[Federal Register: May 17, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 96)]
[Notices]
[Page 27543-27544]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17my01-109]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation;
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for
Proposed Issuance of a Launch Operator License (LOL) or Launch Specific
Licenses to Sea Launch Limited Partnership (SLLP)
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Associate Administrator
for Commercial Space Transportation (AST).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 12114, the implementation
of which is guided by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
FAA is initiating a 30-day public review and comment period of a Draft
Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed issuance of a launch
operator license (LOL) or launch specific licenses to Sea Launch
Limited Partnership (SLLP). If issued, the LOL would authorize SLLP to
conduct, within certain launch parameters, up to eight commercial
launches per year for five years without having to apply for a separate
license for each launch. These launches would all be equatorial and
would use azimuths between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg., inclusive,
originating from the SLLP Launch Platform (LP) at 0 deg. latitude and
154 deg. West (W) longitude, which is 425 kilometers (266 miles) from
Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in the Kiribati Island Group in the
Pacific Ocean. This Draft EA also addresses the proposed issuance of a
launch-specific license for the launch of a Galaxy IIIC payload as well
as other proposed launch specific licenses within the defined azimuth
range and other specified launch parameters should the proposed LOL not
be issued or be delayed. As a foreign entity in which a U.S. citizen
has a controlling interest, in order to conduct commercial launch
operations SLLP must obtain a license from FAA. Copies of the draft
document are available through AST's Website (http://ast.faa.gov/) or
by contacting Ms. Michon Washington at the address listed below.
DATES: The official comment period will begin with publication of this
Notice of Availability. The comment period will end June 18, 2001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the license
applicant's proposed action and the Draft EA may be addressed to Ms.
Michon Washington, Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial
Space Transportation, Space System Development Division, Suite 331/AST-
100, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; email
michon.washington@faa.gov or phone (202) 267-9305. Written comments
regarding the Draft EA should be sent to the same mailing address.
Additional Information: Under the license applicant's proposed
action, the FAA would issue a license to SLLP to conduct (1) Up to
eight launches per year over a five-year period, for a maximum of 40
launches; (2) from a launch site at 0 deg. latitude and 154 deg. W
longitude; (3) within a range of launch azimuths from 82.6 deg. to
97.4 deg., inclusive; (4) using a Zenit-3SL launch vehicle; and (4)
transporting specified classes of payloads. The FAA is also evaluating
the possibility of issuing a launch-specific license to SLLP for the
launch of Galaxy IIIC, as well as other potential launch-specific
licenses (not to exceed eight per year) as necessary should the
proposed LOL not be issued or be delayed. The proposed launch-specific
licenses would authorize SLLP to conduct specific launches (1) From a
launch site at 0 deg. latitude and 154 deg. W longitude; (2) for a
launch along an azimuth of 90.0 deg.; (3) using a Zenit-3SL launch
vehicle; and (4) transporting specified classes of payloads.
The FAA is considering six alternatives to the license applicant's
proposed action. Three of these alternatives were briefly considered
and dismissed as not fulfilling the purpose and need of the proposed
action. They include: (1) Increasing the annual number of launches to a
range of up to 12 per year; (2) using a range of azimuths from 70 deg.
to 110 deg. (identified as
[[Page 27544]]
possible azimuths for GSO launches); (3) launching along a range of
azimuths between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg. but avoiding specific azimuths
within this range that would overfly any nation's National Park or
National Reserve. Two alternatives were carried forward and considered
in detail in the Draft EA including: (1) Launching along a range of
azimuths between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg. but avoiding any azimuth that
would overfly any of the Oceanic Islands (Galapagos Islands, Cocos
Island, and Malpelo Island) and (2) launching along a range of azimuths
between 82.6 deg. and 97.4 deg. but avoiding any azimuths that overfly
the Galapagos Islands. The No Action Alternative was also considered in
detail. Under the No Action alternative, FAA would not issue a LOL to
SLLP. SLLP would continue to prepare and submit launch-specific
applications for individual licenses to launch up to six satellites per
year, including appropriate environmental analyses and documentation to
support launch-specific applications when required.
Potential impacts of the license applicant's proposed action were
analyzed in the Draft EA. Potential environmental impacts of successful
launch vehicle flight include impacts to the geology, oceanography,
atmospheric processes, and biological communities within the overflight
and stage and fairing deposition areas. Additionally, possible impacts
to commercial activities in these areas were analyzed. Potential
environmental impacts of three failed mission scenarios were also
considered including: (1) Possible failure at the launch platform, (2)
possible failure during Stage I and Stage II flight over open ocean,
and (3) possible failure during Upper Stage flight over the ocean,
Oceanic Islands, or South America. Finally, potential environmental
impacts associated with the avoidance of the Oceanic Islands
alternative and the avoidance of the Galapagos Islands alternative were
also analyzed. The impacts of the No Action Alternative would be the
same as those addressed in the FAA's Final Environmental Assessment for
the Sea Launch Project (February 11, 1999).
Potential cumulative impacts of each phase of the launch operation
associated with eight SLLP launches per year for five years, or a
maximum of 40 proposed launches, over the broader range of azimuths of
the license applicant's proposed action are also addressed in the Draft
EA.
Based on the Draft EA, FAA will determine whether there are
potentially significant impacts requiring preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or whether to issue a Final EA and
Environmental Finding Document finding no significant impact.
Dated: May 11, 2001.
Herb Bachner,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. 01-12390 Filed 5-16-01; 8:45 am]
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