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[Federal Register: August 2, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 147)]
[Notices]               
[Page 45196-45197]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02au10-145]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

 
Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
of the Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact to the September 2008 Environmental Assessment for 
Space Florida Launch Site Operator License, Brevard County, FL

AGENCY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), lead Federal agency 
and United States Air Force, cooperating agency.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final SEA and FONSI.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended (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 Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Final SEA) and Finding of 
No Significant Impact (FONSI) to the September 2008 Environmental 
Assessment for Space Florida Launch Site Operator License. The Final 
SEA was prepared in response to an application for a Launch Site 
Operator License from Space Florida. Under the Proposed Action, the FAA 
would issue a Launch Site Operator License to Space Florida to operate 
a commercial space launch site at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) and LC-46 
at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Brevard County, Florida. 
The license would allow Space Florida to support vertical launches of 
both solid and liquid propellant launch vehicles from LC-36 and LC-46. 
LC-46 is the easternmost launch complex at CCAFS, located at the tip of 
Cape Canaveral, and LC-36 is located in the east-central portion of 
CCAFS. The Final SEA addresses the potential environmental impacts of 
issuing a Launch Site Operator License for the Proposed Action and the 
No Action Alternative.
    The FAA has posted the Final SEA and FONSI on the FAA Office of 
Commercial Space Transportation Web site at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/. In addition, copies of the 
Final SEA and FONSI were sent to persons and agencies on the 
distribution list (found in Chapter 8 of the Final SEA). A paper copy 
and a CD version of the Final SEA and FONSI may be reviewed during 
regular business hours at the following locations:
Titusville Public Library, 2121 S. Hopkins Ave., Titusville, FL 32780.
Cocoa Beach Public Library, 550 North Brevard Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 
32931.
Cape Canaveral Public Library, 201 Polk Avenue, Cape Canaveral, FL 
32920.
Merritt Island Public Library, 1195 North Courtenay Parkway, Merritt 
Island, FL 32953.

Additional Information

    Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue a Launch Site 
Operator License to Space Florida to operate LC-36 and LC-46 as a 
commercial space launch site for vertical launches of both solid and 
liquid propellant launch vehicles. The proposed activities at LC-46 
remain consistent with those analyzed in the 2008 EA which analyzed the 
potential environmental impacts of the FAA issuing a Launch Site 
Operator License to Space Florida to operate a commercial space launch 
site at LC-46. The 2008 EA analyzed the operation of several types of 
vertical launch vehicles from LC-46, including

[[Page 45197]]

Athena-1 and Athena-2, Minotaur, Taurus, Falcon 1, Alliant Techsystems 
small launch vehicles, and other Castor[reg] 120-based or 
Minuteman-derivative booster vehicles.
    The Proposed Action also includes construction and operation 
activities to redevelop LC-36 into commercial space launch site. The 
Final SEA expands on the analysis provided in the 2008 EA to include an 
analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the construction and 
operation activities associated with the redevelopment of LC-36 into a 
commercial space launch site. Redeveloping LC-36 into a multi-use 
commercial space launch site involves construction of facilities to 
launch a Generic Launch Vehicle (GLV), which is a conceptual (or 
``surrogate'') liquid propellant medium class launch vehicle with a 
solid propellant second stage, and a bipropellant third stage, used for 
the purposes of the environmental review. Redevelopment activities at 
LC-36 would include building access roads; erecting a security fence; 
reconstituting several existing facilities; constructing an elevated 
launch deck, associated flame ducts, water storage tank, and water 
deluge containment pool; and installing electrical, communication, and 
air systems. Redevelopment would occur in phases dictated by costs and 
schedule, and facility construction or modifications would take place 
only on previously disturbed ground. The only alternative to the 
Proposed Action is the No Action Alternative. Under this alternative, 
the FAA would not issue a Launch Site Operator License to Space Florida 
for commercial launches from LC-36 and LC-46 at CCAFS.
    Resource areas were considered to provide a context for 
understanding and assessing the potential environmental effects of the 
Proposed Action, with attention focused on key issues. The resource 
areas considered in the Final SEA included air quality; biological 
resources (terrestrial vegetation and wildlife, marine species, and 
protected species); compatible land use (land use, light emissions, 
visual resources, and coastal resources); cultural resources and 
Section 4(f) properties; hazardous materials, solid waste, and 
pollution prevention; noise; socioeconomic resources; and water 
resources (surface water, groundwater, floodplains, and wetlands). 
Potential cumulative impacts of the Proposed Action are also addressed 
in the Final SEA.
    The FAA published a Notice of Availability of the Draft SEA in the 
Federal Register on April 1, 2010, which started a 30-day public review 
and comment period. One written comment was received during the public 
comment period. The Final SEA responds to all substantive comments and 
includes any changes or edits resulting from the comments received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Czelusniak, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Suite 331, Washington, DC 20591, by e-mail at 
Daniel.Czelusniak@faa.gov, or by phone at (202) 267-5924.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 23, 2010.
Michael McElligott,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-18746 Filed 7-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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