Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period on the Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration [Docket No. FAA-2026-6968] Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period on the Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Public comment period. SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), DOT Order 5610.1D, DOT's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, and FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, the FAA is announcing the extension of the comment period on the Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory (Draft Tiered EA). DATES: The public comment period for the Draft Tiered EA will close on August 3, 2026. ADDRESSES: The Draft Tiered EA is available for public review at https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship. Public comments can be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-6968, or by postal mail to Ms. Amy Hanson, c/o ICF, 1902 Reston Metro Plaza, Reston, VA 20190. The Unique ID for this document is EAXX-021-12-000-1781778641. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information visit: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is the lead federal agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) are cooperating agencies due to their special expertise and/or regulatory jurisdiction. Under the Proposed Action, the FAA is evaluating SpaceX's proposal to modify its existing vehicle operator license to authorize the expenditure of the Starship vehicle in additional downrange contingency landing areas within the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, the license modification would permit contingency landings in a newly designated Northern Pacific Contingency Landing Area as well as authorize the expansion of two previously evaluated contingency landing locations: (1) Hawaii and Central Pacific Ocean Contingency Landing Area and (2) Southeast (SE) Pacific Contingency Landing Area. The Draft Tiered EA also evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated with FAA's approval of related airspace closures. The Draft TEA has been posted, and comments will be received through the Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for Docket No. FAA-2026-6968 to retrieve the docket and follow the instructions to submit a comment. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask the FAA in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, the FAA cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All comments received during the comment period will be given equal weight and be taken into consideration in the preparation of the Final Tiered EA. Dated: July 23, 2026. Stacey Molinich Zee, Manager, Operations Support Branch. [FR Doc. 2026-15089 Filed 7-24-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-P