[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32884-32886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16108]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No. 28611]
Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Proposed Finding of No Significant Impact; Notice.
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SUMMARY: An Environmental Assessment (EA), which addresses the Alaska
Aerospace Development Corporation's (AADC) proposal to construct and
operate a launch site at Narrow Cape on Kodiak Island, Alaska, has been
prepared. After reviewing and analyzing currently available data and
information on existing conditions, project impacts, and measures to
mitigate those impacts, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space
Transportation (AST) proposes to determine that licensing the operation
of the proposed launch site, is not a major Federal action that would
significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the
meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.
Therefore the preparation of an environmental impact statement would
not be required and AST is proposing to issue a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI).
FOR A COPY OF THE KODIAK LAUNCH COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
For further information contact: Mr. Nikos Himaras, Office of the
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Licensing
and Safety Division, Suite 5402A, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
D.C. 20590; phone (202) 366-2455; or refer to the following Internet
address:
http://www.dot.gov/dotinfo/faa/cst/cst.html.
DATES: There will be a thirty (30) day comment period before the FAA
makes its final determination on the proposed FONSI. Interested
individuals, Government agencies, and private organizations are invited
to send comments on the proposed FONSI to the address set forth below
by July 25, 1996.
ADDRESS: Written comments should be sent to, Docket Clerk, Docket No.
[28611], Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW.,
Room 915, Washington, D.C. 20591.
PROPOSED ACTION: Operation of a non-Federal launch site in the United
States, such as AADC's proposed construction and operation of Kodiak
Launch Complex (KLC), a commercial space launch site, on Kodiak Island,
Alaska, must be licensed by the FAA pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Secs. 70101-
70119, formerly the Commercial Space Launch Act. Licensing the
operation of a launch site is a Federal action requiring environmental
analysis by the FAA in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq. Upon receipt of a
complete application the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space
Transportation must determine whether to issue a license to AADC to
operate KLC. Environmental findings are required for a license
evaluation.
The launch site would be located on a 3,100-acre tract of state-
owned land on a peninsula known as Narrow Cape. Construction for the
project would involve (1) upgrading about 3 km of gravel access road;
(2) creating two laydown areas for construction equipment; (3) building
a launch control center, a payload processing facility, the launch
area, and a water pumphouse; and (4) expanding an existing borrow pit
to obtain fill material. Construction would disturb approximately 43
acres, including about 1.5 acres of wetlands, most of which is adjacent
to the gravel road leading to the launch complex.
To launch launch vehicles from KLC, fee-paying customers would (1)
[[Page 32885]]
transport launch vehicle components, payloads, associated parts, and
staff to the site; (2) assemble components and prepare for launches;
and (3) launch and track payloads into orbit. Operations would begin in
1997, and about 3 launch vehicles per year would be launched during the
first four years. Anticipated frequency of use would increase to a
maximum of 9 launches per year over the 22 years of operation.
Materials would be transported to Kodiak Island by boat (container ship
or ocean barge) or airplane and transported to the KLC by truck.
Initially, approximately 100 people would be onsite for 6 weeks before
a launch. Operations could eventually involve up to 14,000 person-days
per year onsite. The KLC would provide the site for launches of small
solid rocket motor launch vehicles, such as Lockheed Martin Launch
Vehicles 1 and 2, Minuteman II (modified for commercial use), Taurus,
and Conestoga.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
Ecological resources. Construction would disturb vegetation on 43
acres of the site. With the exception of wetlands the disturbed areas
are not considered high-quality habitat. The 1.5 acres of wetlands that
would be disturbed constitute 0.2% of the 790 acres of wetlands on the
3100-acre site. No practicable alternatives to disturbing wetlands are
available and, based on the small areas involved, the wetland and
vegetation losses are judged to be not significant.
Noise from construction activity would temporarily disturb areas
immediately adjacent to roads and proposed new facilities, but the
valuable wildlife habitats, mostly along the shoreline and offshore,
would not be significantly affected. Construction activities could
expose ducks and seabirds resting and feeding in the waters off Narrow
Cape to peak noise levels of approximately 72 dBA, below the 80-90 dBA
known to disturb water fowl and wildlife. The closest site believed to
have a bald eagle nest is located at least 3000 feet from construction
activities, substantially greater than the 660-ft buffer zone
recommended by the Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Department
of the Interior (DOI) to protect nesting eagles. Launch vehicle
launches would cause occasional noise levels sufficient to cause
startle responses in birds and marine mammals. However, these brief
disturbances, three to nine times per year, are not anticipated to have
lasting or significant adverse impacts on wildlife, including
endangered or sensitive species. Emissions from launch vehicle
propulsion would be occasional and widely and rapidly dispersed, and no
significant ecological effects would be expected. AADC and AST have
informally discussed wildlife impacts with the Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), DOI, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS),
United States Department of Commerce (DOC). The only species now listed
under the Endangered Species Act in the vicinity of the proposed site
is the Stellar Sea Lion, a threatened species. This species falls under
the purview of the NMFS, and based on discussions to date, AST expects
that the NMFS would find that there would be no significant impacts on
endangered or threatened species and that no further analysis would be
necessary.
