National Environmental Policy Act; Expansion of Launch Range Operations at Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (97-161)]

National Environmental Policy Act; Expansion of Launch Range

Operations at Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on

Environmental Quality (CEQ) 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 made a finding

of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to the proposed expansion

of launch range operations at Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops

Flight Facility (WFF), Wallops Island, Virginia. NASA proposes to

enhance national launch capabilities through improvements to

infrastructure and the expansion of its launch range operations at WFF.

The major elements of the proposed action include: (1) support of the

Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority's establishment of a

commercial launch site to operate from WFF under a Use Agreement with

NASA (operation of this launch site would be licensed by the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA)); (2) improvements to real property

necessary to support the expansion of launch operations; (3) expansion

of operations at WFF to accommodate an increase in orbital launch

capability; and (4) restoration of the historical level and nature of

suborbital operations on the WFF range. The improvements to

infrastructure and the establishment of a licensed commercial launch

site at WFF would increase the national capacity for the launch of

commercial satellites, and provide additional capacity for all launch

operations from Wallops Island.

The FAA has acted as a cooperating agency throughout the NEPA

process.

DATE: Upon publication of this FONSI, NASA will proceed immediately to

implement the proposed action.

ADDRESSES: The environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed expansion

of launch range operations at WFF may be reviewed at the following

locations:

(a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20546.

(b) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility,

Public Affairs Office, Wallops Island, Virginia 23337.

(c) Eastern Shore Public Library, Accomack, VA 23301.

(d) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800

Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818-354-5179).

(e) Spaceport U.S.A., Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL

32899. Please call Lisa Fowler beforehand at 407-867-2497.

In addition, the EA may be reviewed at the following NASA locations

by contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office.

(f) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650-604-

4190)

(g) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805-

258-3448).

(h) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-

286-0730)

(i) NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-483-8612).

(j) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665 (757-864-

2497).

(k) NASA, Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland,

OH 44135 (216-433-2222).

(l) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812 (205-544-0031).

(m) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (601-688-2164). A limited

number of copies of the EA are available, on a first request basis, by

contacting the WFF Public Affairs Office at the address or telephone

number indicated herein.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office, NASA Goddard

Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA 23337;

telephone 757-824-1579.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the EA prepared for the

expansion of launch operations at WFF and determined that it represents

an accurate and adequate analysis of the scope and level of associated

environmental impacts. NASA hereby incorporates the EA by reference in

this FONSI.

The purpose of the proposed action is to enhance national launch

capabilities through improvements to infrastructure and the expansion

of launch range operations at WFF. An FAA licensed commercial launch

site at WFF would be established to promote this expansion of launch

capabilities. The licensed commercial launch site is needed to further

encourage, facilitate, and promote a competitive United States

commercial launch industry.

The EA identifies potential impacts that may occur during

implementation of the proposed actions. The EA addresses environmental

impacts associated both with launch operations and construction of

launch support facilities. The expansion of launch range operations

would accommodate an increase in orbital launch capability, and a

restoration of the historical level of suborbital launches conducted at

the WFF launch range. The proposed annual orbital launch schedule for

WFF is anticipated to be twelve per year, with environmental impacts

associated with an individual launch less than or equivalent to

launching a Lockheed-Martin Launch Vehicle-3 with eight strap-ons

(LMLV-3). The proposed improvements to WFF's real property and

infrastructure necessary to accomplish the proposed expansion include:

(1) modifications to existing launch pad 0-A; (2) modifications to

existing buildings for payload processing facilities; and (3) the

construction of a new launch pad designated as pad 0-B. WFF's proposed

launch range expansion would accommodate various solid and liquid

(liquid oxygen-hydrogen, liquid oxygen-kerosene) rocket motor

configurations.

Reasonable alternatives to the proposed action that were considered

included launch sites at: (1) Spaceport

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Florida, located adjacent to Cape Canaveral Air Station on the east

coast of Florida; (2) California Spaceport, located at Vandenberg Air

Force Base, California; (3) and Kodiak Launch Complex, near Kodiak,

Alaska. Foreign launch sites, such as Russia, Japan, China, Canada, and

India, are not considered reasonable alternative sites. NASA also

considered the ``no action'' alternative.

Impacts to the human environment associated with the proposed

action can be divided into short-term (construction phase) and long-

term (operational phase) impacts. The construction phase would last

approximately 12-15 months. The EA evaluated the environmental

consequences of both the construction and operational phases including,

but not limited to, air and water quality, noise, flora and fauna,

threatened and endangered species, health and safety, solid and

hazardous waste management, socioeconomics, land use, wetlands and

floodplain management.

Overall impacts individually and cumulatively to the human

environment are not anticipated to be substantial. Neither construction

nor operational activities will have a substantial impact on air

quality at WFF. The highly localized, short duration air emissions from

rocket launches quickly dissipate and are well below exposure standards

established to protect human health. Neither construction nor

operational noise levels will differ substantially from current noise

levels at WFF. During launch operations, the noise is maintained for

only a few seconds, is of low frequency, attenuates rapidly, and occurs

infrequently.

Construction activities will disturb some vegetation. Operational

activities may include the searing of vegetation within approximately

200 to 300 meters (660 to 980 feet) of the combustion path. The

proposed construction area is dominated by Pharagmities australis

(common reed) and no longer supports indigenous hydrophilic floral

species. Construction activities will not disturb wildlife in the

vicinity. Operational activities may include injury or death to fauna

within 200 to 300 meters of the combustion path. Some temporary

interruption of foraging and nesting activities within a 1,000 meter

(3300 feet) radius of the launch pad for 2 to 10 minutes during launch

operations may be expected. Construction activities will not disturb

any federally or state listed threatened or endangered species or

critical habitat. There are no known endangered species within a 1,000

meter (3300 foot) radius of the launch pad. However, a piping plover

nesting area is adjacent to this 1,000 meter zone. Pursuant to formal

Section 7 consultation, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has

issued a biological opinion that WFF's proposed action is not likely to

jeopardize the continued existence of the piping plover. Monitoring the

piping plover will take place during the first three launches from pad

0-B that take place during the nesting season.

Relatively small amounts of toxic substances may be needed for

payload processing, and limited amounts of solid and hazardous wastes

will be generated. No water quality or cultural resource impacts are

anticipated, and there are no environmental justice concerns. The

proposed action is consistent to the maximum extent practicable with

the Virginia coastal zone management program. The proposed construction

will occur in a 100-year floodplain and will convert 1,280 square

meters (approximately \1/3\ acre) of low quality wetlands to industrial

use. There are no practicable alternatives which avoid the floodplain

or conversion of the wetlands. Wetlands will be established or improved

to compensate for the loss created by the project. There will be some

positive socioeconomic benefit to the surrounding community through job

creation and purchases of goods and services. There are no other issues

of potential environmental concern.

NASA sought public and agency review and comment on the

environmental impacts of the proposed action through: (1) a notice of

availability of the Draft EA concerning expansion of launch range

operations at WFF in the Federal Register on September 8, 1997 (62 FR

47223); (2) notice of availability of the Draft EA in local news media;

(3) consultations with state and federal agencies; and (4) direct

mailing of the Draft EA to interested parties. No environmental

concerns were raised during the 30-day public comment on the Draft EA.

On the basis of the EA for the expansion of launch range operations

at WFF and underlying reference documents, NASA has determined that the

environmental impacts associated with the proposed action will not

individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality

of the human environment.

Therefore, an environmental impact statement is not required.

William F. Townsend,

Acting Associate Administrator for Mission to Planet Earth.

[FR Doc. 97-29637 Filed 11-7-97; 8:45 am]

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