[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 120 (Thursday, June 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 37546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13396]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision 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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 the 
Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/
Record of Decision for the Huntsville International Airport Reentry 
Site Operator License and Sierra Space Corporation Vehicle Operator 
License (Final EA and FONSI/ROD).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is the lead agency responsible for 
completing the EA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
(NASA) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) are cooperating agencies for the EA 
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 evaluated (1) the 
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 and a Vehicle Operator License to Sierra Space to land the 
Dream Chaser at Huntsville International Airport.
    The Final EA evaluated the potential environmental impacts of 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, 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 
at Huntsville International Airport and Huntsville International 
Airport would not offer its site for commercial space reentries.
    The FAA published a Draft EA for public review and comment on 
November 12, 2021 through December 22, 2021. The FAA received 40 public 
comments on the Draft EA. The FAA posted the Final EA and FONSI/ROD on 
the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation website on May 12, 
2022, linked here: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/huntsville_reentry/.
    The FAA's ROD contains the agency's decision to approve the 
Proposed Action, and includes numerous finding and determinations 
pursuant to Executive Orders and special purpose laws, including the 
Department of Transportation Act, the National Historic Preservation 
Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species 
Act.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on: June 15, 2022.
Stacey Molinich Zee,
Manager, Operations Support Branch, Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2022-13396 Filed 6-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