Noise. Launch noise would be audible on Kodiak Island for a
distance of approximately 12 miles for approximately 1 minute. Sonic
booms would be heard only on the open ocean. Given the infrequency and
short duration of launches, no significant adverse impacts to the
public would be expected.
Safety. The proposed KLC facilities would be located so that launch
vehicles would fly primarily over open water. A flight and operational
safety program would be implemented to manage risks to workers and the
public. Total public casualty risk, for all mission activities, is
estimated to be less than 1 in 1,000,000. All safety concerns will be
addressed as part of AST's licensing process.
Visual and Cultural Resources. Construction and operation of the
proposed KLC would affect the visual resources of Narrow Cape by
placing five new man-made structures into a relatively isolated area.
The largest of these, the launch service structure would be 170 feet
high, 40 feet wide and 70 feet long, and because of the relatively flat
terrain, would be visible over most of Narrow Cape and from offshore.
Because the site is isolated and has few viewers, the visual impacts
are considered non-significant. Impacts to subsistence harvesting and
archaeological or historic sites would be minor.
Air and Water. Impacts of construction to both air and water would
be short-term and minor. Launch vehicle launch emissions of hydrogen
chloride and aluminum oxide would slightly degrade local air quality,
and the hydrochloric acid (HCl) formed could be deposited in nearby
surface waters. Maximum concentrations of HCl and particulates
resulting from launches would not exceed the Air Force guideline of 10
parts per million of HCl (averaged over a 30-minute period) or the
National Ambient Air Quality Standard of a 24-hour average of 150
micrograms per cubic meter for PM-10, particulate matter less than 10
microns in diameter. Acid deposition impacts would be minor because of
the high capacity of local streams and lakes for buffering acid inputs.
Because launch vehicle launch impacts to air and water would be
relatively minor, occasional, and short-term, no significant impacts
would be expected to occur.
Geology and Soil Resources. Soil erosion control practices,
implemented under the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, would keep
impacts to soils minor. Changes in soil pH resulting from acid
deposition from launch combustion products would be non-significant, as
KLC soils have a high cation exchange capacity.
Socioeconomics. Construction of the proposed KLC would result in
expenditures of $18-24 million on goods and services, which would have
positive effects on the local and regional economies. Community
resources and infrastructure are adequate to support the construction
and operational workforces.
Section 4(f). Impacts to recreational resources would be small. The
site would be closed immediately before and during launch activities,
but would remain open for recreational activities at all other times.
No significant impacts to the Pasagshak State Recreation Area or the
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, located about 4 miles and 40 miles
respectively from the KLC site, would be expected because of the
distances and the limited extent of construction and operational
activities.
Land Use. The proposed action underwent a review for consistency
with standards established under the Alaska Coastal Management Program
(Alaska Administrative Code, Title Six, Chapter 80) and was issued a
final consistency determination. In addition, the Kodiak Island Borough
Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed and tentatively approved an
AADC permit application for construction in a conservation district,
contingent upon approval of the project by the applicable Federal and
state permitting agencies.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED: Alternatives analyzed in the EA included (1)
the proposed action, licensing the operation of a launch site at KLC,
and (2) the no action alternative. AADC has conducted a state-wide
siting survey that evaluated 27 alternative locations for a space
launch facility. AST has given substantial weight to the preferences of
AADC in selecting the proposed site
[[Page 32886]]
because AST's review indicates that there is no substantially superior
alternative site from an environmental standpoint.
In designing the KLC, efforts were made to avoid wetlands when
possible. The payload processing area and the access road to the launch
area were re-sited to avoid wetland disturbance, and the launch control
center was redesigned to minimize wetland impacts. The launch control
center, however, must be located a minimum distance from the launch
area and must have a direct view of the launch area. The only
alternative for siting the launch control center to completely avoid
wetlands would have required access road construction that would have
affected more wetlands. The only alternative that would have avoided
wetlands destruction in upgrading Pasagshak Point Road would have
involved extensive road relocation, substantial destruction of non-
wetland habitat, and prohibitive expense. Because of these factors, no
practicable alternatives to wetlands destruction were available (See
Section 4.5.1.1 of the EA). The Alaska District of the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers issued a public notice regarding project construction and
wetlands involvement on September 7, 1995, providing the public and
appropriate state and Federal agencies an opportunity for early review
of wetlands impacts.
MONITORING AND MITIGATION: Construction and operation of the KLC will
include development of a Natural Resources Management Plan that will
address monitoring and mitigation activities for special status
species, as discussed in Section 5.13 of the EA. If monitoring detects
adverse impacts greater than those identified in the EA, AADC would
take action, if possible, to avoid or eliminate further similar
impacts.
DETERMINATION: 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(a) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and that it 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.
Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed action
would not be required.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 18, 1996.
Frank C. Weaver,
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 96-16108 Filed 6-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
