Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Streamlining the Processing of Experimental Permit Applications, 46641-46642 [E9-21765]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 174 / Thursday, September 10, 2009 / Notices top of this document. Written comments may be submitted to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Comments also may be submitted by electronic means via the Internet at https:// www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp. Specifically address whether this information collection is necessary for proper performance of the functions of the agency and will have practical utility, accuracy of the burden estimates, ways to minimize this burden, and ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected. All comments received will be available for examination at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT (or EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at https:// www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp. Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78) or you may visit https://www.regulations.gov/ search/index.jsp. Authority: 49 CFR 1.66. Dated: September 1, 2009. By Order of the Maritime Administrator. Christine Gurland, Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration. [FR Doc. E9–21817 Filed 9–9–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–81–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Notice of Approval of the Record of Decision for Proposed Development at the Port Columbus International Airport, Columbus, OH erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of Approval of the Record of Decision (ROD). SUMMARY: The FAA is announcing approval of the Record of Decision on the Final Environmental Impact Statement, Section 303c Evaluation, and Section 106 Evaluation for proposed development at the Port Columbus International Airport, Columbus, Ohio. VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:13 Sep 09, 2009 Jkt 217001 46641 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Katherine S. Delaney, FAA, Airports District Office, 11677 South Wayne Road, Suite 107, Romulus, MI 48174, telephone (734) 229–2900; fax: (734) 229–2950. Issued in Romulus, Michigan, on August 24, 2009. Matthew J. Thys, Manager, Detroit Airports District Office, FAA, Great Lakes Region. [FR Doc. E9–21897 Filed 9–9–09; 8:45 am] The ROD approves the proposed development at Port Columbus International Airport including: construction of a replacement runway 10,113 feet long, located 702 feet south of the existing Runway 10R/ 28L; development of new terminal facilities, including a new terminal apron in the midfield area, with access from the south airfield; construction of additional taxiways to support the replacement runway; necessary NAVAIDs; proposed aviation-related development (noise berm); associated roadway relocations and construction (internal loop roadway modifications, relocated airport perimeter road); parking improvements (including both surface lots and parking garage); property acquisition and relocation of residences and businesses; construction and implementation of ancillary facilities to support the proposed development (expansion of the central utility plant, aircraft fueling system, airside/landside drainage improvements, expansion of the glycol collection and treatment system, and relocation of the utility corridors); development of air traffic operational procedures for the replacement runway; and implementation of the proposed Part 150 noise abatement actions. The ROD indicates the project is consistent with existing environmental policies and objectives as set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and will not significantly affect the quality of the environment. In reaching this decision, the FAA has given careful consideration to: (a) The role of CMH in the national air transportation system, (b) aviation safety, (c) preferences of the airport owner, and (d) anticipated environmental impact. Discussions of these factors are documented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), Section 303c Evaluation, and the Section 106 Evaluation for the project. The notice of availability of the FEIS appeared in the Federal Register on March 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 53 Pages 11986–11987), and the comment period ran through April 20, 2009. The FAA’s determinations on the project are outlined in the ROD, which was approved on August 19, 2009. BILLING CODE 4910–13–P SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Streamlining the Processing of Experimental Permit Applications AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation. ACTION: Notice of availability. 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 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Streamlining the Processing of Experimental Permit Applications (PEIS). The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation is the lead Federal agency for the development of the PEIS. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Air Force are cooperating agencies. Under the Proposed Action evaluated in the PEIS, the FAA would issue experimental permits for the launch and reentry of reusable suborbital rockets from both FAA-licensed and nonlicensed launch sites using the PEIS as the basis for determining the potential environmental consequences of issuing experimental permits. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would continue issuing experimental permits for the launch and reentry of reusable suborbital rockets using its present method of analyzing environmental consequences case by case, without tiering from a programmatic document. The PEIS examines the potential environmental impacts of issuing an experimental permit for the operation of reusable suborbital rockets anywhere in the U.S. and abroad, and the potential site-specific impacts of permitted launches from seven FAA-licensed commercial launch sites: California Spaceport, California; Mojave Air and Space Port, California; Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska; Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Virginia; Space Florida E:\FR\FM\10SEN1.SGM 10SEN1 46642 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 174 / Thursday, September 10, 2009 / Notices Launch Complex-46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; Oklahoma Spaceport, Oklahoma; Spaceport America, New Mexico; and one Federal range, the Shuttle Landing Facility at John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Subsequent