The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Department of the Navy (U.S. Navy) Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), with assistance from the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command (USASMDC / ARSTRAT), has completed a Draft Environmental Assessment / Overseas Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA), prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and a Draft Document of Environmental Protection (DEP) prepared in accordance with U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Environmental Standards and Procedures (UES), Section (§) 2-17.31(j).
The Draft EA/OEA analyzes the impacts of the continuing collection of data on a developmental payload by testing one such flight experiment concept. Specifically, the FE-2 would continue to develop, integrate, and flight test a payload system to demonstrate the maturity of key technologies. The U.S. Navy considered eight alternate launch and impact locations and determined that the launch from Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at the Sandia National Laboratories/Kauai Test Facility (SNL/KTF) with impact near the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS) and the launch from NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) with impact in the Atlantic Broad Ocean Area (BOA) both meet the test requirements for vehicle performance and data collection. Alternative 1, the Preferred Alternative, includes PMRF, Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawai`i; the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA); RTS, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI); and the Pacific BOA. Alternative 2 includes WFF, Virginia; and the Atlantic BOA. The U.S. Navy’s preferred alternative is a launch from PMRF with an impact at Illeginni Islet because it best meets the screening criteria / evaluation factors and the requirements of the Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action. The U.S. Navy is also considering the No Action Alternative, as required by the CEQ regulations. Based on the analysis, the SSP has determined in the Draft EA/OEA that the activities associated with the Proposed Action are not expected to result in significant impacts to the environment.
All missile demonstration programs proposed to occur at USAKA and within the RMI territorial waters must comply with the UES. The Draft DEP outlines the activities proposed to occur at USAKA and within the RMI. The proposed activity is located on Illeginni Islet and in the BOA of the Pacific Ocean. As fully analyzed in the Draft EA/OEA, the Navy proposes one experimental flight test.
The Draft EA/OEA, Draft Finding of No Significant Impact/Finding of No Significant Harm (FONSI/FONSH) and the Draft DEP are available at the following locations:
(1) Office lobby of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Protection Authority, Majuro, Marshall Islands
(2) Office lobby of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Environmental Protection Authority, Ebeye, Marshall Islands
(3) Grace Sherwood Library, Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
(4) Roi-Namur Library, Roi-Namur, Marshall Islands
Public comments on the Draft EA/OEA, Draft FONSI/FONSH, and Draft DEP will be accepted from August 26, 2019 to September 26, 2019 and can be provided in either of the following ways:
(1) E-mail comments by September 26, 2019 to Comments@FE-2-EAOEA.com
(2) Mail comments, postmarked no later than September 26, 2019, to:
USASMDC/ARSTRAT
ATTN: SMDC-EN (M. Hubbs)
P.O. Box 1500
Huntsville, AL 35807