[Federal Register: November 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 223)]
[Notices]               
[Page 68492-68493]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18no08-138]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

 
Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
and Request for Comment on a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the Spaceport America Commercial Launch Site, Sierra County, NM

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
regulations and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the 
availability of Final EIS for the Spaceport America Commercial Launch 
Site, Sierra County, New Mexico. The FAA, Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation is the lead Federal agency for the development of this 
EIS. Cooperating agencies include the Bureau of Land Management; the 
National Park Service; United States Army, White Sands Missile Range 
(WSMR); and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
    The Final EIS was prepared in response to an application for a 
Launch Site Operator License from the New Mexico Spaceport Authority 
(NMSA). Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue a Launch Site 
Operator License to NMSA to operate a launch facility capable of 
accommodating both horizontal and vertical launches of suborbital 
launch vehicles (LVs). The vehicles may carry space flight 
participants, scientific experiments, or other payloads. The proposed 
site is located in Sierra County, approximately 30 miles southeast of 
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and 45 miles north of Las Cruces, 
New Mexico. The Final EIS also addresses the potential environmental 
impacts of issuing a Launch Site Operator License for horizontal 
launches only (Alternative 1), vertical launches only (Alternative 2), 
and the No Action Alternative.
    The FAA submitted the Final EIS to the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA). EPA will post a separate notification in the Federal 
Register announcing the availability of the Final EIS. The FAA will 
issue a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 days following EPA's 
notice in the Federal Register. The Record of Decision will be 
published in the Federal Register.
    The FAA has posted the Final EIS on the FAA Web site at http://
ast.faa.gov. In addition, CDs of the Final EIS were sent to persons and 
agencies on the distribution list (found in Chapter 8 of the Final 
EIS). A paper copy and a CD version of the Final EIS may be reviewed 
for comment during regular business hours at the following locations:

Hatch Public Library, P.O. Box 289, Hatch, NM 87937;
Sunland Park Community Library, 984 McNutt Road, Bldg. F-10, Sunland 
Park, NM 88063;
Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, 200 E Picacho Ave, Las Cruces, NM 
88001;
Valley Public Library, 136 N Main, Anthony, NM 88021;
Alamogordo Public Library, 920 Oregon Ave, Alamogordo, NM 88310;
Mescalero Community Library, 101 Central Ave, Mescalero, NM 88340;
Michael Nivision Library, 90 Swallow Place, Cloudcroft, NM 88317;
Truth or Consequences Public Library, 325 Library Lane, Truth or 
Consequences, NM 87901;
Truth or Consequences Public Library--Downtown, 401 Foch St, Truth or 
Consequences, NM 87901.

    Additional Information: Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would 
issue a Launch Site Operator License to NMSA that would allow the State 
to operate the proposed Spaceport America Commercial Launch Site for 
both horizontal and vertical suborbital LV launches. Horizontal LVs 
would launch and land at the proposed Spaceport America airfield. 
Vertical LVs would launch from Spaceport America and either land at 
Spaceport America or at WSMR. Rocket-powered vertical landing vehicles 
would land on either the Spaceport America airfield or a vertical 
launch/landing pad.
    In addition, the Proposed Action includes construction of 
facilities needed to support the licensed launch activities at the 
proposed launch site. Development of Spaceport America infrastructure 
would occur in two phases. The total area of land disturbed by 
construction would be approximately 970 acres; the total area of the 
final facilities footprint would be approximately 145 acres. The 
proposed Spaceport America boundary would encompass approximately 26 
square miles. This area currently contains both State and private land.
    Operational activities in support of the Proposed Action would 
begin as soon as the phased construction activities related to the 
Proposed Action were completed. The operational activities that may 
have environmental consequences and would support, either directly or 
indirectly, licensed launches include:
     Transport of Launch Vehicles to the Assembly or Staging 
Areas.
     Transport and Storage of Rocket Propellants and Other 
Fuels.
     Launch, Landing and Recovery Activities for Horizontal 
Vehicles.
     Launch, Landing and Recovery Activities for Vertical 
Vehicles.
     Other Activities
     --Ground-Based Tests and Static Firings.
     --Training.
     --X Prize Cup Events.
    The FAA identified two alternatives and the No Action Alternative 
to the Proposed Action, which are considered in the Final EIS. Under 
Alternative 1, FAA would consider issuing a Launch Site Operator 
License only for the operation of a launch site to support horizontal 
launches. This is considered a feasible alternative because a 
significant number of launches of horizontal LVs are projected, and 
most X Prize Cup activities would be located at the airfield.
    Under Alternative 2, FAA would consider issuing a Launch Site 
Operator License only for the operation of a launch site to support 
vertical launches. This is considered a feasible alternative because a 
significant number of launches are projected to be of vertical LVs.
    Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not issue a Launch 
Site Operator License to the NMSA. Subsequently, the need to support 
commercial launches and host the X Prize Cup would not be met by the 
State of New Mexico.
    Resource areas were considered to provide a context for 
understanding and assessing the potential environmental effects of the 
Proposed Action, with

[[Page 68493]]

attention focused on key issues. The resource areas considered included 
compatible land use; Section 4(f) lands and farmlands; noise; visual 
resources and light emissions; historical, architectural, 
archaeological, and cultural resources; air quality; water quality, 
wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, coastal resources, and floodplains; 
fish, wildlife, and plants; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, 
and solid waste; socioeconomics, environmental justice, and children's 
environmental health and safety risks; and energy supply and natural 
resources. Construction impacts and secondary (induced) impacts are 
also considered. Additional analyses considered in the appendices 
include geology and soils; mineral resources; air space; health and 
safety; and transportation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacey M. Zee (AST-100), Office of 
Commercial Space Transportation, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 
331, Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-9305; e-mail 
stacey.zee@faa.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 6, 2008.
Michael McElligott,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. E8-27149 Filed 11-17-08; 8:45 am]

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