environmental analyses that fall under the scope of the PEIS could tier from this document and incorporate the findings of the PEIS by reference, allowing an applicant and the FAA to focus on the relevant and unique impacts of an experimental permit application. Tiering and incorporation by reference would streamline the development of subsequent environmental analyses in accordance with NEPA and FAA Order 1050.1E. The PEIS will not authorize the launch or reentry of reusable suborbital rockets from launch sites. Individual launch operators would be required to coordinate with site operators to gain access to a site. In addition, the launch operators would be required to apply to the FAA for an experimental permit, which would require an individual safety and environmental review. The FAA submitted the Final PEIS to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the EPA will post a separate notification in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final PEIS. The FAA will issue a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 days following the EPA notice in the Federal Register. The Record of Decision will also be published in the Federal Register. The FAA has posted the Final PEIS on the FAA Web site at https://ast.faa.gov. A paper copy and a CD version of the Final PEIS may be viewed at the following locations: Alaska Chiniak Public Library, Mile 41, Chiniak, AK 99615. Kodiak Library, 319 Lower Mill Bay Road, Kodiak, AK 99615. California erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES Kern County Library, 9507 California City Blvd., California City, CA 93505. Lompoc Library, 3755 Constellation Rd., Lompoc, CA 93436. Lompoc Public Library, 501 E. North Ave., Lompoc, CA 93436. Mojave Public Library, 16916–1⁄2 Highway 14, Mojave, CA 93501. Florida Merritt Island Public Library, 1195 North Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL 32953. Titusville Public Library, 2121 S. Hopkins Ave., Titusville, FL 32780. VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:13 Sep 09, 2009 Jkt 217001 New Mexico Truth or Consequences Library, 325 Library Lane, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901. Hatch Public Library, 503 E. Hall St., Hatch, NM 87937. Oklahoma Clinton Public Library, 721 Frisco Ave., Clinton, OK 73601. Elk City Carnegie Library, 221 West Broadway, Elk City, OK 73644. Virginia Island Library, 4077 Main St., Chincoteague, VA 23336. Eastern Shore Public Library, 23610 Front St., Accomac, VA 23301. Additional Information: Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue experimental permits for the launch and reentry of reusable suborbital rockets from both FAA-licensed and nonlicensed launch sites using the PEIS as the basis for determining the potential environmental consequences of issuing experimental permits. An experimental permit would implement the appropriate safety requirements as defined in 14 CFR Part 437. A permit would be valid for 1 year and would authorize an unlimited number of launches and reentries of a particular reusable suborbital rocket design from a specified site(s). A permittee could renew the permit by submitting a written application to the FAA for renewal at least 60 days before the permit expired. Based on the FAA’s review of past activities and consultations with various organizations in the commercial space industry, the FAA projected that a maximum of 1,000 launch and reentry events could occur annually at any one location from 2009 to 2014. The FAA used this estimate to develop an upper bound to assess the potential impacts of the Experimental Permit Program. In some cases, the maximum number of events analyzed in the PEIS for specific sites are fewer than 1,000 if the site cannot support all of the flight profiles identified in the PEIS. The estimates used in the PEIS are extremely conservative and the actual number of launches per year would likely be lower. The PEIS considers activities associated with the launch and reentry of reusable suborbital rockets, including pre-flight activities, flight profile (takeoff, flight, and landing), and postflight activities (vehicle safing). The general suborbital rocket designs addressed in the PEIS include vehicles resembling conventional aircraft—30 to 140 feet long with unfueled weight of PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 up to 9,921 pounds; vehicles resembling conventional rockets—6 to 33 feet long with unfueled weight of up to 5,500 pounds; and vehicles that hover—up to 20 feet in length or diameter with unfueled weight of up to 4,400 pounds. To assess potential impacts of the Experimental Permit Program, the PEIS also considers the approximate proportions of general reusable suborbital rocket flight profiles, as follows: (1) Horizontal takeoff (rocket or jet powered), flight, and horizontal landing (glide or jet powered); (2) vertical takeoff (rocket powered), flight, and vertical landing (rocket powered or parachute); and (3) rocket powered hovering flights (vertical takeoff and landing). The PEIS analyzes the potential environmental effects of permitted launches on the impact categories described in FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1. The PEIS does not analyze environmental consequences specific to construction because the Proposed Action and No Action Alternative do not involve construction activities. The PEIS also addresses potential cumulative impacts of the Proposed Action. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Czelusniak, FAA Environmental Specialist, FAA Experimental Permits PEIS, c/o ICF International, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031; e-mail PEIS-Experimental-Permits@icfi.com; or fax (703) 934–3951. Issued in Washington, DC, on September 1, 2009. Michael McElligott, Manager, Space Systems Development Division. [FR Doc. E9–21765 Filed 9–9–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration [Docket Number: MARAD–2008–0060] Environmental Impact Statements; Availability AGENCY: Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Maritime Administration, of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) has made available to interested parties the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and E:\FR\FM\10SEN1.SGM 10SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 174 (Thursday, September 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46641-46642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-21765]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for 
Streamlining the Processing of Experimental Permit Applications

