Public Reviews: Revised NEPA Regulations and Draft EAs and EISs
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) at NASA
Welcome to the NASA NEPA Portal. This page lists NASA NEPA actions that are posted during public comment periods. NEPA visitors are encouraged to check back often to view additional announcements and updates. This page features the latest NEPA Actions published by NASA Centers. Final NEPA documents are available in the NEPA Library.
Draft NEPA Documents
There are not any draft NEPA documents currently out for public review at NASA.
Future NEPA documents will be posted here for public review.
Completed NEPA Documents
NASA actions for which NEPA analysis has been completed since 2010.
Additional completed documents for NASA Center-specific actions can be found Center-specific pages.
Active NEPA Documents
There are not any active NEPA documents for review at NASA.
Inactive NEPA Documents
Below is a list of finalized or otherwise inactive NEPA documents at NASA.
Notice of availability of the Agency Master Plan Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and the resulting Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
NASA announced its decision to implement the Agency Master Plan. NASA’s decision is supported by the detailed analysis found in the Final PEA, as summarized in the agency’s FONSI.
As early as 2011, NASA began integrating and optimizing operations across centers and mission support facilities (i.e., technical capability facilities) to reduce costs and revitalize the capabilities required to enable NASA’s portfolio of missions (NASA 2011, 26). In 2015, the Executive Office of the President distributed Management Procedures Memorandum No. 2015-01, tasking federal agencies to “move aggressively to dispose of surplus properties held by the federal government, make more efficient use of the government’s real property assets, and reduce the total square footage of their domestic office and warehouse inventory relative to an established baseline.” This directive set agency planning goals that were disseminated to centers.
To better achieve its infrastructure reduction targets, NASA proposes to implement a centralized and standardized Agency Master Plan administrative process. This Proposed Action will help ensure program management and planning efforts are aligned across all mission areas. The Final PEA and FONSI are available below:
For further information contact:
Ms. Tina Norwood
NASA NEPA Manager, Environmental Management Division
202-358-7324
tinanorwood@nasa.gov
NASA Headquarters Office of Strategic Infrastructure
300 E. Street SW
Washington, DC 20546
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Issues Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) Mission
September 10, 2023 – DARPA published a Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the demonstration of an operable nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system. NASA, along with the U.S. Air Force, is a Cooperating Agency on this EA. The Draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of NTP which uses a nuclear reactor to heat propellant to temperatures in the range of 3,600 to 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit and then expels the hot propellant through a nozzle, thereby producing thrust. Compared to chemical space propulsion technologies, NTP offers two-to-five times greater efficiency at comparable thrust which would give spacecraft a greater ability to rapidly traverse and maneuver in space. The Final EA and FONSI are available below:
For 508-compliance issues, or to make a comment please contact :
michelle.rau.ctr@darpa.mil
Please send written comments to:
Attn: Michelle Rau
5401 West Kennedy, Blvd. Ste 300
Tampa, FL 33609
The Draft FONSI and Draft EA are available below
Space Launch Delta 45 > Resources > Environmental (spaceforce.mil)
May 3, 2023: NASA has published in the Federal Register the Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the NASA NEPA Regulations, Title 14 CFR 1216.3, Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, for a 60-day public comment period ending July 3, 2023.
Federal Register Notice: Consists of the Preamble (background and explanation for proposed changes) and the proposed revisions to the NASA NEPA Regulations. Following FR NPRM requirements, asterisks mark text that is not changing from the current regulations.
List of Preparers: The list of NASA NEPA Working Group members from 2019-2023.
The following report was prepared for and approved by The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). It explains why NASA is amending some CatExs and adding new ones.
Categorical Exclusions (CatEx) Administrative Record
NASA Issues Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for Land Withdrawal Application in Railroad Valley, Nevada
June 23, 2022 – NASA published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a requested land withdrawal in Nye County, Nevada in the Reno Gazette-Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal, The Ely Times, and Tonopah Times-Bonanza & Goldfield News newspapers. The Draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of withdrawing approximately 22,684 acres of Bureau of Land Management managed lands in Railroad Valley to preserve the integrity of the land surface in the withdrawal area for use in NASA’s Earth-observing satellite calibration activities. NASA also prepared a Mineral Potential Report for the withdrawal area, which is referenced in the EA. For 508-compliance issues, please contact Amy Keith – amy.keith@nasa.gov.
