The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has fined Blue Origin $3000 plus costs for conducting a static fire of New Glenn’s second stage prior to the department issuing the company a permit to use Launch Complex 36’s water deluge system. The total amount came to $3,250, a nominal fine for the violation.
What Happened?
Basically, what happened is this: Blue Origin conducted a static fire test on the launch pad in September 2024. As part of the test, they employed the pad’s water deluge system before all the permitting had been issued, which was completed the first week of November last year.
As a result, FDEP notified Blue Origin that they had violated the law, saying, “While Blue Origin applied for a permit for the LC-36 deluge system on May 31, 2024, no permit has been issued to date and the system may not be placed into service. This static fire appears to constitute an intentional unauthorized discharge of untreated industrial wastewater to the environment.”…