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
for Streamlining the Processing of Experimental Permit Applications 
(PEIS). The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation is the lead 
Federal agency for the development of the PEIS. The National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Air Force are 
cooperating agencies.
    Under the Proposed Action evaluated in the PEIS, the FAA would 
issue experimental permits for the launch and reentry of reusable 
suborbital rockets from both FAA-licensed and non-licensed launch sites 
using the PEIS as the basis for determining the potential environmental 
consequences of issuing experimental permits. Under the No Action 
Alternative, the FAA would continue issuing experimental permits for 
the launch and reentry of reusable suborbital rockets using its present 
method of analyzing environmental consequences case by case, without 
tiering from a programmatic document.
    The PEIS examines the potential environmental impacts of issuing an 
experimental permit for the operation of reusable suborbital rockets 
anywhere in the U.S. and abroad, and the potential site-specific 
impacts of permitted launches from seven FAA-licensed commercial launch 
sites: California Spaceport, California; Mojave Air and Space Port, 
California; Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska; Mid-Atlantic Regional 
Spaceport, Virginia; Space Florida

[[Page 46642]]

Launch Complex-46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; 
Oklahoma Spaceport, Oklahoma; Spaceport America, New Mexico; and one 
Federal range, the Shuttle Landing Facility at John F. Kennedy Space 
Center, Florida.
    Subsequent environmental analyses that fall under the scope of the 
PEIS could tier from this document and incorporate the findings of the 
PEIS by reference, allowing an applicant and the FAA to focus on the 
relevant and unique impacts of an experimental permit application. 
Tiering and incorporation by reference would streamline the development 
of subsequent environmental analyses in accordance with NEPA and FAA 
Order 1050.1E.
    The PEIS will not authorize the launch or reentry of reusable 
suborbital rockets from launch sites. Individual launch operators would 
be required to coordinate with site operators to gain access to a site. 
In addition, the launch operators would be required to apply to the FAA 
for an experimental permit, which would require an individual safety 
and environmental review.
    The FAA submitted the Final PEIS to the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), and the EPA will post a separate notification 
in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final PEIS. 
The FAA will issue a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 days 
following the EPA notice in the Federal Register. The Record of 
Decision will also be published in the Federal Register.
    The FAA has posted the Final PEIS on the FAA Web site at https://ast.faa.gov. A paper copy and a CD version of the Final PEIS may be 
viewed at the following locations:

Alaska

    Chiniak Public Library, Mile 41, Chiniak, AK 99615.
    Kodiak Library, 319 Lower Mill Bay Road, Kodiak, AK 99615.

