KINGSLAND, Georgia (AP) – A federal agency on Monday issued a license to a launch pad that would fly commercial missiles off the coast of Georgia.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s approval of a launch site operator license for Spaceport Camden marks a significant milestone for the Georgia space project, although a lot of reviews and approvals are required before missiles can actually launch.
A Camden County leader said Monday that the project is catapulting Georgia into the space race, in which civilians and celebrities have flown into space in recent months.
“This unique opportunity will open a new frontier to economic prosperity for Camden, the region and the state of Georgia,” said Steve Howard, Camden County Administrator and Project Leader, Spaceport Camden, in a statement following the FAA’s announcement.
“Georgia is part of the new space race and we will be one of the leaders,” added Howard.
Even with the license, the FAA says more extensive checks would be required before any missiles can be launched.
In its 36-page decision, released on Monday, the FAA said it was considering possible climate and environmental impacts, public comments, and the agency’s responsibility to encourage and encourage commercial space launches by the private sector.
“Sea level rise and other climatological changes, such as the increase in extreme weather events, may affect the spaceport in the coming years,” the FAA wrote in its report.
The land on which the spaceport is to be built is about 11 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean.
The FAA has also consulted with the US Fish and Wildlife Service on protecting animal species, including the eastern black rail, a small marsh bird.
Camden County has invested nearly 10 years and $ 10 million in the project. Opponents have gone to court trying to prevent the county from buying land for the spaceport and this lawsuit is ongoing.
About 3,800 people have signed a petition for a referendum designed to let voters decide whether the county can buy the property.
“The FAA’s review of Camden spaceport has been rife with factual and legal errors virtually from the start,” said Brian Gist, senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, in a statement Monday. “We will carefully review the FAA’s decision to ensure that it fully complies with all applicable laws.”
The National Park Service and its parent agency, the US Department of the Interior, have also raised concerns.
In a July 22 letter to the FAA, the Home Office said the possibility of exploding missiles – with fiery debris raining down on the wilderness of Cumberland Island – posed an “unacceptable risk.” Cumberland Island is a popular tourist area off the Georgia coast with its wild horses and nesting sea turtles.
The Associated Press
