As local officials and residents alike speculate about a space company acquiring land in marshy, hurricane-vulnerable Vermilion Parish, a Federal Aviation Administration proposal would ease constraints on any projects by significantly streamlining the permitting process, reports Politico.
The federal agency last week proposed waiving requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and portions of the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act for commercial space licenses and rocket launches and reentries. The proposal would make it easier for private space companies to get approval to launch rockets by avoiding “unnecessary” regulations, the FAA said.
If finalized, the Trump administration’s push to scrap those reviews could find the ultimate test just miles from the Gulf of Mexico, a location that Louisiana lawmakers say is ideal for a private space company because of its sparse population, access to the water and proximity to liquefied natural gas. Read more from Politico.