The NOA, Draft EA, and Final Mineral Potential Report are available below:
NASA Issues Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the New Frontiers Program Dragonfly Mission
September 26, 2022 – NASA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the New Frontiers Program Dragonfly mission. The FONSI was signed by Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate. The Final EA and FONSI are available to view at the links below:
April 24, 2022 – NASA published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed New Frontiers Program Dragonfly mission in Florida Today and Orlando Sentinel newspapers. The Draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of launching the proposed Dragonfly spacecraft with the mission to explore the surface of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, from either the U.S. Space Force’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station or NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County, Florida. The NOA and Draft EA are available below:
NASA Issues NOI to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Mars Sample Return Campaign
April 15, 2022 – NASA published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to identify and analyze potential environmental impacts of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign. The Tier I PEIS will programmatically analyze the flight and ground elements as well as site-specifically analyze the flight elements of the campaign. Additional information is available on the NEPA MSR Campaign website. The Federal Register publication of the NOI is available below.
NASA Issues FONSI for Operation and Launch of Vulcan Centaur Space Launch Program at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
December 8, 2021 – NASA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) adopting the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Vulcan Centaur Program Operations and Launch on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, now referred to as Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The EA and FONSI are available below:
NASA Issues Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment of Launches involving Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) and FONSI
February 13, 2020 – NASA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) of Launches involving RHUs. The FONSI was signed on February 13, 2020 by Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate. The Final PEA and FONSI are available to view at the link below:
September 8, 2019 – NASA has completed a Draft PEA that evaluates the use of RHUs in spacecraft that would be launched from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Brevard County, Florida. RHUs have been used in space missions since the 1960s. Under the Proposed Action, NASA would continue to use RHUs for heat sources in space missions when the use of solar or other technologies would be infeasible or when the use of an RHU would enhance the ability of the mission to meet its science goals. The programmatic document would be applied each time an RHU is used in a space mission, if certain parameters are met. NASA is the lead federal agency for this action with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Air Force (USAF), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) serving as cooperating agencies.
Public comments will be accepted through October 8, 2019 and can be submitted via email to Tina Norwood at tina.norwood@nasa.gov. A copy of the draft PEA and Notice of Availability (NOA) published in local newspapers are attached below. Please see the NOA for a list of locations where a hard copy of the document can be reviewed.
NASA Issues Final PEA and FONSI for Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Scientific Development and Testing Activities On-Site and in the Arroyo Seco
April 25, 2018 – NASA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the Programmatic EA (PEA) for Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Scientific Development and Testing Activities On-Site and in the Arroyo Seco. This PEA assess a suite (or program) of ongoing outdoor testing actions that are small-scale, non-intrusive, and short-duration that are necessary to support and fulfill the NASA mission. The FONSI was signed by Marcus Watkins, Director of the NASA Management Office at JPL on April 25, 2018. The following documents are available at:
Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Scientific Development and Testing Activities On-Site and in the Arroyo Seco
January 18, 2017 – NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, has published a notice in local newspapers announcing the availability of their Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA). The public review period is open until February 17, 2018. The notice provides instruction on how to submit questions or comments. Both the notice and Draft Programmatic EA are available at:
- Newspaper Notice – in the Pasadena Star News and La Canada Valley News
- Draft EA
- Notice of Availability
NASA Issues FONSI for Edwards Air Force Base EA
May 31, 2017 – NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) adopting the Edwards Air Force Base Environmental Assessment Preparation for the Air Force Test Mission in the 21st Century: Upgrade and Improve the Test Capability at the Edwards Air Force Base California Test Complex, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
To view the FONSI, click here.
To view the EA, click here.
NASA Issues Record of Decision for KSC Center Master Plan
March 10, 2017 – NASA has issued a Record of Decision for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to support their Center Master Plan (CMP) from 2012 to 2032. Information on the CMP and NEPA Process completed for the PEIS is available on the KSC website at: https://environmental.ksc.nasa.gov/projects/peis.htm
NASA Issues Notice of Availability for Kennedy Space Center’s Draft 2020 Vision Plan and Environmental Assessment
July 3, 2020 – NASA has issued a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, Draft 2020 Vision Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA). The public review period is open until August 3, 2020. The EA can be found in Section 6 of the Vision Plan. The NOA and Draft Vision Plan and EA are available below:
NASA Issues Final EA for Fortification of Security Gates at JPL
May 10, 2016 – NASA has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the proposed Fortification of Security Gates at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This project proposes to widen, reconfigure, and enhance access points at the West, South, and East Gates of the NASA JPL facility in order to improve the movement of vehicle traffic, especially during morning and afternoon peak hours. The FONSI was signed by Marcus Watkins, Director of the NASA Management Office at JPL on May 10, 2016.
