[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58318-58319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25186]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation: Notice of Availability 
of the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact/Record of Decision for the Shuttle Landing Facility Launch Site 
Operator License

AGENCY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT) is the lead agency. The National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Air Force, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS), and National Park Service (NPS) are cooperating 
agencies for this Environmental Assessment (EA) due to their special 
expertise and jurisdictions.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA 
implementing regulations, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, the FAA 
is announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment 
and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for the Shuttle 
Landing Facility (SLF) Launch Site Operator License (Final EA and 
FONSI/ROD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Stacey M. Zee, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Suite 325, Washington, DC 20591; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) 
encompasses about 4,432 acres of property at Kennedy Space Center, 
including the 15,000 foot long, 300 foot wide runway. The SLF, which 
previously supported the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration's Space Shuttle Program, is now a state-licensed private 
use airport managed by Space Florida. Under the Proposed Action 
described in the Final EA, Space Florida would construct launch site 
facilities and the FAA would issue a launch site operator license to 
Space Florida for the operation of a commercial space launch site at 
the SLF. The EA may be used to support the issuance of launch licenses 
or experimental permits to prospective vehicle operators that propose 
to conduct launches of horizontal takeoff and horizontal landing launch 
vehicles from the SLF. However, if a prospective launch vehicle 
operator's vehicle

[[Page 58319]]

parameters fall outside those analyzed in the EA, the FAA would re-
evaluate the potential impacts and, if necessary, prepare additional 
NEPA analysis.
    The Final EA addresses the potential environmental impacts of Space 
Florida's proposal to construct and operate the SLF as a launch 
location for horizontally launched and landed rockets. The Final EA 
considers the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action 
and the No Action Alternative. The successful completion of the 
environmental review process does not guarantee that the FAA Office of 
Commercial Space Transportation would issue a Launch Site Operator 
License to Space Florida. The project must also meet all FAA 
requirements of a Launch Site Operator License. Individual launch 
operators proposing to launch from the site would be required to obtain 
a separate launch operator license.
    An electronic version of the Final EA and FONSI/ROD is available on 
the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation website at: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_progress/space_florida/.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2018.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-25186 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


