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Final EA for the Launch and Reentry of Spaceshiptwo Reusable Suborbital Rockets at the Mojave Air and Space Port

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Final Environmental Assessment for the Launch and Reentry of SpaceShipTwo Reusable Suborbital Rockets at the Mojave Air and Space Port May 2012 HQ-121575 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Finding of No Significant Impact AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) SUMMARY: The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA; 42 United States Code 4321 et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 1500 to 1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of issuing experimental permits and/or launch licenses to operate SpaceShipTwo reusable suborbital rockets and WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California. After reviewing and analyzing currently available data and information on existing conditions and the potential impacts of the Proposed Action, the FAA has determined that issuing experimental permits and/or launch licenses to operate SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo at the Mojave Air and Space Port would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment. Therefore, preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not required, and the FAA is issuing this FONSI. The FAA made this determination in accordance with all applicable environmental laws. The Final EA is incorporated by reference in this FONSI. FOR A COPY OF THE EA AND FONSI: Visit the following internet address: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/review/permits/ or contact Daniel Czelusniak, Environmental Program Lead, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., SW, Suite 325, Washington, DC 20591; email [email protected]; or phone (202) 267-5924. PURPOSE AND NEED: The purpose of the FAA’s Proposed Action of issuing experimental permits and/or launch licenses to operate SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo at the Mojave Air and Space Port is to fulfill the FAA’s responsibilities under the Commercial Space Launch Act, 51 U.S.C. Subtitle V, ch. 509, §§ 50901-50923 for oversight of commercial space launch activities, including issuing experimental permits and launch licenses to operate reusable suborbital rockets. The need for the action results from the statutory direction from Congress under the Commercial Space Launch Act to facilitate rocket developers’ research and development associated with testing new design concepts, new equipment, or new operating techniques; compliance with requirements; and flight crew training; and to encourage, facilitate, and promote commercial space launches and reentries by the private sector; in order to strengthen and expand U.S. space transportation infrastructure. The FAA/AST could receive multiple applications for experimental permits and launch licenses to operate SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo. The FAA/AST must review all applications and determine whether to issue an experimental permit or launch license, as appropriate. PROPOSED ACTION: Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue experimental permits and/or launch licenses for the operation of SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, CA. The Proposed Action does not include any construction activities. The Mojave Air and Space Port’s existing infrastructure would be used for takeoff and landing activities. Experimental permits would be valid for one year. Launch licenses would be valid for two years. The FAA could renew experimental permits and launch licenses if requested, in writing, by the permitees at least 60 days before the permit expires, and/or by the licensees at least 90 days before the license expires. The Final EA assumes that the FAA could issue either new or renewed experimental permits and/or launch licenses. For purposes of analyzing environmental impacts in the Final EA, the FAA developed a conservative set of assumptions regarding the possible number of launches and reentries that could be conducted under any one experimental permit and/or launch license for the SpaceShipTwo at the Mojave Air and Space Port. The FAA has assumed a maximum of up to 30 total launches and reentries per year of SpaceShipTwo for a total of up to 150 launches and reentries of SpaceShipTwo between 2012 and 2016. This estimation is a conservative number and considers potential multiple launches per day and potential launch aborts. The only alternative to the Proposed Action analyzed in the Final EA is the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not issue experimental permits and/or launch licenses for the operation of SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo from the Mojave Air and Space Port. Existing operations at Mojave Air and Space Port would continue. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED: Alternatives analyzed in the Final EA include the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not issue experimental permits or launch licenses for the operation of SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo from the Mojave Air and Space Port. The Mojave Air and Space Port would continue its existing operations. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: Based on the Final EA, no significant environmental impacts, as defined in FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, would be expected to result from the Proposed Action. Please refer to Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences, of the Final EA for a full discussion of potential environmental impacts. DETERMINATION: An analysis of the Proposed Action has concluded that there would be no significant short-term, long-term, or cumulative effects to the environment or surrounding populations. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Action is not required. After careful and thorough consideration of the facts contained herein, the undersigned finds that the proposed Federal action is consistent with existing national environmental policies and objectives as set forth in Section 101 of NEPA and other applicable environmental requirements and will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment or otherwise include any condition requiring consultation pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA. Final EA for the Launch and Reentry of SpaceShipTwo Reusable Suborbital Rockets at the Mojave Air and Space Port TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................... iv 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ..................................................................... 2 1.3 Public Involvement .......................................................................................................... 2 2. PROPOSED ACTION AND NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ................................................... 3 2.1 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Special Use Airspace Operations ...................................................................... 5 2.1.2 SpaceShipTwo, WhiteKnightTwo, and Support Aircraft ................................. 5 2.2 No Action Alternative ...................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Resource Areas Analyzed in this EA ............................................................................... 9 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................ 11 3.1 Overview of the Proposed Operational Area ................................................................. 11 3.2 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................... 13 3.3 Biological Resources (Including Fish, Wildlife, and Plants) ......................................... 15 3.4 Historical, Architectural, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources ............................... 17 3.5 Hazardous Materials, Pollution Prevention, and Solid Waste ....................................... 18 3.6 Health and Safety ........................................................................................................... 18 3.7 Land Use (Including U.S. Department of Transportation Section 4(f) Properties) ....... 19 3.8 Light Emissions and Visual Resources .......................................................................... 23 3.9 Noise and Compatible Land Use ................................................................................... 24 3.10 Socioeconomics, Environmental Justice, and Children’s Environmental Health and Safety ....................................................................................................................... 26 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ............................................................................... 27 4.1 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................
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