January 24, 2016 – NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, has published a notice in local newspapers announcing the availability of their Draft Environmental Assessment (EA). The public review period is open until February 27, 2016. The notice provides instruction on how to submit questions or comments. Both the notice and EA are available below:
NASA Issues ROD Adopting FAA EIS
June 5, 2015 – NASA has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) adopting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Spaceport America Commercial Launch Site. Additional information is available here.
May 4, 2015 – NASA has issued a FONSI adopting the FAA EA for the Launch & Reentry of SpaceShipTwo Resusable Suborbital Rockets at the Mojave Air & Space Port, published in May 2012. Additional information is available here.
NASA Issues NOA for Draft EA for New Test Stand at WSTF
March 15, 2015 – NASA has published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), New 300 Area Test Stand at JSC’s White Sands Test Facility. Additional information is available here.
NASA Issues NOA for Draft SEA for the LDSD Mission
February 27, 2015 – NASA has issued a Notice of Availability (NOA) announcing the 30-day comment period for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) Technology Demonstration mission. Additional information is available here.
March 18, 2013 – NASA has prepared a Draft EA for the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) Technology Demonstration mission. The Draft EA is available for public comment until April 19, 2013 at the following website: http://www.govsupport.us/nasaldsdea/.
NASA Publishes NOA of the Draft EA for the Decontamination and Decommissioning of Building 140
February 20, 2015 – NASA’s GRC has published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), Decontamination and Decommissioning of Building 140 at Glenn Research Center Lewis Field and draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Additional information is available here.
NASA Publishes NOA of the SEIS to the November 2014 FEIS for the Mars 2020 Mission
October 25, 2019 – NASA had published the Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the November 2014 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Mars 2020 Mission. Additional information is available on the NEPA Mars 2020 Mission website.
January 28, 2015 – NASA’s Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, Headquarters, has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Mars 2020 Mission Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Additional information is available on the NEPA Mars 2020 Mission website.
September 11, 2013 – NASA has issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Mars 2020 mission and to conduct scoping for the EIS. Copy of the Federal Register Notice for Mars 2020 Mission EIS.
NASA KSC Issues NOI to Prepare EIS for Centerwide Operations
May 19, 2014 – NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for their Centerwide Operations. Additional information is available here.
NASA Issued Record of Decision (ROD) for Soil Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory
October 2, 2020 – NASA has released its Record of Decision (ROD) for Soil Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory, California. After carefully considering the information and analysis provided in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, including the comments received from the public, non-governmental organizations, Native American tribes, and federal, state, and local government officials, NASA’s decision is to proceed with Alternative C, Suburban Residential Cleanup. A Suburban Residential Cleanup would be protective of public health and the environment, follow nationwide EPA guidelines, and is consistent with the cleanup standards imposed by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) across the State of California. NASA is eager to move forward with the soil cleanup. NASA can finalize a soil implementation cleanup plan once the California DTSC completes their Programmatic Environmental Impact Report and issues a decision document. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
July 24, 2020 – NASA has published the Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the March 2014 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities for the NASA-administered portion of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), Ventura County, California. This Final SEIS covers the soil cleanup activities at NASA’s portion of SSFL. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
October 25, 2019 – NASA has published the Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the March 2014 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities for the NASA-administered portion of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), Ventura County, California. This SEIS will cover the soil cleanup activities at NASA’s portion of SSFL. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
April 5, 2019 – NASA has published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the March 2014 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities for the NASA-administered portion of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), Ventura County, California. This SEIS will cover the soil cleanup activities at NASA’s portion of SSFL. The Federal Register Notice for the NOI to prepare SEIS is available. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
October 17, 2018 – NASA has published the Record of Decision (ROD) for groundwater cleanup activities detailed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Proposed Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Ventura County, California. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
May 1, 2014 – NASA has published the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Proposed Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), Ventura County, California. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
March 14, 2014 – NASA has published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), Proposed Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), Ventura County, California. Additional information is available on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
August 2, 2013 – NASA has prepared a draft EIS for the Proposed Demolition and Environmental Cleanup activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Ventura County, California. You can view the draft EIS. Additional information on the EIS for Demolition and Environmental Cleanup Activities at Santa Susana Field Laboratory website.
