Programmatic Environmental Impact StatementExperimental Permits

COMSTAC

Stacey M. Zee

October 25, 2006

Federal AviationAdministration

2Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement - Experimental Permits

October 25, 2006

Federal AviationAdministration 2

Outline

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)• Programmatic Analyses• Development of PEIS• Input into scope of PEIS• How to submit comments

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How Does NEPA apply to AST?

• Issuing licenses and permits are considered major Federal actions with the potential to significantly impact the quality of the human environment

• All such major Federal actions are subject to NEPA• 40 CFR Parts 1500 to 1508• FAA Order 1050.1E

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Levels of NEPA Review

• Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) – action that does not, individually or cumulatively, have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment

• Environmental Assessment (EA) - analysis of proposed action and

reasonable alternatives that could result in preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement or Finding of No Significant Impact

• Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - detailed analysis of environmental consequences of proposed action and alternatives, cumulative impacts, and mitigation actions

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FAA Order 1050.1E: Issues Requiring Analysis

• Air Quality• Coastal Resources• Compatible Land Use• Construction Impacts• Department of Transportation

Section 4(f) Resources• Farmlands• Fish, Wildlife, and Plants• Floodplains• Hazardous Materials,

Pollution Prevention, and Solid Waste

• Historical, Architectural, Archeological, and Cultural Resources

• Natural Resources, Energy Supply, and Sustainable Design

• Noise• Secondary (Induced) Impacts• Socioeconomics,

Environmental Justice, and Children’s Health and Safety

• Visual Impacts• Water Quality• Wetlands• Wild and Scenic Rivers

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Sample Laws and Regulations

• Endangered Species Act

• Executive Order (EO) 11988 – Floodplain Management

• Federal Coastal Zone Management Act

• Marine Mammal Protection Act• EO 12114 – Environmental

Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions

• EO 13089 – Coral Reef Protection

• Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act

• EO 11988 – Floodplain Management

• Clean Air Act• Clean Water Act

• Safe Drinking Water Act

• Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

• Oil Pollution Act• National Historic Preservation Act• American Indian Religious

Freedom Act• Native American Graves

Protection Act • EO 13007 – Indian Sacred Sites• Farmland Protection Policy Act• EO 12898 – Federal Actions to

Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations

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Programmatic Analyses

• Provide analyses and documentation from which subsequent NEPA documents can be tiered

• Evaluate cumulative impacts

• Address mitigation parameters at broad level

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Existing AST PEISs

• 2001 – PEIS for Licensing Launches• Analyzed environmental impacts of licensed launches of

vertical expendable and reusable launch vehicles

• 2005 – PEIS for Horizontal Launch and Reentries • Analyzed environmental impacts of licensed suborbital and

orbital launches of horizontal vehicles and reentry of reentry vehicles

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PEIS for Experimental Permits

• Facilitate tiering of subsequent environmental assessments and environmental impact statements

• Allow the environmental analysis of an individual permit applicant to focus on the environmental effects specific to their permit application

• Develop future guidance to aid the permitting process

• Improve efficiency of acting on individual permit applications

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Data Needs – Rocket Activities

• Types of propellants and propulsion systems

• Estimate of operations – • Number of launch and reentry events, or

• Duration of tests

• Types of launch and reentry events – tethered, static firings, hover

• Pre-flight and post-flight activities

• Locations for launch and reentry operations

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Analysis of Sites

• Licensed Launch Sites• California Spaceport, CA

• Florida Spaceport, FL

• Kodiak Launch Complex, AK

• Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, VA

• Mojave Airport, CA

• Oklahoma Spaceport, OK

• Proposed Launch Site• Spaceport America, NM

• Cecil Field, FL

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Schedule

• Notice of Intent – March 2006

• Scoping – March - October 2006

• Release draft PEIS to public – Spring/Summer 2007

• Public review and comment period – Spring/Summer 2007

• Release final PEIS to public – Summer 2007

• Sign Record of Decision – Fall 2007

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How to Submit Comments

• Provide written comments today

• Submit comments via e-mail or fax • E-mail: PEIS-Experimental-Permits@icfi.com

• Fax: 703-934-3951

• Mail:Stacey M. ZeeFAA Environmental SpecialistPEIS – Experimental Permitsc/o ICF International9300 Lee HighwayFairfax, VA 22031

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To ensure that all comments are addressed inthe Final PEIS, the FAA requests that comments

are received no later thanOctober 31, 2006

Questions - contact Stacey M. Zee: 202-267-9305

Stacey.Zee@FAA.gov