MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a rule that would allow the agency to waive requirements tied to 13 federal laws for certain commercial space licenses and permits.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the proposal Tuesday, calling it an effort to remove unnecessary delays and keep pace with the rapid growth of the commercial space industry.
“The FAA is launching a new initiative to streamline commercial space licensing, making it faster and easier for innovators to secure approvals to launch rockets, reenter spacecraft, and operate launch and reentry sites,” Duffy said in a release.
The Transportation Department said the proposal would allow the FAA to waive “unnecessary environmental laws and regulations that are slowing American innovation.” The release also says requirements needed to protect “public health and safety, property, national security, or U.S. foreign policy interests would not be impacted.”
The proposal specifically mentions requirements connected to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, parts of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and several other environmental and natural resource laws.
The proposal comes as the number of launches from the Space Coast continues to climb, with government, military and commercial missions all competing for access.
Mark Nathan, a Brevard County environmental advocate, worries removing environmental requirements could have lasting consequences.
“To waive federal environmental regulations or requirements, if you will, to streamline commercial space launches is insanity,” Nathan said. “I believe here we are trying to put back our past mistakes regarding the river and other environmental issues.”
Nathan, who has helped push for local fertilizer restrictions to protect the Indian River Lagoon, said he supports the space program but believes environmental protections should remain in place as launch activity expands.
The Space Coast Chamber sees the issue differently.
Anne Conroy-Baiter, president and CEO of the Space Coast Chamber, said the growing space industry fuels businesses across Brevard County.
“The space industry has a ripple effect on the economy on the Space Coast,” Conroy-Baiter said. “For every dollar put into space, it ripples down to hospitality, manufacturing, tourism and all the other sectors that are affected.”
She said more launches are expected as demand continues to grow, but added that economic development and environmental protection must move forward together.
“It’s an ongoing push and pull,” Conroy-Baiter said. “We are essential to the economy, and we are essential to the national security of the United States. So that balance has to happen.”
The FAA’s proposal is not yet final. The agency says it will accept public comments for 30 days before deciding whether to issue a final rule.