July 7, 2011 – NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center located in Alabama has published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Demolition and Remediation Cleanup Activities for the NASA administered portion of Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California. The Federal Register Notice for the NOI to prepare EIS is available. Additional information is available on the SSFL website.
Final EIS and ROD for Sounding Rocket Program by Wallops Flight Facility
June 19, 2013 – NASA Wallops Flight Facility has published a Final Environmental Impact Statement and ROD for the Sounding Rocket Program. The documents are available on the Wallops website (click here).
October 1, 2012 – The NASA Sounding Rockets Program based at Wallops Flight Facility has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in support of its continuing operations at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Poker Flat Research Range. The comment period will extend until November 28, 2012. The Draft EIS and its appendices may be downloaded and reviewed on the project website (click here).
April 13, 2011 – NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, publishes Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for their continued Sounding Rocket Program. The Federal Register Notice is available here. Additional information is available on the project website (click here).
Draft EA for the Wallops Island Post-Hurricane Sandy Shoreline Repair
April 10, 2013 – NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) has prepared a Draft EA for the Wallops Island Post-Hurricane Sandy Shoreline Repair. The DEA has been prepared as a tiered NEPA document, under the WFF Shoreline and Restoration & Infrastructure Protection Plan EIS (see May 5, 2010 announcement below): http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code250/Tiered_Shoreline_Renourishment_EA.html
May 5, 2010 – Comments on the Draft SRIPP Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) were solicited upon publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. NASA hosted a public comment meeting to discuss the Draft SRIPP PEIS on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 from 6-9 p.m. at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Information Center. Click here for more information.
Goddard Space Flight Center, MD, has prepared a Draft EA for the proposed OSIRIS-REx Mission
November 15, 2013 – A Draft EA has been prepared for the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft planned to travel to a near-Earth asteroid, study it in detail, and bring a sample back to Earth. The Draft EA is available for public review and comment until January 2, 2013. The Draft EA and additional information are available below on the OSIRIS-REx NEPA website (click here).
NASA NEPA Policy – The Agency NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) Has Been Updated
August 1, 2012 – The NASA NEPA policy document, NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 8580.1A, “Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Executive Order (EO) 12114,” has been updated. To view the updated NPR 8580.1A, click here.
North Wallops Island Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Airstrip Final EA
June 29, 2012 – NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, has published a Notice of Availability (NOA) releasing of the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for their proposed North Wallops Island Unmanned Aerial Systems Airstrip. To view the final EA, click here. Additional information is available on the WFF website here.
NASA Has Updated Its NEPA Regulations
January 23, 2012 – NASA has updated its NEPA Regulations. To view the Federal Register Notice, click here. To view the NASA NEPA Rule (40 CFR Part 1216.3), view here. To view the CEQ Letter of Conformity, click here. For more information on NASA’s Categorical Exclusions, click here.
Final Environmental Assessment for NASA’s Routine Payloads and FONSI Available
November 21, 2011 – NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., has published a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in the Federal Register for the NASA Routine Payloads EA. This updates the original EA published in 2002 to include additional launch locations and launch vehicles, as well as update the envelope payload characteristics. To view the related documents including the Final EA and FONSI, click here.
August 23, 2011 – The NOA of this draft Environmental Assessment has been published in the Federal Register. The EA updates the current NASA Routine Payload EA that was published in 2002. Public comments are welcome during the 45-day comment period (ending October 12, 2011). Click here for more information including links to the NOA and draft EA.
NASA submitted the 12th and final ARRA Quarterly Report to CEQ
October 11, 2011 – NASA submitted the 12th and final ARRA Quarterly Report to CEQ on programs and projects the received recovery funds. CEQ reported all federal agency ARRA activity to The White House which are available here.
NASA issues a modified ROD in support of portions of the Constellation PEIS that are moving forward
July 29, 2011 – Congress recently clarified direction for NASA’s post-Shuttle program for human space flight and exploration, which was previously known as Constellation. This modified Record of Decision (ROD) documents NASA’s consideration of possible changes in the environmental impacts resulting from directed changes in the Agency’s proposed human spaceflight program. Click here for the modified Record of Decision for NASA’s Post-Shuttle Human Spaceflight Program and the Constellation Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Click here for the modified Record of Decision for NASA’s Post-Shuttle Human Spaceflight Program and the Constellation Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (with signatures).
