Spaceport Decision on Hold

Mar. 16—The long-awaited decision to determine if Camden County gets a launch site operator license for a proposed spaceport has been delayed once again.

The Federal Aviation Administration's decision was due this month, but it has been placed on hold while comments from the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation are completed.

The FAA has already completed its consultations with the Department of Transportation, the Endangered Species Act and Essential Fish Habitat.

The new date for the completion of the final Environmental Impact Statement is by April 20, with the Record of Decision issued separately by June 18, according to FAA officials.

A license would allow Camden County to offer commercial operators an opportunity to launch liquid-fueled, small orbital and suborbital vertical launch vehicles.

Development of the launch site includes construction of supporting buildings and infrastructure.

The operation would include as many as 12 vertical launches and up to 12 associated launch vehicle first-stage landings per year.

In support of the launches, there would be up to 12 wet dress rehearsals and up to 12 static fire engine tests annually. Alternatives under consideration include an ocean-landing-only alternative.

One of the alternatives is for the FAA to reject Camden County's license request, ending all activities related to operating a spaceport.

Steve Weinkle, a Camden County resident who lives near the proposed spaceport site, predicted a lawsuit regardless of how the FAA rules.

If the license is approved, opponents will sue.

And if the license is rejected, Camden County will sue the FAA for even considering the license request because he said rockets would have to be launched over homes.

Weinkle said the current request for a license is flawed because Camden County changed its application more than a year ago, reducing the size of rockets that would be launched from the site. The change in the request should have compelled the FAA to conduct a new EIS complete with public hearings and a public comment period, he said.

"The FAA was obligated to demand another EIS," he said. "The FAA pulled a fraud on everyone. They do not want to make this decision."

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