Notice and Opportunity to Comment on Requests for Consistency
Agreement/Concurrence Under the Texas Coastal Management Program
On January 10, 1997, the State of Texas received federal approval of the Coastal Management Program (CMP) (62 Federal Register pp. 1439 - 1440). Under federal law, federal agency activities and actions affecting the Texas coastal zone must be consistent with the CMP goals and policies identified in 31 TAC Chapter 26. Requests for federal consistency review were deemed administratively complete for the following project(s) during the period of August 18, 2025 to September 4, 2025. As required by federal law, the public is given an opportunity to comment on the consistency of proposed activities in the coastal zone undertaken or authorized by federal agencies. Pursuant to 31 TAC §§30.20(f), 30.30(h), and 30.40(e), the public comment period extends 30 days from the date published on the Texas General Land Office web site. The notice was published on the web site on Friday, September 12, 2025. The public comment period for this project will close at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 12, 2025.
Federal License and Permit Activities:
Applicant: Amazon Prime Air
Location: Amazon is proposing 22 Prime Air Drone Delivery Centers (PADDCs) with one location, STX4, located within the coastal zone at 10611 Red Bluff Road, Pasadena, Harris County, Texas. The site is north of the Armand Nature Center and the closest residential area is located 1.38 miles to the west of the site.
Project Description: Amazon Prime Air anticipates operating up to 1,000 delivery flights per operating day, 7 days per week, from each of the 22 PADDCs. These operational levels would result in a projected total of approximately 365 operating days and 365,000 delivery operations per year for each PADDC, based on the scope of the Proposed Action. The operations would occur between 7 A.M. and 10 P. M. and are anticipated to be distributed evenly across each operating area. Prime Air will utilize the MK30 drone, which has an operating range of 7.5 mi from the PADDC, with a potential operating area of 174 square miles. The drone departure and arrival paths from and to each PADDC would generally correspond to the geographical location of the package delivery address. PADDC STX4 is an existing facility and package deliveries along the shoreline would be restricted to developed areas of land and would not extend beyond the residential properties on the shoreline. STX4 is the only site located within the coastal zone and is therefore the only PADDC undergoing a federal consistency review.
The MK30 is an electric powered drone that has a vertical take-off and landing, and transitions to wing borne flight using wing lift during en route flight. The drone systems include hardware and software designed for safety and efficiency. The airframe is composed of staggered wings, the propulsion system includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and six (6) motors that include propellers designed for noise reduction, the package delivery system contains the package in a two-door interior receptacle, and a camera and avionics system that has redundancy for critical systems. The drone weighs approximately 78 lbs. and has a maximum takeoff weight of 83.2 lbs., which includes a maximum payload of 5 lbs. It has a maximum operating range of 7.5 mi and can fly up to 400 ft above ground level (AGL) at a maximum cruise speed of 73 mph (64 knots) during horizontal flight.
A typical flight profile can be broken into the following general flight phases: launch, en route outbound, delivery, en route inbound, and landing. After launch, Prime Air’s MK30 drone would rise to an altitude of less than 400 ft AGL and follow a predefined route to its delivery site. Aircraft would typically fly en route at between approximately 180 and 377 ft AGL, except when descending to drop a package. Packages would be carried internally in the drone’s fuselage. When making a delivery, the drone descends, opens a set of payload doors, and drops the package to the ground from approximately 13 ft AGL. Prime Air’s drone would not touch the ground in any place other than the PADDC (except during safe contingent landings) and will remain airborne throughout the operation including the delivery stage. After the package is dropped, the MK30 drone climbs vertically and follows its predefined route back to the PADDC at its assigned altitude.
Type of Application: Draft Environmental Assessment to amend Federal Aviation Administration air carrier Operation Specifications authorization.
CMP Project No: 25-1271-F1
Further information on the applications listed above, including a copy of the consistency certifications or consistency determinations for inspection, may be obtained from the Texas General Land Office Public Information Officer at 1700 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, or via email at pialegal@glo.texas.gov. Comments should be sent to the Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program Coordinator at the above address or via email at federal.consistency@glo.texas.gov.