Notice2023-08325
Notice of Availability for the Written Re-Evaluation of the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program at the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas Regarding Vehicle Ocean Landings and Launch Pad Detonation Suppression System Water
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, Council on Environmental Quality NEPA-implementing regulations, and FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Written Re- Evaluation for the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program regarding Vehicle Ocean Landings and Launch Pad Detonation Suppression System Water at the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 76 (Thursday, April 20, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 76 (Thursday, April 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 24462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08325]
[[Page 24462]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Availability for the Written Re-Evaluation of the Final
Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Mitigated Finding of No
Significant Impact and Record of Decision for the SpaceX Starship/Super
Heavy Launch Vehicle Program at the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site in
Cameron County, Texas Regarding Vehicle Ocean Landings and Launch Pad
Detonation Suppression System Water
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended, Council on Environmental Quality NEPA-implementing
regulations, and FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and
Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Written Re-
Evaluation for the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and
Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for
the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program regarding
Vehicle Ocean Landings and Launch Pad Detonation Suppression System
Water at the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hanson, FAA Environmental
Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave. SW,
Suite 325, Washington, DC 20591; phone 847-243-7609; email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f8b99581d6b099968b9796b89e9999d69f978e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="47062a3e690f26293428290721262669202831">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Written Re-Evaluation evaluated whether
supplemental environmental analysis was needed to support the FAA
Office of Commercial Space Transportation decision to issue a vehicle
operator license to SpaceX for the operation of the Starship/Super
Heavy launch vehicle at its existing Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron
County, Texas. The affected environment and environmental impacts of
Starship/Super Heavy operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site were
analyzed in the 2022 Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment for
the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program at the SpaceX
Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas (2022 PEA). The FAA
issued a Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of
Decision based on the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment on
June 13, 2022.
The FAA prepared the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment to
analyze the potential environmental impacts of constructing launch-
related infrastructure and operating the Starship/Super Heavy launch
vehicle at the Boca Chica Launch Site. SpaceX's proposed operations
include launches originating from this site, as well as landings at
this site, in the Gulf of Mexico, or in the Pacific Ocean off the coast
of Hawaii. SpaceX has applied to the FAA for a license to conduct these
operations with its Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle. Prior to
submitting a vehicle operator license application to the FAA, SpaceX
provided the FAA with a launch profile of proposed launch operations,
which was analyzed in the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment.
Since the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment, SpaceX
provided the FAA with additional information regarding Starship's
planned landing, Super Heavy's planned soft water landing, and the
Launch Pad Detonation Suppression System. The FAA completed a Written
Re-Evaluation for the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and
Mitigated Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for
the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program regarding
Vehicle Ocean Landings and the Launch Pad Detonation Suppression System
at the SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Site in Cameron County, Texas. The
final Written Re-Evaluation is available at: <a href="http://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship">www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship</a>.
Based on the analysis within the Written Re-Evaluation, the FAA
concluded that the issuance of a vehicle operator license for Starship/
Super Heavy operations conforms to the prior environmental
documentation, that the data contained in the 2022 Programmatic
Environmental Assessment remains substantially valid, that there are no
significant environmental changes, and all pertinent conditions and
requirements of the prior approval have been met or will be met in the
current action. Therefore, the preparation of a supplemental or new
environmental document is not necessary to support the Proposed Action.
Issued in Washington, DC, on: April 14th, 2023.
Stacey Molinich Zee,
Manager, Operations Support Branch, Office of Commercial Space
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2023-08325 Filed 4-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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