National Environmental Policy Act; Ames Research Center; Aerodynamics Testing Program

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 99-075]

National Environmental Policy Act; Ames Research Center;

Aerodynamics Testing Program

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the final environmental impact

statement (FEIS) for the NASA Ames Aerodynamics Testing Program.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA), as amended (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 NASA Ames Aerodynamics Testing Program

(ATP). The FEIS addresses environmental issues associated with proposed

wind tunnel testing of high performance aircraft powered by engines

with supersonic jet exhaust and powered-lift systems in the National

Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) at NASA Ames Research Center

(ARC), Santa Clara County, California. The ATP proposes to define the

envelope of future wind tunnel testing in the NFAC and change the

operational parameters for testing in two facilities at ARC: the 40- by

80-foot Wind Tunnel and the 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel. This program

would increase maximum noise levels but would not increase the number

of wind tunnel operation hours.

NASA's preferred alternative, Alternative 2, would allow 600 hours

annually of full-scale wind tunnel testing of advanced aircraft

technologies, but would limit the higher noise aerodynamic testing to

daytime hours (i.e., between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.).

NASA has developed and issued a Mitigation Implementation Plan for

the Agency's preferred alternative.

DATES: NASA will take no final action on the proposed ATP before July

12, 1999 or 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal

Register of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's notice of

availability of the ATP FEIS, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: The FEIS and Mitigation Implementation Plan can be reviewed

at the following locations:

(a) Mountain View Public Library, Reference Section, 585 Franklin

Street, Mountain View, CA (650-903-6887).

(b) Sunnyvale Public Library, Reference Section, 665 West Olive

Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA (408-730-7300).

(c) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room lJ20, 300 E Street SW,

Washington, DC 20546 (202-358-0167).

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

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

(e) NASA, Spaceport USA, Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center,

FL 32899. Please call Lisa Fowler beforehand at 407-867-2497, so that

arrangements can be made.

In addition, the FEIS and Mitigation Implementation Plan can 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-

4191).

(b) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, (661-258-

2662).

(c) NASA, Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, 21000 Brookpark

Road, Cleveland, OH 44135 (216-433-2755).

(d) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771(301-286-

0730).

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

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

2497).

(g) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (256-

544-5549).

(h) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (228-688-2164).

Limited copies of the FEIS and Mitigation Implementation Plan are

available, on a first request basis, by contacting Sandra Olliges at

the address, telephone number, or electronic mail address provided

below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sandra Olliges, NASA, Ames

Research Center, M.S. 218-1/Building 218, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000;

telephone 650-604-3355; electronic mail ([email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Better performance and decreased operational

costs are necessary and critical components of future generations of

high-performance military and civil aircraft development programs.

High-performance aircraft share common requirements for testing with

propulsion systems of very high thrust and increased jet exhaust

velocities, which will tend to produce noise levels greater than

present airplanes. These include new vertical take-off and landing

fighter jets, as well as future generation supersonic civil transports.

The key to the successful development of these future generation

aircraft is testing of the actual propulsion systems installed in full-

scale models. The NFAC at ARC is the only test facility in the world

that has this capability. Conducting such tests would provide a key

capability for helping ensure the long-term dominance of U.S. aircraft

in both the military environment and commercial marketplace.

The X-32/X-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) testing project could be

one of the first projects implemented under the ATP. The X-32/X-35 test

aircraft and associated proposed testing project established the

operational boundaries of high-noise testing in the NFAC wind tunnel

facilities for the ATP. Testing at ARC for the High Speed Civil

Transport program, which is developing new technology for supersonic

civilian airliners that are economically viable and more

environmentally friendly, is another program that could fall under the

envelope of the ATP.

The JSF program is investigating the technical feasibility of

fielding an affordable, military viable, multi-service aircraft in the

2010 time frame. This program currently has a dual experimental

aircraft designation of X-32 and X-35. The JSF concept currently has

three variations: (1) A Short Takeoff Vertical Landing attack aircraft

for the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.K. Royal Navy; (2) a U.S. Air Force

Conventional Takeoff and Landing multi-role fighter aircraft; and (3)

an aircraft carrier capable fighter/attack aircraft for the U.S. Navy.

The X-32/X-35 JSF program provides a unique opportunity to potentially

develop a truly common and affordable aircraft for expeditionary naval

forces and fixed-base land use.

It is important to note that the specific tests discussed in the

FEIS may be representative of future test requirements not specifically

identified to date. Therefore, this ATP FEIS will serve as a baseline

document for the environmental evaluation of subsequent testing at Ames

Research Center. The FEIS addresses common elements of such testing in

a single document and provides detailed information on each

[[Page 31652]]

aspect of the ATP to the extent that such data are available.

Programmatic and test specific alternatives for this proposed

testing that were considered include, but are not necessarily limited

to: (1) Alternative daily time periods for typical testing activities;

(2) modification of the testing procedures to reduce noise levels; (3)

tests at a location other than Ames Research Center; and (4)

elimination of the proposed ATP--``no action.'' As a result of

preliminary analysis, the FEIS considers four alternatives in detail,

including the ``no action'' alternative. The three action alternatives

considered in detail would create the same maximum noise levels but

differ primarily in the number of testing hours permitted annually and

the daily time periods for different testing noise levels.

The FEIS considers the potential environmental impacts associated

with the proposed ATP. Particular emphasis is placed on potentially

incurred noise impacts and air emissions associated with the testing.

The FEIS is a program-level Environmental Impact Statement and

thus, analyzes the environmental impacts of implementing a proposed new

operational protocol for aerodynamics testing at ARC in the NFAC wind

tunnel complex. The ATP would be made up of smaller, specific, limited

duration and scope projects, such as the X-32/X-35 JSF testing project.

If the ATP were adopted, any future testing project would be required

to comply with the parameters of the ATP. NASA would be required to

determine whether each proposed aerodynamics testing project is

consistent with the ATP. If such a proposed aerodynamics testing

project does not comply the ATP, assuming that ATP were adopted,

additional environmental analysis and NEPA documentation would be

prepared, as appropriate, before any final decision is made.

Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) were

solicited from Federal, State, and local agencies, organizations, and

the general public through: (a) notices published in the Federal

Register--NASA notice on June 28, 1995, (60 FR 33438) and U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency notice on June 30, 1995, (60 FR 34246),

(b) notices in the San Jose Mercury News and the La Oferta Review, (c)

direct mailing of a fact sheet to persons within the proposed noise

contours, and (d) a series of public participation meetings. A total of

13 written and 32 oral comments (arising during public meetings on the

DEIS), primarily related to noise, were provided on the DEIS. These

comments have been addressed in the FEIS.

Jeffrey E. Sutton,

Associate Administrator for Management Systems.

[FR Doc. 99-14875 Filed 6-10-99; 8:45 am]

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