U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge NEPA Analysis of the Proposed Shiloh Launch Complex

Introduction Space Florida is proposing a private launch facility in the Shiloh area, which is on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is preparing an Environment Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed Shiloh Launch Complex. This proposed project would include vertical launch facilities and associated space vehicle processing, launch, and recovery operations on approximately 200 acres of the Merritt Island NWR. The proposed Pine Flatwoods in the Shiloh area, credit USFWS/Jim Lyon project would consist of one contiguous parcel, or two separate parcels, totaling no more than 200 gross acres. Up to 12 Background At Merritt Island NWR, the Service launches per year for each developed pad The Shiloh area is part of Merritt Island has an interest in wildlife and habitat (for a total of up to 24 launches) and static NWR, which is managed by the U.S. Fish management activities on, adjacent to, on-pad engine firings would be planned and Wildlife Service (Service) and was and potentially impacted by the proposed for this proposed launch complex. established in 1963 by agreement with project. NASA to manage the nonoperational areas of KSC for migratory birds and Beyond the refuge, the Service also other wildlife. The refuge totals 140,000 has statutory and trust responsibilities acres with 34,000 acres co-managed with related to this proposed project. As the the National Park Service (NPS) as part FAA prepares the EIS, the agency will of Canaveral National Seashore. More consult with the Service regarding the than one million people annually visit the Endangered Species Act, Migratory refuge. Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, Section 106 of The Shiloh area is two miles north of the National Historic Preservation Haulover Canal and includes a contiguous Act, National Wildlife Refuge System landscape containing a diversity of Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination habitats with little infrastructure. Act, Section 4(f) of the Department of Primarily consisting of hardwood Transportation Act, and the Marine hammocks, wetland forest, and coastal Mammal Protection Act. scrub, the area has high value for a wide variety of wildlife species. Archeological The Service, U.S. Army Corps of resources also occur in the vicinity, Engineers, NASA, and the NPS are including significant and complex pre- cooperating agencies with FAA on the Columbian and colonial sites, including EIS to analyze the proposed Shiloh the 18th century Elliott Plantation. Launch Complex. As a cooperating agency, the Service will have an U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service increased level of collaboration and can EIS Participation help prepare, review, and comment on The Service has multiple roles in relation internal, preliminary draft documents. to the EIS for the proposed Shiloh Launch Complex, including wildlife and habitat management, statutory and trust Bald eagle, credit © Jim Lyon responsibilities, and as a cooperating agency. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

NEPA Alternatives Space Florida’s Under the National Environmental Policy application for Act, the Federal Aviation Administration a spaceport is required to evaluate the environmental license should be impacts of the proposed project and rigorously analyzed “rigorously explore and objectively and a wide-range evaluate all reasonable alternatives,” of reasonable including the no action alternative. alternatives to the project as proposed As a cooperator, the Service has provided and sited should the Federal Aviation Administration with be considered that concerns about the proposed project. would minimize, The Service believes that potentially if not preclude, unavoidable effects of the proposed environmental project would be very difficult to mitigate. impacts. This is due to the potential adverse impacts of the proposed project on public In the EIS, the use, as well as potential impacts to plants FAA should and wildlife, including federally-listed consider the endangered, threatened, and candidate impacts of a species, migratory birds, wetlands, and catastrophic event cultural resources. in relation to operation of the For these and other reasons, the Service proposed Shiloh has recommended that the Federal Launch Complex Aviation Administration consider and in its analysis evaluate not only the proposed project and develop clear site, but alternative sites as well. contingencies to ameliorate short- Constructing and operating a commercial and long-term launch facility on a developed area within environmental either the Center’s security area or impacts from such the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station incidents. could enhance the utilization of existing facilities, preserve the existing NASA U.S. Fish and buffer zone, and avoid adverse impacts Wildlife Service to natural and cultural resources and Mission visitors. The Service is willing to assist The mission of the Federal Aviation Administration as it the U.S. Fish and engages this process. Wildlife Service is working with Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Impacts others to conserve, In addition to considering and protect, and Existing launch sites at Kennedy Space Center evaluating reasonable alternatives in enhance fish, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station its Environmental Impact Statement, wildlife, plants, and the Federal Aviation Administration their habitats for also must address the direct, indirect, the continuing benefit of the American and cumulative impacts of the proposed people. project to the human environment, including natural resources, cultural National Wildlife Refuge System Mission resources, and public use and access. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national Summary network of lands and waters for the The proposed Shiloh Launch Complex conservation, management, and where could have many diverse direct and appropriate, restoration of the fish, indirect impacts. Potential habitat wildlife, and plant resources and their impacts could include habitat loss, habitat habitats within the United States for the degradation, and creation of barriers or benefit of present and future generations conditions that result in loss of habitat of Americans. value for fish, wildlife, and plant species; mitigation may be able to address http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/ potential impacts. Printed February 2014