Date: August 14th 2007

Aug 13, 2007

Beth Dickey/Melissa Mathews Headquarters, Washington 202-358-2087/1272 beth dickey-1@nasa gov, melissa mathews-1@nasa gov

Kelly Humphries/Lynnette Madison Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 kelly o humphries@nasa gov

RELEASE: 07-200

NASA ISSUES DRAFT CONSTELLATION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

WASHINGTON -- NASA has issued a draft environmental impact statement on potential environmental impacts associated with the Constellation Program

NASA's Constellation Program is developing a space transportation system that is designed to return humans to the moon by 2020 The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement concludes that localized and global environmental impacts associated with implementing the Constellation Program would be comparable to past or ongoing NASA activities

The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to prepare an environmental impact statement for major federal actions that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment Federal agencies must consider potential environmental impacts of their proposed actions before deciding whether and how to proceed

This draft examines the effects of development, testing and operation of spacecraft and support systems associated with Constellation Program activities through the early 2020s NASA plans to use multiple government and contractor facilities in implementing the program The spacecraft to be developed include the Orion crew exploration vehicle, the Ares I crew launch vehicle, the Ares V cargo launch vehicle, the lunar lander, and other cargo systems Orion, launched atop the Ares I, would be capable of docking with the International Space Station or with cargo launched to low Earth orbit by the Ares V for transit to the moon or future missions to Mars

Since the Constellation Program will be based largely upon components and facilities used in the Space Shuttle Program, the potential environmental impacts are expected to be similar The principal activities associated with Constellation that could result in potential environmental impacts include rocket engine tests, rocket launches, construction of new facilities and modifications to existing facilities

In preparing this draft, NASA published a notice of intent in the Federal Register on Sept 26, 2006 NASA held public scoping meetings to invite input on environmental concerns of program alternatives on Oct 18, 2006, in Cocoa, Fla ; on Oct 20, 2006, in Washington; and on Oct 24, 2006, in Salt Lake City NASA also solicited comments from federal, state, and local agencies and other interested parties The public scoping period ended Nov 13, 2006

Publicly identified issues resulting from the scoping meetings include the economic impact of the Constellation Program on local jobs near NASA centers, risks to the public through launch and reentry of the Orion spacecraft, noise associated with launch events and impacts to animal species in the Kennedy Space Center, Fla , area from construction and launch activities Other issues included the socio-economic impacts of decommissioning the space shuttle and implementing the Constellation Program

NASA will accept public comments on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement through September 2007 The final environmental impact statement is expected to be complete by Spring 2008 An appendix in the final statement will include public comments and NASA's responses NASA expects to provide a formal record of decision for the Constellation Program in late Spring 2008

The draft statement is available at all NASA centers and on the Internet at:

http://www nasa gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/peis html

For information about NASA's Constellation Program, visit:

http://www nasa gov/constellation/

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