I reviewed the long-anticipated FAA Environmental Review (http://faa.gov/space/stakeholder_en...SpaceX_Starship_Super_Heavy_at_Boca_Chica.pdf), 150 pages.
It's actually surprisingly thorough, interesting, and reasonable.
Here's the summary.
SpaceX/FAA Environmental Review Summary
20 Starship suborbital launches & return annually
5 (only) S/SH orbital launches annually
500 hours of area closure annually
300 hours of anomaly closure annually
Desalination plant
Expanded solar farm
Expect to burst 1 tank (test) per month, inert contents
Nominal venting (S/SH loading): 7 tons LCH4
Nominal venting (Starship return): 10 tons LOX + LCH4
Nominal venting (Super Heavy return): 5 tons LCH4
Worst-case release: 7 tons LCH4, 814 tons methane
Deluge water would be retained and processed
Sonic booms limited to return to launch site (10 annual, Starship and Super Heavy separate acoustic events)
Transport of S & SH from remote landing sites back to launch site noted
Expended rockets will sink >19 miles offshore, debris recovery as appropriate/possible
1st major Starship launch will be expended in Pacific Missile Range facility (expenditure of SH not noted)
450 personnel on site per launch
OLIT #1 does not, for purposes of this review, exist (SX is allowed to build whatever they like, FAA only can comment insofar as it will/may exist when launch occurs)
OLIT #2 is planned on site (will double current developed area)
Launch facility will be 40 acres
Towers will be black
450 ft crane will remain at launch site
Site lighting is necessary but considers environmental concerns
2 new payload buildings, 14670 sq ft x 65 or 85 ft
3rd new payload building, 22000 sq ft x 240 ft
7 acre solar farm
Adding 3 highway pull-offs, facilitating traffic flow around transports, wait time 20 minutes
FAA experimental license expires May 27, 2022
Environmental review
No farmlands, wild & scenic rivers impacted
Recovery boats operate 5 days per launch, negligible emissions
Local air is good (not polluted)
Air monitoring stations noted
Construction pollution is limited, acceptable, and temporary
Active dust control measures
Launch exhaust/emissions extensively modeled, are mostly normal atmospheric chemicals, producing small fractions of a ton per launch (well below local activity norms), and quickly dissipate
Concerns about emissions are not warranted (numbers are at/below levels where any notice whatsoever is taken)
Negligible residential occupancy in area
Attempts to address “climate change” consequences are ill-specified; no meaningful impact is indicated
>90dB static fire noise extends 2.5 to 10 miles
>111dB launch noise (possible structural damage) is limited to a few minutes, extending 19 miles
>90dB SH landing noise extends 7 miles (unpopulated)
>90db Starship landing noise extends 5 miles
Populated areas may notice launch engine operation, but will not be adverse exposure
Sonic boom from SH landing predicts overpressure of 2.5-15psf, ranging from startling to minor glass breakage
Air traffic not expected to see impact
Lighting will be noticeable, steps taken to limit as appropriate for safety, may obstruct visibility
Historic architecture limited to 20 resources within affected area
Archaeological concerns limited to 19 resources
13 cultural artifacts & 11 historic properties may suffer adverse effects from increased vibrations, visual/audio/atmospheric factors, and increased impactful tourist activity (trampling/looting)
SX will take recommended measures to preserve such properties & artifacts
Occasional (minutes) noise in otherwise notably quiet parks is deemed not constructive use of public property
Occasional (hours) closure to access to parks is deemed not constructive use of public property
Temporary occupancy of parks due to anomaly (i.e.: S/SH explodes on pad) is deemed minimal and subject to mitigation for restoration
Visiting observers are deemed having minimal constructive use
23 acres of wetlands are affected by launch area development
SX will manage water runoff
Rocket fuel released will either combust or vaporize, negligible impact
Construction pollution will be contained
Disposal of tainted water thru ground injection will be managed per regulations
Site will be elevated above floodplain to avoid over wash per 100-year flood events
Piping Plover critical habitat covers 7217 acres in the area (71053 acres total in TX), with SX activity affecting 11 acres, deemed not significant impact
Proposed closures reduce recreational access by 11.5% of year for normal operations, 6.8% for anomalies, deemed not adverse impact
Reasonable water resource management is directed
84 marine, and 15 terrestrial, species are noted
32 acres of habitat affected
Animal mortality impacts are noted and deemed negligible
>212ºF within 0.3 miles of launch, and >90ºF within 0.6 miles
Brief heat & noise effects do not have permanent/adverse impact on vegetation & wildlife
Measures will be taken to monitor and protect assorted points of natural & historic concerns
Land use remains within all zoning and other applicable laws
Hazardous waste will be handled within all applicable regulations
Minorities, including children, will be treated appropriately
Socioeconomic concerns/disruptions are minimal and positive
Environmental justice will not be impacted
Children’s environmental health will not be impacted
It's actually surprisingly thorough, interesting, and reasonable.
