[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4022-4023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1212]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Proposed Beluga to Fairbanks (B2F) Natural Gas Transportation 
Pipeline Proposed by the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority 
(ANGDA)

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
address the potential impacts associated with the construction of the 
proposed Beluga to Fairbanks (B2F) Alaska natural gas transportation 
pipeline. The Corps will be evaluating a permit application for work 
under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be used 
as a basis for the permit decision and to ensure compliance with the 
National Environment Policy Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the DEIS can be answered by: Ms. Serena Sweet, Regulatory Division, 
telephone: (907) 753-2819, toll free in AK: (800) 478-2712, Fax: (907) 
753-5567, e-mail: [email protected], mail: U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, CEPOA-RD, Post Office Box 6898, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 
99506-0898. Additional information may be obtained at http://www.angdaB2Feis.com.

[[Page 4023]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The permit applicant, Alaska Natural Gas 
Development Authority (ANGDA), is proposing to construct a 460-mile 
pipeline with a 20- to 24-inch hard pipe bidirectional line from 
Beluga, AK to Delta Junction, AK and a 10- to 15-inch soft line from 
Delta Junction to North Pole/Fairbanks, AK to deliver natural gas from 
the Beluga gas fields to interior Alaska. The proposed route and 
adjacent service area would begin in Beluga, AK, continuing through the 
community of Palmer, AK then easterly along the Glenn Highway, with a 
deviation northwardly through Chitna Pass to Glennallen, AK. It would 
then turn north following the Richardson Highway paralleling the Trans 
Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) route to the city of Delta Junction, AK. 
The pipe would then turn west continuing along the TAPS route to a 
connection point near the Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) 
power plant in North Pole, AK. The pipeline would be buried throughout 
the corridor. Three compressor stations are proposed at Palmer, 
Glennallen, and North Pole, AK.
    2. The right of way for the proposed pipeline corridor is owned by 
numerous entities. The largest land owners along the proposed route 
include the Bureau of Land Management, the Military (Fort Greely, Fort 
Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base), Native Allotments/Corporations, 
private land owners and the State of Alaska.
    3. Additional alternatives to the applicant's proposal include four 
routing segments variations and one design alternative (A map depicting 
the location of each alternate route is available at the EIS Web site):
    a. Route Alternative 1: Utilization of a Chugach Electric easement 
from Beluga, AK across the Susitna River to Palmer, AK rather than the 
ENSTAR pipeline route. This route would deviate northeastwardly from 
the proposed route west of the Susitna River and would realign with the 
proposed route south of Knik, AK.
    b. Route Alternative 2: Employ full utilization of the Glenn 
Highway route from Sutton, AK to Eureka, AK rather than deviating 
through Chitna Pass north of Chickaloon, AK. This route would deviate 
from the proposed route at Sutton, AK and follow the Glenn Highway, 
realigning with the proposed route at approximately milepost 128 of the 
Glenn Highway, southwest of Nelchina, AK.
    c. Route Alternative 3: Utilization of the TAPS corridor from Delta 
Junction, AK to North Pole, AK as an alternate route to bring gas 
directly to the GVEA power plant.
    d. Route Alternative 4: Utilization of the Parks Highway route from 
Fairbanks, AK to Wasilla, AK rather that use of the Glenn Highway 
route.
    e. Design Alternative 1: Use of 4-inch steel tubing for the segment 
from Delta Junction, AK to North Pole, AK rather than plastic tubing.
    4. Scoping: a. The Corps invites full public participation to 
promote open communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All 
Federal, State, Tribal, local agencies, and other persons or 
organizations that have an interest are urged to participate in the 
NEPA scoping process. These meetings will be held to receive public 
input on the proposed purpose and need of the project, to identify 
significant issues and to discuss proposed alternatives. The scoping 
process will help to further explain the purpose and need plus the 
alternatives to be reviewed in the DEIS. The project scoping period 
will begin on February 1, 2009 and end on March 15, 2009.
    b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and 
environmental impacts to the affected areas. The following major issues 
will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS: The natural gas delivery system 
construction and operation and its affect upon the surrounding 
communities; essential fish habitat; threatened and endangered species 
including critical habitat; cultural resources; socioeconomics; 
alternatives; secondary and cumulative impacts.
    c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the 
preparation of the DEIS. The Bureau of Land Management is participating 
as a cooperating agency.
    5. The scoping meetings are tentatively planned for the following 
dates and locations and each meeting with include an open-house from 5 
p.m.-6 p.m. and a project presentation and questions and answer session 
from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. (Please consult the above referenced Web site for 
any changes and additional information including the scoping summary):
    a. Anchorage: March 4, 2009 at Sheraton Hotel (401 East 6th Avenue, 
Anchorage, AK).
    b. Wasilla: March 5, 2009 at Central Mat-Su Public Safety Building 
(101 West Swanson Drive, Wasilla).
    c. Glennallen: February 24, 2009 at Tazlina Village Hall (Mile 
110.5 Richardson Highway, Glennallen, AK).
    d. Delta Junction: February 25, 2009 at Delta Junction Community 
Center (2288 Deborah Street, Delta Junction, AK).
    e. Fairbanks/North Pole: February 26, 2009 Wedgewood Resort (212 
Wedgewood Drive, Fairbanks, AK).
    6. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be available for public 
review in the fall of 2009.

    Dated: January 9, 2009.
Serena E. Sweet,
Project Manager, Alaska District.
[FR Doc. E9-1212 Filed 1-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-NL-P