[Federal Register: February 11, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 28)] [Notices] [Page 7310-7311] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr11fe05-109] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice (05-022)] National Environmental Policy Act; Outrigger Telescopes Project AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Outrigger Telescopes Project. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR Part 1216 Subpart 1216.3), NASA has prepared and issued a FEIS for the proposed Outrigger Telescopes Project. NASA's Proposed Action and preferred alternative is to fund the Outrigger Telescopes Project at the W.M. Keck Observatory within the Mauna Kea Science Reserve on the summit of Mauna Kea, Island of Hawai'i. The FEIS addresses alternative sites and the environmental and cultural resource impacts that could potentially occur with on-site construction, installation, and operation of four, and possibly up to six, Outrigger Telescopes. The proposed Outrigger Telescopes would be strategically placed around the existing Keck I and Keck II Telescopes, within the current footprint of W.M. Keck Observatory. A reasonable alternative site has been identified on La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. Sites for a reduced science option have been identified at Mt. Wilson and Mt. Palomar in California. DATES: NASA will not issue a Record of Decision (ROD) or take final action on the proposed Outrigger Telescopes Project before March 21, 2005, or 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Notice of Availability of the FEIS for the Outrigger Telescopes Project, whichever is later. ADDRESSES: NASA has sent a hard copy of the FEIS to each library within the Hawai'i State Public Library System and to Regional Libraries. Specific addresses for Hawai'i State and Regional Libraries can be found in the appropriate telephone directory and online at http://www.librarieshawaii.org/locations/index.htm. Hard copies of the FEIS are also available for review at certain California State Public Libraries (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). The FEIS also may be reviewed at the following locations: (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20546-0001; (b) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109; and (c) Legislative Reference Bureau, Room 004, State Capitol, Honolulu, HI 96813. Limited hard copies of the FEIS are available by contacting Dr. Carl B. Pilcher at the address or telephone number indicated below. The FEIS is also available in Acrobat[reg] format at http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/ (click on ``News and Outreach'', then on ``Outrigger Telescopes''). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Carl B. Pilcher, Program Executive, Universe Division, Suite 3W39; NASA Headquarters; 300 E Street, SW; Washington, DC 20546-0001; telephone 877-283-1977 (toll- free), electronic mail otpeis@nasa.gov, or facsimile 202-358-3096. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Outrigger Telescopes Project is a key element in NASA's Origins Program. The Origins Program addresses two fundamental questions: (1) How do galaxies, stars, and planets form? (i.e., ``Where do we come from?''); and (2) Are there planets, aside from ours, that have the conditions necessary to support life? (i.e., ``Are we alone?''). The Outrigger Telescopes Project has four scientific objectives that contribute to achieving the goals of the Origins Program: 1. Detect the astrometric signature (i.e., the wobble of a star due to the gravitational influence of an unseen planetary companion) of planets as small as Uranus. 2. Make images of proto-stellar disks (i.e.+, disks of dust and gas in space believed to be an early stage of star formation) and stellar debris disks (i.e., clouds of gas or other material remaining after the star is formed). 3. Provide high-resolution information about some faint objects outside our galaxy. 4. Make high-resolution observations of objects within the solar system, including asteroids, comets, and outer planets. The first of these four objectives can be accomplished by linking the Outrigger Telescopes together as an interferometer. An interferometer combines the light from two or more separate telescopes so that they act as a single large telescope. The last three objectives require that the Outrigger Telescopes be linked as an interferometer to at least one 8-meter (m) (26-feet (ft)) or larger telescope. NASA proposes to fund the Outrigger Telescopes Project at the W.M. Keck Observatory site located within the Astronomy Precinct in the Mauna Kea Science Reserve on the summit of Mauna Kea, Island of Hawai'i. The W.M. Keck Observatory is the site of the two largest optical telescopes in the world--the twin 10-m (33-ft) Keck I and Keck II. The Outrigger Telescopes Project, if fully implemented as proposed, would consist of up to six 1.8-m (6-ft) telescopes placed