Authority to Construct Permit 15795 for the United Launch Alliance – Vulcan Centaur Project
The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) has issued the draft permit Authority to Construct 15795 for the United Launch Alliance – Vulcan Centaur Project.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is proposing modifications to Space Launch Complex (SLC)-3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in order to support the new Vulcan Centaur heavy-lift space launch vehicle operations.
In accordance with the public notification requirements of District Rule 802.I, the District has made available for public inspection the analysis of the effect of the proposed permitted operations on air quality and the preliminary decision to grant the Authority to Construct permit. The anticipated degree of increment consumption is as follows:
INCREMENT ANALYSIS RESULT
| Pollutant | Averaging Period | Modeled Conc.
(μg/m3) |
Increment
(μg/m3) |
Percent of Increment |
| SO2 | 3-hour | 0.3 | 512 | 0.1% |
| SO2 | 24-hour | 0.1 | 91 | 0.1% |
| SO2 | Annual | 2.7E‐04 | 20 | <0.01% |
| CO | 1-hour | 1879.7 | 10,000 | 18.8% |
| CO | 8-hour | 384.5 | 2,500 | 15.4% |
| NO2 | 1-hour | 49.7 | 100 – 188 | 49.7% |
| NO2 | Annual | 0.3 | 25 | 1.0% |
| PM10 | 24-hour | 3.9 | 12 – 30 | 10.5% |
| PM10 | Annual | 0.6 | 17 | 2.9% |
| PM2.5 | 24-hour | 0.8 | 9 | 6.6% |
| PM2.5 | Annual | 0.1 | 4 | 0.7% |
PERMITTING ACTION
The proposed permitting action authorizes installation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage vessel, two LNG elevated flares, a thermal oxidizer and associated equipment for the Vulcan Centaur Program, launching from SLC-3.
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES
Copies of the permit application and the draft permit are available for review from October 23, 2024 to November 22, 2024 on the District website at: https://www.ourair.org/news/ and at the following location:
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District
260 North San Antonio Road, Suite A
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Comments on the draft permit should be submitted, in writing or by email, to the District at the address above (attn.: David Harris) or to [email protected] by November 22, 2024.
The District will consider scheduling a hearing for public comments on the draft permit, if a request is made in writing during the public notice period. To request a public hearing, please send correspondence to David Harris at the above address.
