Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Experimental Permits

1. Federal Aviation Administration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Experimental Permits COMSTAC Stacey M. Zee October 25, 2006

2. Outline • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) • Programmatic Analyses • Development of PEIS • Input into scope of PEIS • How to submit comments

3. How Does NEPA apply to AST? • Issuing licenses and permits are considered major Federal actions with the potential to significantly impact the quality of the human environment • All such major Federal actions are subject to NEPA • 40 CFR Parts 1500 to 1508 • FAA Order 1050.1E

4. Levels of NEPA Review • Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) – action that does not, individually or cumulatively, have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment • Environmental Assessment (EA) - analysis of proposed action and reasonable alternatives that could result in preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement or Finding of No Significant Impact • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - detailed analysis of environmental consequences of proposed action and alternatives, cumulative impacts, and mitigation actions

5. Air Quality Coastal Resources Compatible Land Use Construction Impacts Department of Transportation Section 4(f) Resources Farmlands Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Floodplains Hazardous Materials, Pollution Prevention, and Solid Waste Historical, Architectural, Archeological, and Cultural Resources Natural Resources, Energy Supply, and Sustainable Design Noise Secondary (Induced) Impacts Socioeconomics, Environmental Justice, and Children’s Health and Safety Visual Impacts Water Quality Wetlands Wild and Scenic Rivers FAA Order 1050.1E: Issues Requiring Analysis

6. Endangered Species Act Executive Order (EO) 11988 – Floodplain Management Federal Coastal Zone Management Act Marine Mammal Protection Act EO 12114 – Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions EO 13089 – Coral Reef Protection Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act EO 11988 – Floodplain Management Clean Air Act Clean Water Act Safe Drinking Water Act Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Oil Pollution Act National Historic Preservation Act American Indian Religious Freedom Act Native American Graves Protection Act EO 13007 – Indian Sacred Sites Farmland Protection Policy Act EO 12898 – Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations Sample Laws and Regulations

7. Programmatic Analyses • Provide analyses and documentation from which subsequent NEPA documents can be tiered • Evaluate cumulative impacts • Address mitigation parameters at broad level

8. Existing AST PEISs • 2001 – PEIS for Licensing Launches • Analyzed environmental impacts of licensed launches of vertical expendable and reusable launch vehicles • 2005 – PEIS for Horizontal Launch and Reentries • Analyzed environmental impacts of licensed suborbital and orbital launches of horizontal vehicles and reentry of reentry vehicles

9. PEIS for Experimental Permits • Facilitate tiering of subsequent environmental assessments and environmental impact statements • Allow the environmental analysis of an individual permit applicant to focus on the environmental effects specific to their permit application • Develop future guidance to aid the permitting process • Improve efficiency of acting on individual permit applications

10. Data Needs – Rocket Activities • Types of propellants and propulsion systems • Estimate of operations – • Number of launch and reentry events, or • Duration of tests • Types of launch and reentry events – tethered, static firings, hover • Pre-flight and post-flight activities • Locations for launch and reentry operations

11. Analysis of Sites • Licensed Launch Sites • California Spaceport, CA • Florida Spaceport, FL • Kodiak Launch Complex, AK • Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, VA • Mojave Airport, CA • Oklahoma Spaceport, OK • Proposed Launch Site • Spaceport America, NM • Cecil Field, FL

12. Schedule • Notice of Intent – March 2006 • Scoping – March - October 2006 • Release draft PEIS to public – Spring/Summer 2007 • Public review and comment period – Spring/Summer 2007 • Release final PEIS to public – Summer 2007 • Sign Record of Decision – Fall 2007

13. How to Submit Comments • Provide written comments today • Submit comments via e-mail or fax • E-mail: PEIS-Experimental-Permits@icfi.com • Fax: 703-934-3951 • Mail:Stacey M. ZeeFAA Environmental SpecialistPEIS – Experimental Permitsc/o ICF International9300 Lee HighwayFairfax, VA 22031

14. To ensure that all comments are addressed inthe Final PEIS, the FAA requests that commentsare received no later thanOctober 31, 2006 Questions - contact Stacey M. Zee: 202-267-9305 Stacey.Zee@FAA.gov