80 FR 76058 - Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability and Request for Comment on the Second Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Kodiak Launch Complex Launch Pad 3, Kodiak Island, Alaska

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 234 (December 7, 2015)

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, the FAA is announcing the availability of and requesting comments on the Second Draft Environmental Assessment for the Kodiak Launch Complex Launch Pad 3 (Second Draft EA). On September 15, 2014, the FAA issued a Draft EA for public review and comment and received 54 written comments and 26 oral comments over the public comment and review period that was extended to November 1, 2014. After taking into consideration the nature of public comments received on the Draft EA, the FAA is providing the public with an opportunity to review and comment on updates and clarification information that have since been added to the EA in response to public comments. The FAA is issuing an updated version of the Draft EA for a second public review and comment period.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 234 (Monday, December 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76058-76059]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30731]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
and Request for Comment on the Second Draft Environmental Assessment 
(EA) for the Kodiak Launch Complex Launch Pad 3, Kodiak Island, Alaska

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTIONS: Notice of Availability, Notice of Public Comment Period, and 
Request for Comment.

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SUMMARY: 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, the FAA is announcing 
the availability of and requesting comments on the Second Draft 
Environmental Assessment for the Kodiak Launch Complex Launch Pad 3 
(Second Draft EA).
    On September 15, 2014, the FAA issued a Draft EA for public review 
and comment and received 54 written comments and 26 oral comments over 
the public comment and review period that was extended to November 1, 
2014. After taking into consideration the nature of public comments 
received on the Draft EA, the FAA is providing the public with an 
opportunity to review and comment on updates and clarification 
information that have since been added to the EA in response to public 
comments. The FAA is issuing an updated version of the Draft EA for a 
second public review and comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacey M. Zee, Federal Aviation 
Administration, c/o ICF International, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 
22031; email [email protected]; telephone (202) 267-9305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Second Draft EA is an updated version of 
the September 2014 Draft EA, and incorporates all public comments 
received on the Draft EA. All written and oral public comments received 
on the Draft EA, as well as the FAA's responses to these comments, can 
be found in Appendix R of the Second Draft EA. The FAA considered all 
public comments while preparing the Second Draft EA, and changes have 
been made to the EA where warranted.
    The EA was prepared to analyze the potential environmental impacts 
of the FAA modifying the Alaska Aerospace Corporation's (AAC's) Launch 
Site Operator License to include medium-lift launch capability at the 
Kodiak Launch Complex (KLC), a commercial launch site currently 
operated under a FAA Launch Site Operator License (LSO-03-008), which 
authorizes only small-lift operations. The Kodiak Launch Complex was 
renamed as Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska, effective April 21, 2015. 
The EA keeps the name as KLC for continuity and ease of reviewing.
    Expansion of launch capabilities at KLC would include the addition 
of new infrastructure necessary to support

[[Page 76059]]

medium-lift launches, including the construction of a launch pad and 
associated facilities. As part of the Proposed Action addressed in the 
EA, AAC would make improvements to the KLC to add both solid and 
liquid-propellant, medium-lift launch capability, and to operate the 
KLC in the future as a small-lift and medium-lift launch complex. 
Proposed construction at KLC includes six primary modifications: 
Construction of Launch Pad 3 (LP3), a vehicle processing facility, 
rocket staging facility, liquid fuel facility, mission control center 
and improvements to Pasagshak Point Road. Proposed launch operations 
would include up to six orbital small-lift launches and three medium-
lift launches per year from the existing launch pads and from the 
proposed LP3; however, to be conservative in the analysis of potential 
environmental impacts, the EA assumes a maximum of nine medium-lift 
launches per year.
    The EA addresses the potential environmental impacts of 
implementing the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under 
the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not modify AAC's Launch Site 
Operator License to include medium-lift launch capability and AAC would 
not proceed with the construction of medium-lift launch support 
infrastructure at KLC. Existing launch activities for up to nine 
orbital small-lift class launches per year from the existing launch 
pads would continue.
    The impact categories considered in the EA include air quality; 
compatible land use; Department of Transportation Act: Section 4(f); 
fish, wildlife, and plants; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, 
and solid waste; historical, architectural, archaeological, and 
cultural resources; light emissions and visual impacts; natural 
resources and energy supply; noise; socioeconomic, environmental 
justice, and children's environmental health and safety risk; water 
quality; and wetlands. The EA also considers the potential cumulative 
environmental impacts.
    The FAA has posted the Second Draft EA on the FAA Office of 
Commercial Space Transportation Web site: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/environmental/nepa_docs/review/documents_progress/kodiak_launch/.
    A paper copy and a CD version of the Second Draft EA may be 
reviewed for comment during regular business hours at the following 
libraries:

 Kodiak Public Library, 612 Egan Way, Kodiak, AK 99615
 University of Alaska Anchorage--Carolyn Floyd Library, 117 
Benny Benson Drive, Kodiak, AK 99615
 Anchorage Municipal Library, 3600 Denali St., Anchorage, AK 
99503
DATES: The FAA encourages all interested parties to provide comments 
concerning the scope and content of the Second Draft EA. To ensure that 
all comments can be addressed in the Final EA, comments on the draft 
must be received by the FAA no later than January 11, 2016. Comments 
should be as specific as possible and address the analysis of potential 
environmental impacts and the adequacy of the proposed action or merits 
of alternatives and the mitigation being considered. Reviewers should 
organize their comments to be meaningful and inform the FAA of their 
interests and concerns by quoting or providing specific references to 
the text of the Second Draft EA. Matters that could have been raised 
with specificity during the comment period on the Second Draft EA may 
not be considered if they are raised for the first time later in the 
decision process. This commenting procedure is intended to ensure that 
substantive comments and concerns are made available to the FAA in a 
timely manner so that the FAA has an opportunity to address them.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that 
your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--
may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in 
your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
ADDRESSES: Please submit comments in writing to Stacey M. Zee, Federal 
Aviation Administration, c/o ICF International, 9300 Lee Highway, 
Fairfax, VA 22031; or by email at [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 30, 2015.
Daniel Murray,
Manager, Space Transportation Development Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-30731 Filed 12-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P