California

    Kern County Library, 9507 California City Blvd., California City, 
CA 93505.
    Lompoc Library, 3755 Constellation Rd., Lompoc, CA 93436.
    Lompoc Public Library, 501 E. North Ave., Lompoc, CA 93436.
    Mojave Public Library, 16916-\1/2\ Highway 14, Mojave, CA 93501.

Florida

    Merritt Island Public Library, 1195 North Courtenay Parkway, 
Merritt Island, FL 32953.
    Titusville Public Library, 2121 S. Hopkins Ave., Titusville, FL 
32780.

New Mexico

    Truth or Consequences Library, 325 Library Lane, Truth or 
Consequences, NM 87901.
    Hatch Public Library, 503 E. Hall St., Hatch, NM 87937.

Oklahoma

    Clinton Public Library, 721 Frisco Ave., Clinton, OK 73601.
    Elk City Carnegie Library, 221 West Broadway, Elk City, OK 73644.

Virginia

    Island Library, 4077 Main St., Chincoteague, VA 23336.
    Eastern Shore Public Library, 23610 Front St., Accomac, VA 23301.

    Additional Information: Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would 
issue experimental permits for the launch and reentry of reusable 
suborbital rockets from both FAA-licensed and non-licensed launch sites 
using the PEIS as the basis for determining the potential environmental 
consequences of issuing experimental permits. An experimental permit 
would implement the appropriate safety requirements as defined in 14 
CFR Part 437. A permit would be valid for 1 year and would authorize an 
unlimited number of launches and reentries of a particular reusable 
suborbital rocket design from a specified site(s). A permittee could 
renew the permit by submitting a written application to the FAA for 
renewal at least 60 days before the permit expired.
    Based on the FAA's review of past activities and consultations with 
various organizations in the commercial space industry, the FAA 
projected that a maximum of 1,000 launch and reentry events could occur 
annually at any one location from 2009 to 2014. The FAA used this 
estimate to develop an upper bound to assess the potential impacts of 
the Experimental Permit Program. In some cases, the maximum number of 
events analyzed in the PEIS for specific sites are fewer than 1,000 if 
the site cannot support all of the flight profiles identified in the 
PEIS. The estimates used in the PEIS are extremely conservative and the 
actual number of launches per year would likely be lower.
    The PEIS considers activities associated with the launch and 
reentry of reusable suborbital rockets, including pre-flight 
activities, flight profile (takeoff, flight, and landing), and post-
flight activities (vehicle safing). The general suborbital rocket 
designs addressed in the PEIS include vehicles resembling conventional 
aircraft--30 to 140 feet long with unfueled weight of up to 9,921 
pounds; vehicles resembling conventional rockets--6 to 33 feet long 
with unfueled weight of up to 5,500 pounds; and vehicles that hover--up 
to 20 feet in length or diameter with unfueled weight of up to 4,400 
pounds. To assess potential impacts of the Experimental Permit Program, 
the PEIS also considers the approximate proportions of general reusable 
suborbital rocket flight profiles, as follows: (1) Horizontal takeoff 
(rocket or jet powered), flight, and horizontal landing (glide or jet 
powered); (2) vertical takeoff (rocket powered), flight, and vertical 
landing (rocket powered or parachute); and (3) rocket powered hovering 
flights (vertical takeoff and landing).
    The PEIS analyzes the potential environmental effects of permitted 
launches on the impact categories described in FAA Order 1050.1E, 
Change 1. The PEIS does not analyze environmental consequences specific 
to construction because the Proposed Action and No Action Alternative 
do not involve construction activities. The PEIS also addresses 
potential cumulative impacts of the Proposed Action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Czelusniak, FAA 
Environmental Specialist, FAA Experimental Permits PEIS, c/o ICF 
International, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031; e-mail PEIS-Experimental-Permits@icfi.com; or fax (703) 934-3951.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 1, 2009.
Michael McElligott,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. E9-21765 Filed 9-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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