Letter to Ms. Shari Silbert NASA Wallops Flight Facility

Letter

Today, Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner joined Representatives Randy Forbes and Scott Rigell in a letter to urge Ms. Shari Silbert, of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility, to consider using its facilities on the Eastern Shore for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) testing. In the letter the delegation encouraged NASA to include a Wallops-based UAS test range in the alternatives that will be evaluated for the UAS-related legislation being considered by Congress.

"We understand that NASA is conducting scoping for a site-wide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to facilitate expanded operations at Wallops," the delegation wrote. "Given Wallops' expertise and existing UAS testing infrastructure, we strongly believe that Wallops Flight Facility is an ideal location for a UAS test range, and request that NASA include a UAS test range in the alternatives that the agency will evaluate in the PEIS."

The full text of the letter below:

October 19, 2011

Ms. Shari Silbert
NASA Wallops Flight Facility
Environmental Office Code 250
Wallops Island, VA 23337

Dear Ms. Silbert:

As you may be aware, Congress is actively considering legislation to establish a program to integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the national airspace and to develop multiple UAS test ranges. As members of Virginia's Congressional Delegation from the Hampton Roads region, we are well aware of the ongoing UAS testing activities and missions at NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and the significant experience and expertise that Wallops has developed in the ever-expanding use of UAS's for military and commercial purposes.

We understand that NASA is conducting scoping for a site-wide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to facilitate expanded operations at Wallops. As part of this NEPA scoping, NASA will be identifying and studying alternatives that include a number of new or expanded activities at Wallops. Given Wallops' expertise and existing UAS testing infrastructure, we strongly believe that Wallops Flight Facility is an ideal location for a UAS test range, and request that NASA include a UAS test range in the alternatives that the agency will evaluate in the PEIS.

Please let us know how we can further support the important work that NASA is doing at Wallops Flight Facility.

Sincerely,

Senator Jim Webb
Senator Mark Warner
Congressman Randy Forbes
Congressman Scott Rigell