Page values for "IRLNews:2021-03-01/NASA Causeway Bridges and Beyond"
"News_Link" values
1 row is stored for this page| Title | NASA Causeway Bridges and Beyond |
| Url | https://indianriverlagoonnews.org/guide/index.php/IRLNews:2021-03-01/NASA_Causeway_Bridges_and_Beyond |
| Description | NASA passes ownership of the SR405 Indian River Causeway to the Florida Department of Transportation along with a decades old categorical exclusion that exempts the bridge replacement from environmental review. |
| Image | |
| Region | Brevard County |
| Water_Body | Estuary |
| Location | Titusville |
| Access_Date | March 1, 2021 |
| Published_Date | March 1, 2021 |
| Publisher | Indian River Lagoon News |
| Type | Opinion-Editorial |
| Author_Last | IRLNews |
| Topic | Brevard County Locale |
| Text_Body | The 1960's NASA causeways across the Indian and Banana River lagoons were constructed during a furious Cold War space race that completely disregarded the environment in the name of national security. It wasn’t until 1970 that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was passed to regulate the environmental impact of Federal Agencies. NEPA requires federal organizations to adhere to a defined environmental review of their activities.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"'? There are 4 levels to a NEPA review, the first is Categorical Exclusion (CATEX), which allows a federal agency to list any activities that should be excluded from environmental review.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"'? NASA has Categorically Excluded many activities and assets in the name of national security.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"'? SR405 Indian River Bridge Rebuild NASA is the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary's largest shareholder, and their mission statement includes promises of environmental stewardship, yet they continue to perpetuate outdated causeways that have constricted water flow in the Indian River and Banana River lagoon for decades. NASA's project to rebuild the 1964 Indian River Bridge avoided a NEPA environmental review when NASA Categorically Excluded the project, and then named the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as a co-agency on the project. As a federal co-agency the FHWA inherited the bridge project’s Categorical Exclusions from NASA. In 2017, NASA signed over ownership of the SR405 Indian River Causeway to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"'? . A convenient 2016 FHWA - FDOT Agreement allowed FHWA to easily transfer the rebuild project's Categorical Exclusions to FDOT.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"'? And so, FDOT now owns the SR405 Indian River Causeway, and the state's rebuild project is exempt from environmental review. (Recanted on 5/27/2021) (05/27/2021 Edit) Timeline
(End Edit) A 57 year old earthen berm causeway; hurriedly constructed during the Cold War; built years before environmental regulations were enacted; will continue to constrict over 80% of the Indian River lagoon at Addison Point.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000009-QINU`"'? Unfortunately, the Indian River Bridge project's lack of a thorough environmental impact study is just an indication of what is ahead for the national estuary as environmental stewardship transitions from KSC Environmental Branch professionals to state run agencies. And BeyondNASA is quickly working to divest it’s non-mission critical facilities and vacant land at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 2017 KSC Master Plan displays a map showing over 8,000 acres of "developable" property available for commercial development, including areas deep in the heart of a National Wildlife Refuge and a National Seashore.?'"`UNIQ--ref-0000000A-QINU`"'? Kennedy Space Center is the reason these wilderness areas exist in the first place. KSC set aside a large land parcel as a buffer zone, and they gave it to the to the National Park Service (NPS), and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), to manage as Canaveral National Seashore (CANA) and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR). Now, NASA is offering up the land it set aside as public wilderness areas for commercial development. Fish and Wildlife Service: Proposed Shiloh Launch Complex in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge For decades, we have trusted NASA to be good environmental stewards for the largest stretch of undeveloped land on Florida’s East Coast, yet it appears that the MINWR and CANA wilderness areas are in grave jeopardy.?'"`UNIQ--ref-0000000B-QINU`"'? We stand to lose a National Wildlife Refuge, a National Seashore, and numerous archeological sites if NASA's plans for Kennedy Space Center are successful.
A National Space Center Becomes A State Run Space PortThe 2017 KSC Master Plan outlines NASA’s intention to transition day to day operation of the launch center to Space Florida, in what is to become Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Cape Canaveral Spaceport's 2017 Master Plan?'"`UNIQ--ref-0000000C-QINU`"'? makes no mention of the environment; their mission is to provide public launch facilities for the commercial space industry's tourists and freight. In the future, Space Florida's spaceport, and it’s many commercial tenants, will be individually responsible for their parcel of Kennedy Space Center's environment.
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| Poster | Admin |
| Posted | 20210228165959 |
