Environment Assessment Report PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A SATELLITE LAUNCHING FACILITY ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND Environment Assessment Branch 2 May 2000 Christmas Island Satellite Launch Facility Proposal Environment Assessment Report - Environment Assessment Branch – May 2000 3 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................6 1.1 GENERAL ...........................................................................................................6 1.2 ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT............................................................................7 1.3 THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS ...............................................................................7 1.4 MAJOR ISSUES RAISED DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE DRAFT EIS .................................................................................................................9 1.4.1 Socio-economic......................................................................................10 1.4.2 Biodiversity............................................................................................10 1.4.3 Roads and infrastructure .....................................................................11 1.4.4 Other.......................................................................................................12 2 NEED FOR THE PROJECT AND KEY ALTERNATIVES ......................14 2.1 NEED FOR THE PROJECT ..................................................................................14 2.2 KEY ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................17 2.2.1 Alternative Launch Vehicles and Technologies...............................17 2.2.2 Alternative Space Fuels .......................................................................18 2.2.3 Alternative Orbits.................................................................................18 2.2.4 Alternative Launch Sites......................................................................18 2.2.5 Alternative of Not Proceeding with the Proposal ...........................19 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL.........................................................20 3.1.1 General ...................................................................................................20 3.2 TECHNICAL AND LAUNCH COMPLEX ............................................................20 3.2.1 Mission Control.....................................................................................25 3.2.2 Administration and Residential Complex, Irvine Hill....................25 3.2.3 Roll-on Roll-off Facility........................................................................26 3.2.4 Facilities at Christmas Island Airport................................................30 3.2.5 Infrastructure Corridors.......................................................................30 3.2.6 Roadworks.............................................................................................30 3.2.7 Launch Vehicles....................................................................................31 3.2.8 Fuel .........................................................................................................33 3.2.9 Flight Termination System..................................................................34 3.3 PROJECT CONSTRUCTION................................................................................34 3.4 PROJECT OPERATION ......................................................................................35 3.4.1 Employment..........................................................................................35 3.4.2 Launch Operations ...............................................................................36 3.4.3 Drop Zones............................................................................................36 3.4.4 Security...................................................................................................38 3.4.5 Transport................................................................................................38 4 EXISTING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ..................................................40 4.1 GENERAL .........................................................................................................40 4.2 FLORA..............................................................................................................41 4.3 FAUNA.............................................................................................................42 4.4 ISLAND ECOLOGY – FAUNA & FLORA INTERACTIONS ..................................43 4.5 THREATS TO FAUNA AND FLORA ...................................................................44 Christmas Island Satellite Launch Facility Proposal Environment Assessment Report - Environment Assessment Branch – May 2000 4 4.6 PROJECT SITES .................................................................................................45 4.6.1 Flora........................................................................................................45 4.6.2 Fauna ......................................................................................................46 4.6.3 Karst Habitats........................................................................................50 5 OVERVIEW OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ..........53 5.1 HISTORY ..........................................................................................................53 5.2 ADMINISTRATION ...........................................................................................53 5.3 POPULATION AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY......................................................54 5.4 INFRASTRUCTURE............................................................................................55 5.4.1 Education...............................................................................................55 5.4.2 Health .....................................................................................................55 5.4.3 Social Services .......................................................................................56 5.4.4 Housing..................................................................................................56 5.4.5 Electricity ...............................................................................................56 5.4.6 Water.......................................................................................................57 5.4.7 Sewage....................................................................................................57 5.4.8 Waste Management..............................................................................57 5.4.9 Policing...................................................................................................57 5.4.10 Road........................................................................................................57 5.4.11 Off-Island Transport.............................................................................57 5.5 BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY................................................................................58 5.6 SOCIAL FACTORS AND LIFESTYLE...................................................................59 5.7 CULTURAL HERITAGE.....................................................................................60 6 POSSIBLE IMPACTS UPON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND IMPACT AVOIDANCE AND REMEDIATION. ..............................................61 6.1 CONSTRUCTION HABITAT DISTURBANCE AND CLEARING ............................61 6.2 TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS ...........................................................................64 6.2.1 Quarantine .............................................................................................64 6.2.2 Roadkills ................................................................................................65 6.2.3 Transportation of Hazardous Substances.........................................66 6.2.4 Use of Helicopters on South Point .....................................................73 6.3 IMPACT OF LIGHTING AND HIGH STRUCTURES .............................................74 6.4 LAUNCH ACTIVITY IMPACTS ..........................................................................75 6.4.1 Vehicle and payload fuelling..............................................................75 6.4.2 Impacts on Christmas Island of a Normal Launch – Launch Plume 77 6.4.3 Impacts on Christmas Island of a Normal Launch – Launch Noise 79 6.4.4 Impacts of a launch vehicle accident on or near the launch pad...90 6.4.5 Impacts of launch vehicle in flight.....................................................92 6.4.6 Drop Zone Impacts...............................................................................94 6.4.7 Launch Impacts Upon Aircraft .........................................................100 6.5 CREATION OF ORBITAL DEBRIS.....................................................................101 6.6 IMPACTS ON CAVE SYSTEMS AND CLIFFS .....................................................103 6.7 IMPACT OF SPILL AND WASTE WATER ON SOUTH POINT: ..........................104 Christmas Island Satellite Launch Facility Proposal Environment Assessment Report - Environment Assessment Branch – May 2000 5 7 POSSIBLE IMPACTS UPON THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND IMPACT AVOIDANCE AND REMEDIATION.107 7.1 ACCESS TO SOUTH POINT AND CHINESE TEMPLE .......................................107 7.2 ROLL-ON ROLL-OFF