National Aeronautics and Space Administration February 11, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality 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 prepared and issued a FEIS for the proposed Outrigger Telescopes Project. NASA's Proposed Action and preferred alternative is to fund the Outrigger Telescopes Project at the W.M. Keck Observatory within the Mauna Kea Science Reserve on the summit of Mauna Kea, Island of Hawai'i. The FEIS addresses alternative sites and the environmental and cultural resource impacts that could potentially occur with on-site construction, installation, and operation of four, and possibly up to six, Outrigger Telescopes. The proposed Outrigger Telescopes would be strategically placed around the existing Keck I and Keck II Telescopes, within the current footprint of W.M. Keck Observatory. A reasonable alternative site has been identified on La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. Sites for a reduced science option have been identified at Mt. Wilson and Mt. Palomar in California.