[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 66615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25541]



[[Page 66615]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability, Notice of Public Comment Period, Notice 
of Public Meeting, and Request for Comment on the Draft Environmental 
Assessment for the Huntsville International Airport Reentry Site 
Operator License and Sierra Space Corporation Vehicle Operator License

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

ACTION: Notice of availability, notice of public comment period, notice 
of public meeting, and request for comment.

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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 FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: 
Policies and Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of and 
requesting comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment for the 
Huntsville International Airport Reentry Site Operator License and 
Sierra Space Corporation Vehicle Operator License (Draft EA).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 22, 2021. The 
FAA will hold a public meeting on December 9, 2021 at 5 p.m. central to 
solicit comments from the public concerning the scope and content of 
the Draft EA. Information for the meeting will be available at https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/huntsville_reentry/.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to Ms. Stacey Zee, Huntsville 
Reentry, c/o ICF, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031. Comments may 
also be submitted by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacey Zee, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue 
SW, Suite 325, Washington, DC 20591; phone (202) 267-9305 (Stacey); 
email [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is the lead agency. The National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and United States Coast 
Guard (USGC) are cooperating agencies for the Draft Environmental 
Assessment for the Huntsville International Airport Reentry Site 
Operator License and Sierra Space Corporation Vehicle Operator License 
due to their special expertise and jurisdictions. The FAA is evaluating 
(1) Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority's (Authority) proposal 
to operate a commercial reentry site at Huntsville International 
Airport, which would require the FAA to issue a Reentry Site Operator 
License, and (2) Sierra Space Corporation's (Sierra Space) proposal to 
land the Dream Chaser at Huntsville International Airport, which would 
require the FAA to issue a Vehicle Operator License. Issuing a Reentry 
Site Operator License and Vehicle Operator License are considered 
Federal actions subject to environmental review under NEPA. Under the 
Proposed Action, the FAA would issue a Reentry Site Operator License to 
the Authority to operate a commercial reentry site at Huntsville 
International Airport; the Reentry Site Operator License would allow 
the Authority to offer Huntsville International Airport to Sierra Space 
to conduct reentries of Dream Chaser vehicles in compliance with 14 CFR 
part 433. Also under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue a Vehicle 
Operator License to Sierra Space to land the Dream Chaser at Huntsville 
International Airport; the Vehicle Operator License would allow Sierra 
Space to land Dream Chaser at Huntsville International Airport in 
compliance with 14 CFR part 450.
    Alternatives under consideration include the Proposed Action and 
the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA 
would not issue a Reentry Site Operator License to the Authority for 
commercial reentries, nor would the FAA issue a Vehicle Operator 
License to Sierra Space for landing the Dream Chaser at Huntsville 
International Airport. Sierra Space's Dream Chaser reentry operations 
would not occur and Huntsville International Airport would continue to 
operate and serve forecast activity.
    The FAA has posted the Draft EA on the FAA Office of Commercial 
Space Transportation website: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/huntsville_reentry/.
    The FAA encourages all interested parties to provide comments 
concerning the scope and content of the Draft EA. Before including your 
address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying 
information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you can ask the FAA in your comment to 
withhold from public review your personal identifying information, the 
FAA cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2021.
James R. Repcheck,
Manager, Safety Authorization Division.
[FR Doc. 2021-25541 Filed 11-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


