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Maritime Launch Services (MLS), the Halifax based startup wanting to build a spaceport in Nova Scotia, plans on submitting its mandated Nova Scotia Environment Focus Report by the third week of March SpaceQ has learned.

Last summer Nova Scotia Environment (NSE) in reviewing MLS’s environmental assessment report deemed it necessary to proceed with what it calls a Focus Report. That report would provide more information and answer additional questions the Province put forward. It is not an uncommon request, but did delay MLS’s plans. MLS did point out at the time that this was an outcome they were aware of, and prepared to deal with.

MLS has one year to submit the Focus Report upon receiving the Terms of Reference. The Terms of Reference document publicly September 17, 2018 and is available below.

Once the MLS Focus Report is submitted, NSE has 14 days to publish a public notice. Once that notice is made public, a 30 day public consultation process will open. When the consultation process closes, NSE will then have 25 days to review any comments and provide a recommendation to the Minister.

The Minister can decide on one of three outcomes; approve the project with any additional terms, reject the project or require an environmental-assessment. The latter is unlikely to happen as that option has already been completed.

Looking at the timeline would suggest that the public notice will be made in late March, perhaps extend to the first week of April. The public consultation period would happen in April and possibly extend into the first week of May. If NSE takes the full 25 days to review the Focus Report and public comments, then a decision by the Minister could extend to the end of June. If the Minister approves the project SpaceQ has learned MLS will look to proceed with ground breaking in July.