Thank you for submitting your comments! 

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division (CRD) was accepting public comments as they seek to determine whether the proposed spaceport project is consistent with the Georgia policies and laws that CRD uses to manage coastal resources. Read Satilla Riverkeeper's comment letter.

They received 1,774 comments from the public. In order to thoroughly review the comments (the overwhelming majority of which asked CRD to deny approval for Spaceport Camden), CRD has requested an deadline extension until June 30, 2021, consequently pushing back the FAA's timeline for making a decision on the proposal. Read More

The Proposed Plan

​Camden County, Georgia, is proposing to build a facility to launch rockets (a spaceport) from a site on the Satilla River Estuary in northern Camden County. They plan to launch 12 rockets per year with an associated 12 rehearsals. They propose to launch small rockets, which have a 20% failure rate (at any point in the launch). Rockets could launch on multiple trajectories that would generally take the rockets east over the marshes and barrier islands (Figure 1). The project would require the construction of facilities on an already heavily contaminated site. 

Background on the Site

The site is in northern Camden County at the mouth of the Satilla River and Crooked River. It is inland from Little Cumberland Island, Cumberland Island, and the Cumberland River. This property is adjacent to the Ceylon Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and Cabin Bluff WMA. The site has a history of industrial uses: In the 1960s, the Thiokol Chemical Company produced and tested solid rocket motors, mortar ammunition, flares, tear gas, and other chemicals. (There was a deadly explosion in 1971 resulting in 29 deaths and 50 others injured.) The property was also the site of pesticide manufacturing facility until 2012 and is still owned by Union Carbide Corporation and Bayer Crop Science.​

Several high‐priority habitats occur at the site, including bottomland forest, cypress swamp, emergent wetlands, and maritime oak hammock. A strip of scrubby pine flatwoods, a regionally imperiled habitat, occupies bluffs above the tidal marsh and Todd Creek, and supports a large population of state‐protected gopher tortoise. Several other high‐priority animals and plant species occur onsite, or may occur with habitat restoration or enhancement. These include the federally protected wood stork, which is seasonally abundant in the site’s freshwater wetlands, and the eastern indigo snake, which has been observed onsite.
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Site location: https://goo.gl/maps/zsuecC6NPrXXDGks8

Major Concerns with the Project

• There is a hazardous waste landfill on the banks of Todd Creek, and we are concerned that land disturbances from construction or vibrations from launching rockets could mobilize toxins in the unlined hazardous waste landfill.
• Rocket failures could lead to contamination of the coastal marshlands, barrier islands, and the Satilla River.
• Rocket launches will require closing public access to the Satilla River and public waterways several times each year.
• Spaceport Camden’s effect on the Ceylon and Cabin Bluff Wildlife Management Areas has not been considered. These public recreation areas are never mentioned in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 
• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised Camden County that it believes a failed launch could cause an “uncontrollable” wildfire on Cumberland or Little Cumberland Islands.

Financial Concerns with the Project

• No commercial spaceport in the country currently operates without government subsidies. In order to be cost-competitive with these publicly-subsidized sites, Camden County will also need to underwrite the construction and operation of Spaceport Camden.  
• Even if Camden County obtains a Site Operator’s License, it may be impossible for launches from Spaceport Camden to satisfy the FAA’s more rigorous requirements for rocket launch licenses. 
• It is highly unlikely that any legitimate small rocket company would partner with Camden County when a glut of small rocket launch sites already exist and these other sites do not involve the unique risks of Spaceport Camden.
•  By acquiring the Union Carbide and Bayer Crop Sciences properties, Camden County would take on financial responsibility for cleaning up these extremely polluted sites. Assuming this enormous liability without a clear plan to operate Spaceport Camden profitable poses an enormous financial risk for the county. ​

Additional Resources

• Public Notice and associated documents for the Coastal Consistency review
• Satilla Riverkeeper's comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (2018)
• Draft Environmental Impact Statement and other documents from FAA