strategically around the two existing Keck Telescopes. The California Association for Research in Astronomy, a non-profit corporation established by the University of California and California Institute of Technology, operates and maintains the W.M. Keck Observatory. The W.M. Keck Observatory site (approximately 2-hectare (ha)(5-acre (ac)) is located within the Astronomy Precinct and is subleased to the California Institute of Technology by the University of Hawai'i. The Astronomy Precinct encompasses approximately 212 ha (525 ac) of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve (4,568 ha (11,288 ac)). The Mauna Kea Science Reserve is leased to the University of Hawai'i by the State of Hawai'i. Due to present funding constraints, only four Outrigger Telescopes would initially be installed and operated, although the foundations for six would be constructed. It is anticipated that the on-site construction and installation of four of the six Outrigger Telescopes, along with on-site construction of the underground structures for Telescopes 5 and 6, would begin in 2005, with initial operations anticipated in 2007. If funding were to become available, the aboveground construction and installation of Telescopes 5 and 6 would likely begin no earlier than 2007. In addition to the W.M. Keck Observatory site, alternative sites with [[Page 7311]] at least one existing 8-m (26-ft) or larger telescope are considered in the FEIS. The Gran Telescopio Canarias site at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma, one of the Canary Islands, Spain meets the criteria to be considered as a reasonable alternative site. If NASA cannot or decides not to implement the Outrigger Telescopes Project at the W.M. Keck Observatory site or at the reasonable alternative site in the Canary Islands, NASA would consider sites where at least the one objective that does not require a large telescope (i.e., detect the astrometric signature of planets as small as Uranus) can be achieved. Such reduced science sites considered in the FEIS include the Mount Wilson Observatory in Los Angeles County, California and the Mount Palomar Observatory in northern San Diego County, California. The FEIS also addresses the No-Action alternative. The FEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with the on-site construction, installation, and operation of the Outrigger Telescopes at the W.M. Keck Observatory site and the Canary Islands site. The potential environmental impacts at the reduced science sites are also evaluated. Environmental issues emphasized include, but are not necessarily limited to, cultural resources, flora and fauna, sewage and hydrology, hazardous materials, and cumulative impacts. In addition to the locations indicated under ADDRESSES above, the FEIS may be reviewed at: (a) La Canada Flintridge Library, 4545 North Oakwood Avenue, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011; (b) Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut Street, Pasadena, CA 91101; (c) Altadena Main Library, 600 East Mariposa St., Altadena, CA 91001; (d) San Diego County Library--Vista Branch, 700 Eucalyptus Avenue, Vista, CA 92084; and (e) Escondido Public Library, 239 South Kalmia Street, Escondido, CA 92025. In addition, the FEIS may be examined at the following NASA locations by contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office: (a) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650-604- 1181); (b) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (661- 276-2704); (c) NASA, Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135 (216-433-2755); (d) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301) 286-4721); (e) NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-483-8612); (f) NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 (321-867-9280); (g) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681 (757-864- 2497); (h) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (256- 544-1837); and (i) NASA, John C. Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (228-688-2164). Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement were solicited from Federal, State and local agencies, organizations, and members of the general public through: (a) notices published in the Federal Register--NASA notice on July 29, 2004 (69 FR 45350) and EPA notice on August 6, 2004 (69 FR 47926); and (b) notices published in general circulation newspapers in Hawai'i and California. Comments received have been addressed in the FEIS. The ROD will be sent to each of the libraries, governmental agencies, organizations, and persons who are being sent a copy of the FEIS. In addition, when issued the ROD will be available in Acrobat[reg] format at http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/. Jeffrey E. Sutton, Assistant Administrator for Infrastructure, Management, and Headquarters Operations. [FR Doc. 05-2624 Filed 2-8-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7510-13-P