Announcements
Notice of Availability
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
PORTFOLIO ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE STRATEGIC SYSTEMS PROGRAMS
ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) FOR A
U.S. NAVY RAILHEAD AND TRANSFER FACILITY
AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (KSC), FLORIDA
The Department of the Navy, Portfolio Acquisition Executive Strategic Systems Programs (PAE SSP), invites the public to review and comment on the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the construction of the Naval Ordnance Test Unit (NOTU) Railhead and Transfer Facility at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, to meet National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Navy NEPA policy requirements.
The Navy has prepared this EA to analyze potential impacts to the human and natural environment associated with constructing and operating a new transfer facility and associated railroad and vehicle access infrastructure. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to enable rail-to-road transfer and vehicle delivery of motor and component shipments in support of the Navy mission. Site preparation will include clearing brush and other native plant material, earthwork, and demolition of existing roadways to allow development of the transfer facility - a low-rise, open-air metal roof canopy over a reinforced concrete foundation surrounded by approximately 3 acres of paved laydown/parking area and a stormwater retention pond. The No Action Alternative was also evaluated as a requirement of NEPA to serve as a baseline from which to analyze the effects of not implementing the Proposed Action.
Supported by the information and environmental analysis presented in this document, the Navy will decide whether to conduct the Proposed Action or to select the No Action Alternative. The Draft EA evaluates several environmental and natural resource categories within the affected environment that potentially could be impacted to provide Navy decision makers with sufficient information to plan and make informed decisions on the Proposed Action.
The 30-day public comment period will begin September 17, 2026 and end October 16, 2026. Comments may be submitted either online on the project website or by mail.
The Draft EA document is available on the Navy’s NEPA Projects website at: https://www.nepa.navy.mil/CapeRailhead-EA/