NASA is Updating their NEPA Regulations
July 21, 2011 – NASA’s NEPA regulations were last updated in 1988. NASA first informed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) of the need to update the agency NEPA regulations (14 CFR 1216.3) in 2008. An internal cross-functional Work Group (see Preparers below) drafted the proposed revision. After extensive review and incorporating CEQ comments in the proposed regulations, NASA submitted the Proposed Revised NASA NEPA Regulations to the Office of Management and Business (OMB) for their review. OMB completed their interagency review process in January 2011. After addressing received from two agencies, a final Federal Register notice was prepared and signed by the NASA Administrator on July 14, 2011. The Federal Register Notice contains a detailed Preamble and the full text of the proposed rule. The Notice was published on July 21, initiating the 60-day public review period. The Notice contains the Web site and mailing address for interested persons to submit comments. Comments were accepted until September 21, 2011. NASA is in the process of finalizing the rule as no comments were received and the final rule will be public in the Federal Register later this year. Click here for the Federal Register Notice of NASA’s Proposed NEPA Rule with Preamble. Click here for a list of preparers. Click here for more information on NASA’s Categorical Exclusions.
Wallops Flight Facility Notice of Intent for Site-Wide Operations
July 12, 2011 – NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, has published a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for their proposed site-wide operations. The Federal Register Notice is available here. Additional information is available on the WFF website (click here).
NEPA: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility announces the availability of a Final EA for a proposed Alternative Energy Project
March 24, 2011 – NASA has announced the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) Alternative Energy Project. The purpose of the Alternative Energy Project is to generate renewable electricity at WFF to assist NASA as an agency in meeting or exceeding the requirements of the 2005 Federal Energy Policy Act and various Executive Orders. The project would also be expected to stabilize WFF’s growing utility costs and provide educational outreach regarding renewable energy technologies. Under the Proposed Action/Preferred Alternative, NASA would install up to an 80-acre system of solar panels at the Main Base that would be capable of generating 10 gigawatt-hours per year of electricity. Additionally, two 2.4 kilowatt residential-scale wind turbines would be installed near the WFF Visitor Center and the entrance gate/security guard station at the Mainland, respectively. At full buildout, the electricity generated annually by this project would equate to approximately 850 average American homes. Given the large capital investment required for a project of this size, the proposal would not be implemented immediately in its entirety; rather it would be built in multiple smaller phases over time.
**Please note that the Proposed Action differs from what was initially presented in the Draft EA. Due to substantial concerns raised by agencies and organizations regarding potential impacts on birds and bats, the two utility-scale wind turbines on Wallops Island are no longer proposed.**
NASA has also prepared a Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) concluding that an Environmental Impact Statement is not necessary for this project. NASA will take no final action prior to 30 days following publication of the Draft FONSI Notice of Availability (NOA) in local newspapers. NOAs were placed in local newspapers this week. The Draft FONSI and Final EA are available on the internet in Adobe format here.
The Final EA and Draft FONSI are also available for review at the following locations:
- Chincoteague Island Library, Chincoteague, VA
- Eastern Shore Public Library, Accomac, VA
- Northampton Free Library, Nassawadox, VA
- NASA WFF Technical Library, Wallops Island, VA
Hard copies of the Final EA and Draft FONSI are available by contacting:
Josh Bundick
Lead, Environmental Planning
NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Code 250.W
Wallops Island, VA 23337
Phone: 757-824-2319
E-mail: Joshua.A.Bundick@nasa.gov
NEPA: NASA Glenn Research Center Plum Brook Station Wind Farm Project
August 25, 2010 – NASA has distributed a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and to conduct scoping for the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station (PBS) Wind Farm Project. The NOI is in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the CEQ Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), Executive Order 13423, and NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR part 1216 Subpart 1216.3). NASA is conducting scoping to obtain the public’s comments on the wind farm construction and operation. This scoping is in preparation for an Environmental Impact Statement. Click here for more information.
Scientific Balloon Launch Operations at NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
June 15, 2010 – NASA has prepared a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment(PEA) that analyzes scientific balloon launch and flight operations from NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) in Fort Sumner, New Mexico and the CSBF in Palestine, Texas. The Draft PEA is in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA NEPA policy and procedures (14 CFR Part 1216, Subpart 1216.3). NASA is proposing to increase the number of scientific balloons launched every year from the two Scientific Balloon Facilities. Click here for more information.
Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
May 7, 2010 – NASA has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the proposed Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission to be launched on a Pegasus XL launch vehicle from the Reagan Test Site (RTS) at U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) in August 2011. The only other alternative that was considered in detail was No Action. Click here for more information.
