and procedures.
    The MS 01 orbiter would be launched in April 2001 from Cape 
Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, onboard a Delta II 7925 
expendable launch vehicle.

DATES: Comments in response to this FONSI must be provided in writing 
to NASA on or before December 28, 2000

ADDRESSES: Comments in response to this FONSI should be addressed to 
Mr. Mark R. Dahl, NASA Headquarters, Code SD, 300 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20546. The DEIS prepared for the Mars Surveyor 2001 
mission which supports this FONSI may be reviewed at:
    1. NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20546.
    2. NASA, Spaceport USA, Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center, 
Florida, 32899 (321-867-2622). Please call Ms. Penny Myers at 321-867-
8007 so that arrangements can be made.
    3. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800 
Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818-354-5179). Other locations 
where the DEIS can be examined are listed in the Supplementary 
Information section below.
    A limited number of copies of the DEIS are available to persons 
wishing a copy by contacting Mr. Dahl at the address or telephone 
number provided herein. The DEIS is also available in Adobe Acrobatr 
Portable Document Format (PDF) at http://spacescience.nasa.gov/pubs/Mars01EIS/ms01webpage.html on the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark R. Dahl, 202-358-1544.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS may also be examined at the 
following NASA locations by contacting the pertinent Freedom of 
Information Act Office:
    1. NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650-604-
4191).
    2. NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (661-258-
3449).
    3. NASA, Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 
44135 (216-433-2755).
    4. NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-286-
6255).
    5. NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-483-8612).
    6. NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665 (757-864-2497).
    7. NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (256-
544-1837).
    8. NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (228-688-2164).
    On November 29, 1999, NASA published its Notice of Availability for 
the DEIS for the Mars Surveyor 2001 Mission (64 FR 66668), and 
distributed over 125 copies to potentially interested Federal, State 
and local agencies, organizations, and individuals. In addition, the 
DEIS was available in electronic format from a NASA server on the 
Internet. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published its Notice 
of Availability on December 3, 1999 (64 FR 67897), initiating the 45-
day review and comment period.
    At the time of publication of the DEIS, NASA's Proposed Action was 
to continue preparations for and to implement the Mars Surveyor (MS 01) 
mission to Mars. The MS 01 mission was to consist of two separate 
launches, one containing an orbiter spacecraft and the other containing 
a lander/rover spacecraft. NASA proposed to launch the MS 01 orbiter 
spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), California, in March/
April 2001 onboard a Delta II 7925 expendable launch vehicle, and the 
MS 01 lander/rover spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station 
(CCAFS), Florida, in April 2001 onboard a Delta II 7425.
    The purpose of and need for the action addressed in the DEIS was to 
further the scientific objectives of NASA's Mars Surveyor Program by 
continuing the exploration and characterization of the planet. The Mars 
Surveyor Program had consisted of the Mars Global Surveyor, already in 
orbit about Mars and conducting its scientific mission, and the Mars 
Surveyor 1998 (MS 98) orbiter and lander spacecraft. At the time of 
publication of the MS 01 DEIS, the MS 98 orbiter had failed to achieve 
orbit about Mars and was declared lost; and the MS 98 lander, the Mars 
Polar Lander, was on its final approach to entry into the atmosphere of 
Mars.
    Specifically, at the time the DEIS was issued, the proposed MS 01 
mission would have continued the global reconnaissance of Mars (via the 
MS 01 orbiter) and would have intensively studied a local area of the 
planet (via the MS 01 lander/rover). During its planned mapping phase 
of one Martian year (about two Earth years) the MS 01 orbiter would 
have conducted a detailed mineralogical analysis of the planet's 
surface and measured the radiation environment. The orbiter would have 
also acted as a communications relay for the lander/rover. During its 
90-day primary mission the MS 01 lander/rover would have performed in 
situ science on the surface of Mars, exploring a potential landing site 
for future missions in the mid-latitude highlands of the planet by 
studying soil and atmospheric chemistry and radiation at the surface.
    Two instruments on the MS 01 lander and two instruments on the 
rover would have carried minor radioactive sources. The rover would 
also have used three radioisotope heater units for thermal control. The 
total radioactive inventory onboard the MS 01 lander/rover would have 
been approximately 3.70 x 10\12\ Bq (100 Ci).
    Alternatives to the Proposed Action that were evaluated in the DEIS 
consisted of the following:
    (a) Orbiter and Lander-Only Mission Alternative: Launch the MS 01 
orbiter as planned in the Proposed Action; eliminate the rover, and 
launch the lander-only spacecraft as planned in the Proposed Action; 
perform remote science data gathering from orbit and stationary in situ 
science by the lander.
    (b) Orbiter-Only Mission Alternative: Launch the MS 01 orbiter as 
planned in the Proposed Action; eliminate the lander/rover launch; 
perform only remote science data gathering from orbit.
    (c) No-Action Alternative: NASA would cease preparations for and 
not implement the MS 01 mission.
    In the DEIS, the Delta II 7925 (with nine strap-on solid rocket 
motors called GEMs) was used as the basis for assessing environmental 
impacts from both launch sites. The environmental impacts of the Delta 
II 7425 (with only four GEMs) would be expected not to exceed those of 
the Delta II 7925.
    The DEIS addressed the environmental impacts of normal launches of 
the two spacecraft comprising the Proposed Action. Such impacts would 
be associated principally with the exhaust emissions from each of the 
Delta II launch vehicles. These effects would include short-term 
impacts on noise levels, air quality within the exhaust cloud at and 
near the launch pads, and the potential for acidic deposition on the 
vegetation, wetlands, and surface water bodies at and near each launch 
complex, particularly if a rain storm occurred. Some short-term ozone 
degradation would occur along the flight paths as the launch vehicles 
pass through the stratosphere and deposits ozone-depleting chemicals 
from the solid rocket motors.
    The DEIS evaluated a variety of non-radiological environmental 
impacts that might arise from accidents that could occur during 
preparation for and launch

