Notice2026-18135
Notice of Availability on the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory
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Published
September 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), DOT Order 5610.1D, DOT's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, and FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory (Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 171 (Friday, September 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 171 (Friday, September 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56939-56940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18135]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. FAA-2026-6968]
Notice of Availability on the Final Tiered Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for SpaceX Starship
Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional
Starship Landing Trajectory
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), DOT Order 5610.1D, DOT's Procedures for
Considering Environmental Impacts, and FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National
Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, the FAA is announcing
the
[[Page 56940]]
availability of the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment and Finding
of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for SpaceX Starship Reentry
Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship
Landing Trajectory (Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is the lead agency. The National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG) are cooperating agencies due to their special expertise and/or
regulatory jurisdiction. The FAA evaluated SpaceX's proposal for
Starship reentry contingency operations in the Pacific Ocean as well as
airspace closures for an additional Starship reentry trajectory for
landing at Starbase in Texas. SpaceX must obtain a modification to
their existing vehicle operator license from the FAA to authorize the
expenditure of the Starship vehicle in additional downrange contingency
landing areas within the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, the license
modification would permit contingency landings in a newly designated
Northern Pacific Contingency Landing Area as well as authorize the
expansion of two previously evaluated contingency landing locations:
(1) Hawaii and Central Pacific Ocean Contingency Landing Area and (2)
Southeast (SE) Pacific Contingency Landing Area.
The Final Tiered EA evaluated the potential environmental impacts
associated with FAA's approval of related airspace closures.
The FAA published a Draft Tiered EA for a 22-day public comment
period that began on July 13, 2026, and ended on August 3, 2026,
following a one-week extension. FAA received 37 comments during that
period. All comments received during the comment period were given
equal weight and taken into consideration in the preparation of the
Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD.
The FAA has posted the Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD on the project
website at: <a href="https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship">https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship</a>.
Dated: September 2, 2026.
Stacey Molinich Zee,
Manager, Operations Support Branch.
[FR Doc. 2026-18135 Filed 9-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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