Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 6, 2006 / Notices 52603 under the provisions of Section 125 of Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) the Wendell H. Ford Aviation 24, 2006. is not required and AST is issuing a Investment Reform Act for the 21st George A. Hendon, Finding of No Significant Impact Century (AIR 21). Manager, Airports Division, Central Region. (FONSI). The FAA made this [FR Doc. 06–7459 Filed 9–5–06; 8:45 am] determination in accordance with all DATES: Comments must be received on BILLING CODE 4910–13–M applicable environmental laws. or before October 6, 2006. For a copy of the Environmental ADDRESSES: Comments on this Assessment: Visit the following internet application may be mailed or delivered DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION address: http://ast.faa.gov or contact Mr. to the FAA at the following address: Doug Graham, FAA Environmental Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration, Specialist, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Room 331, Washington, DC 20591. Central Region, Airports Division, 901 Finding of No Significant Impact Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106– You may also send requests via e-mail 2325. AGENCY: Federal Aviation to [email protected] or by Administration (FAA), Department of telephone at (202) 267–8568. In addition, one copy of any Transportation (DOT). DATES: The Draft EA was released for comments submitted to the FAA must ACTION: Finding of no significant public comment on June 28, 2006. The be mailed or delivered to Anna Lannin, impact. FAA held a public meeting on the Draft Engineering Division, Nebraska EA on July 25, 2006 in Van Horn, Texas Department of Aeronautics, P.O. Box SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation to collect comments from the public. All 82088, Lincoln, NE 68501. Administration (FAA) prepared an comments received before July 27, 2006 Environmental Assessment (EA) to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: were considered in the preparation of evaluate the proposal from Blue Origin, Nicoletta Oliver, Airports Compliance the Final EA. LLC (Blue Origin) to construct and Proposed action: Under Title 49 Specialist, FAA, Central Region, 901 operate a commercial space launch site United States Code (U.S.C.), Subtitle IX, Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106–2325, to be located on privately-owned Sections 70101–70121, Commercial (816) 329–2642. property in Culberson County, Texas. Space Launch Act, the FAA regulates The request to release property may Blue Origin proposes to develop this launches and reentries of launch and be reviewed in person at this same commercial space launch site to launch reentry vehicles, and the operation of location. vertical reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) launch and reentry sites when carried carrying space flight participants 1 on out by U.S. citizens or within the United SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA suborbital, ballistic trajectories to States. (49 U.S.C. 70104, 70105) Chapter proposes to rule and invites public altitudes in excess of 99,060 meters 701 directs the FAA to exercise this comment on the request to release (325,000 feet) above sea level. The EA responsibility consistent with public property at the Blair Municipal Airport evaluated the potential environmental health and safety, safety of property, under the provisions of AIR21. impacts of issuing experimental permits and the national security and foreign On August 24, 2006, the FAA and/or licenses to Blue Origin policy interests of the United States, and determined that the request to release authorizing vertical launches and to encourage, facilitate, and promote property at the Blair Municipal Airport, landings of RLVs and/or operation of a commercial space launch and reentry by submitted by the Nebraska Department launch site for same. Blue Origin may the private sector. (49 U.S.C. 70103, of Aeronautics, as agent for the Blair seek experimental permits to conduct 70105) Airport Authority, met the procedural early developmental and test flights. The Commercial Space Launch requirements of the Federal Aviation Blue Origin may also seek a launch site Amendments Act of 2004 (CSLAA) Administration. The FAA will approve operator license, RLV mission-specific promotes the development of the or disapprove the request, in whole or licenses, and RLV operator licenses, as emerging commercial/human space in part, no later than November 30, appropriate. After reviewing and flight industry and establishes an 2006. analyzing currently available data and experimental permit regime for information on existing conditions, developmental reusable suborbital The following is a brief overview of project impacts, and measures to rockets. This newly established the request. mitigate those impacts, the FAA, Office experiment permit regime provides an The Blair Airport Authority requests of Commercial Space Transportation alternative mechanism to regulate the the release of approximately 13.97 acres (AST) has determined that issuing the launch and reentry of reusable of airport property. The land is experimental permits and/or licenses suborbital rockets (49 U.S.C. 70105a). currently not being used for analyzed in the EA to Blue Origin To conduct commercial launch aeronautical purposes. The purpose of would not significantly affect the operations, Blue Origin must obtain the this release is to sell the land to the quality of the human environment required experimental permit(s) and/or Nebraska Department of Roads (NDR) within the meaning of the National license(s) from the FAA. Under the for improvements to U.S. Highway 133. Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). proposed action the FAA would issue Therefore the preparation of an Any person may inspect the request experimental permits, a launch site in person at the FAA office listed above operator license, RLV mission-specific 1 Space flight participant means an individual, licenses, and/or RLV operator licenses, under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION who is not crew, carried within a launch vehicle or as appropriate. CONTACT. reentry vehicle. 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) 70102(17) Flight crew means any employee of a Experimental permits differ from In addition, any person may, upon licensee or transferee, or of a contractor or launch licenses in a number of ways. request, inspect the application, notice subcontractor of a licensee or transferee, who is on • Unlike a licensed operator, no and other documents that are relevant to board a launch or reentry vehicle and performs person may launch a reusable suborbital the request, in person at the Nebraska activities in the course of that employment directly relating to the launch, reentry, or other operation rocket under an experimental permit for Department of Aeronautics, Lincoln, of the launch vehicle or reentry vehicle. See 49 carrying any property or human being Nebraska. U.S.C. 70102(2) (defining crew). for compensation or hire. VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:44 Sep 05, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06SEN1.SGM 06SEN1 rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES 52604 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 6, 2006 / Notices • A permit is not transferable. A those potential effects. The FAA is using activities are proposed to occur; license is transferable from one entity to the analysis in the EA as the basis for constructing the launch site facilities; another, which could occur after a an environmental determination of the transporting the vehicle, vehicle merger or acquisition. potential impacts of these proposed components, and propellants to the • Damages arising out of a permitted actions. proposed site; assembling the various launch or reentry are not eligible for Upon receipt of complete permit or vehicle components; conducting ‘‘indemnification,’’ the provisional license applications, the Associate ground-based tests; moving the launch payment of claims under 49 U.S.C. Administrator for Commercial Space vehicle to the test pad; loading the space 70113. To the extent provided in an Transportation must determine whether flight participants or other payload; appropriation law or other legislative to issue experimental permits or loading propellants into the launch authority, damages caused by licensed licenses to Blue Origin to launch vehicle; igniting the rocket motors; activities are eligible for the provisional reusable suborbital rockets on privately- collecting any debris from the test pad; payment of claims. owned property in Culberson County, and landing, recovering, and • A permit must authorize an Texas. Environmental findings are transporting the RLV from the landing unlimited number of launch and required for the evaluation of license pad. reentries for a particular reusable and permit applications. Purpose and Need: The proposed suborbital rocket design operating from The proposed action is for the FAA to Blue Origin launch facility would a site during a one-year period. issue one or more experimental permits provide Blue Origin with an alternative An experimental permit would allow and/or licenses to Blue Origin. Blue to launching the New Shepard vehicle Blue Origin to conduct testing of Origin proposes to launch RLVs on from a Federal or other FAA-licensed reusable suborbital rockets that would suborbital, ballistic trajectories to launch facility. The proposed facility be launched and landed solely for the altitudes in excess of 99,060 meters would provide a location from which to purposes of (1) research and (325,000 feet). To conduct these transport space flight participants to the development