Here's the summary.
SpaceX/FAA Environmental Review Summary
20 Starship suborbital launches & return annually
5 (only) S/SH orbital launches annually
500 hours of area closure annually
300 hours of anomaly closure annually
Desalination plant
Expanded solar farm
Expect to burst 1 tank (test) per month, inert contents
Nominal venting (S/SH loading): 7 tons LCH4
Nominal venting (Starship return): 10 tons LOX + LCH4
Nominal venting (Super Heavy return): 5 tons LCH4
Worst-case release: 7 tons LCH4, 814 tons methane
Deluge water would be retained and processed
Sonic booms limited to return to launch site (10 annual, Starship and Super Heavy separate acoustic events)
Transport of S & SH from remote landing sites back to launch site noted
Expended rockets will sink >19 miles offshore, debris recovery as appropriate/possible
1st major Starship launch will be expended in Pacific Missile Range facility (expenditure of SH not noted)
450 personnel on site per launch
OLIT #1 does not, for purposes of this review, exist (SX is allowed to build whatever they like, FAA only can comment insofar as it will/may exist when launch occurs)
OLIT #2 is planned on site (will double current developed area)
Launch facility will be 40 acres
Towers will be black
450 ft crane will remain at launch site
Site lighting is necessary but considers environmental concerns
2 new payload buildings, 14670 sq ft x 65 or 85 ft
3rd new payload building, 22000 sq ft x 240 ft
7 acre solar farm
Adding 3 highway pull-offs, facilitating traffic flow around transports, wait time 20 minutes
FAA experimental license expires May 27, 2022
Environmental review
No farmlands, wild & scenic rivers impacted
Recovery boats operate 5 days per launch, negligible emissions
Local air is good (not polluted)
Air monitoring stations noted
Construction pollution is limited, acceptable, and temporary
Active dust control measures
Launch exhaust/emissions extensively modeled, are mostly normal atmospheric chemicals, producing small fractions of a ton per launch (well below local activity norms), and quickly dissipate
Concerns about emissions are not warranted (numbers are at/below levels where any notice whatsoever is taken)
Negligible residential occupancy in area
Attempts to address “climate change” consequences are ill-specified; no meaningful impact is indicated
>90dB static fire noise extends 2.5 to 10 miles
>111dB launch noise (possible structural damage) is limited to a few minutes, extending 19 miles
>90dB SH landing noise extends 7 miles (unpopulated)
>90db Starship landing noise extends 5 miles
Populated areas may notice launch engine operation, but will not be adverse exposure
Sonic boom from SH landing predicts overpressure of 2.5-15psf, ranging from startling to minor glass breakage
Air traffic not expected to see impact
Lighting will be noticeable, steps taken to limit as appropriate for safety, may obstruct visibility
Historic architecture limited to 20 resources within affected area
Archaeological concerns limited to 19 resources
13 cultural artifacts & 11 historic properties may suffer adverse effects from increased vibrations, visual/audio/atmospheric factors, and increased impactful tourist activity (trampling/looting)
SX will take recommended measures to preserve such properties & artifacts
Occasional (minutes) noise in otherwise notably quiet parks is deemed not constructive use of public property
Occasional (hours) closure to access to parks is deemed not constructive use of public property
Temporary occupancy of parks due to anomaly (i.e.: S/SH explodes on pad) is deemed minimal and subject to mitigation for restoration
Visiting observers are deemed having minimal constructive use
23 acres of wetlands are affected by launch area development
SX will manage water runoff
Rocket fuel released will either combust or vaporize, negligible impact
Construction pollution will be contained
Disposal of tainted water thru ground injection will be managed per regulations
Site will be elevated above floodplain to avoid over wash per 100-year flood events
Piping Plover critical habitat covers 7217 acres in the area (71053 acres total in TX), with SX activity affecting 11 acres, deemed not significant impact
Proposed closures reduce recreational access by 11.5% of year for normal operations, 6.8% for anomalies, deemed not adverse impact
Reasonable water resource management is directed
84 marine, and 15 terrestrial, species are noted
32 acres of habitat affected
Animal mortality impacts are noted and deemed negligible
>212ºF within 0.3 miles of launch, and >90ºF within 0.6 miles
Brief heat & noise effects do not have permanent/adverse impact on vegetation & wildlife
Measures will be taken to monitor and protect assorted points of natural & historic concerns
Land use remains within all zoning and other applicable laws
Hazardous waste will be handled within all applicable regulations
Minorities, including children, will be treated appropriately
Socioeconomic concerns/disruptions are minimal and positive
Environmental justice will not be impacted
Children’s environmental health will not be impacted