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of the MS 01 spacecraft at CCAFS and VAFB. The potential for off-site 
consequences would be limited primarily to a liquid propellant spill 
during fueling operations of the Delta II second stage and a launch 
failure at or near the launch pad. A launch vehicle failure on or near 
the launch area during the first few seconds of flight could result in 
the release of the propellants (solid and liquid) onboard the Delta II, 
the upper stage, and the spacecraft. The resulting emissions would 
resemble those resulting from a normal launch. Liquid propellants would 
largely burn with some unburned propellant dispersed in the atmosphere. 
Some unburned solid and liquid propellants could enter surface water 
bodies and the ocean. Falling debris would be expected to land on or 
near the launch pad, resulting in secondary ground-level explosions and 
localized fires.
    For both normal launches and non-radiological environmental impacts 
arising from an accident, there would be no impacts on cultural 
resources or floodplains. No other non-radiological environmental 
impacts of concern have been identified. The launch of Delta II 
vehicles from CCAFS are covered by existing U.S. Air Force (USAF) 
Environmental Assessments and FONSIs. There have been no subsequent 
substantial changes to the Delta II launch vehicle that are relevant to 
environmental concerns. In addition, there are no significant new 
circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns that 
bear on the launch of the Delta II class vehicle.
    The DEIS also addressed a concern associated with launch of the MS 
01 lander/rover spacecraft involving potential launch accidents that 
could result in release of some of the radioactive material onboard the 
lander/rover spacecraft. NASA's cooperating agency, the U.S. Department 
of Energy (DOE), performed a radiological risk assessment of potential 
accidents for the MS 01 lander/rover. The DOE's risk assessment for the 
MS 01 lander/rover indicated that the expected impacts of released 
radioactive material on or near the launch area, and on a global basis, 
would be small.
    The 45-day public comment period on the DEIS closed on January 17, 
2000. A total of six comment letters were received: two from Federal 
agencies, three from State agencies, and one from a local agency. The 
comments addressed the following issues: NASA's compliance with the 
Endangered Species Act at the VAFB launch site; NASA's use of Best 
Management Practices; and questions regarding the methodologies used to 
estimate radiological consequences. These comments provided no new 
information or analyses that indicated a need to change the DEIS risk 
assessment of impacts presented in the DEIS.
    Following the loss of the Mars Polar Lander, NASA instituted 
comprehensive reviews by high-level panels of experts not just of the 
loss of this spacecraft, but also of its overall approach to Mars 
exploration. These reviews resulted in a number of reports that have 
been publicly released. NASA is responding to these reports and 
recommendations, and is developing a broad restructuring of its 
approach to Mars exploration. Recommendations were also made that would 
directly affect implementation of the MS 01 mission. Specifically, it 
was recommended that launch of the MS 01 lander/rover spacecraft 
mission component be delayed to a future date yet to be determined, and 
that the orbiter spacecraft be launched in 2001 as originally proposed 
in the DEIS for the MS 01 Mission with the exception that the launch 
take place from CCAFS instead of VAFB. In March 2000, NASA adopted 
these recommendations regarding the Mars Surveyor 2001 mission.
    The assessment of non-radiological environmental impacts in the 
DEIS was prepared on the basis of the larger Delta II 7925 vehicle at 
both launch sites. Therefore, the assessment of impacts both for a 
normal launch of the MS 01 lander/rover from CCAFS and for potential 
launch accidents that do not involve release of radioactive material is 
directly applicable to launch of the MS 01 orbiter from CCAFS and 
provides a conservative upper bound on those impacts. Furthermore, 
since the MS 01 orbiter does not utilize radioactive material, the risk 
assessment of potential radiological consequences for a launch accident 
involving the MS 01 lander/rover at CCAFS does not apply. Finally, the 
question submitted during the public comment period regarding 
compliance with the Endangered Species Act at VAFB does not pertain to 
the proposed MS 01 orbiter launch from CCAFS. Thus, given that the 
proposed reconfiguration of the Mars Surveyor 2001 mission to an 
orbiter-only launch from CCAFS does not entail any new or substantial 
changes to the potential environmental impacts evaluated in the DEIS, 
NASA has concluded that the DEIS adequately and accurately reflects the 
environmental impacts of the launch of a MS 01 orbiter spacecraft from 
CCAFS using a Delta II 7925 launch vehicle.
    On the basis of the DEIS and USAF NEPA documentation on the Delta 
II class of launch vehicles, NASA has determined that the preparations 
for and launch and operation of an MS 01 orbiter-only mission would not 
individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment. Should NASA decide to launch the MS 01 
lander/rover to Mars at some future date, additional environmental 
documentation will be prepared.
    Therefore, NASA has made a finding of no significant impact and has 
determined that issuance of a Final Environmental Impact Statement is 
not appropriate. NASA will take no final action prior to the expiration 
of the 30-day comment period.

Edward J. Weiler,
Associate Administrator for Space Science.
[FR Doc. 00-30225 Filed 11-27-00; 8:45 am]
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