[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56471-56474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23487]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Bethesda Campus Chilled Water System Improvements Record of 
Decision

SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services, the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH), has decided, after completion of a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and a thorough consideration of 
the public comments on the Draft EIS, to implement the Proposed Action, 
referred to as the Proposed Action in the Final EIS. This action is to 
install a Thermal Energy Storage System and an Industrial Water Storage 
System to provide sufficient storage capacity to meet two days of 
chilled water demand and two days of industrial water demand should an 
outside disturbance interrupt the water supply.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Nottingham, Deputy Director, 
DEP, ORF, NIH, Building 13, Room 2S11, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, 
MD 20892, Phone 301-496-7775, [email protected]. Responsible 
Official: Daniel G. Wheeland, Director, Office of Research Facilities 
(ORF) Development and Operations, NIH.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Decision

    After careful review of the environmental consequences in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Chilled Water System 
Improvements, National Institutes of Health, and consideration of 
public comment throughout the NEPA process, the NIH has decided to 
implement the Proposed Action described below as the Selected 
Alternative.

Selected Alternative

    The Selected Alternative would implement chilled water system 
improvements that would enable the NIH to adequately accomplish the 
project goals. This would include sufficient storage capacity to meet 
two days of chilled water demand and two days of industrial water 
demand should an outside disturbance interrupt the normal supply of 
water by the WSSC.
    Elements of the Chilled Water System Improvements project that the 
NIH would implement under the Proposed Action include the following:

Thermal Energy Storage System

    This system would be located at the Building 34 site and would 
store up to approximately nine million gallons of chilled water. 
Components of the system would include a storage tank, at or partially 
below-grade, with a footprint of approximately 12,000 SF; a pump house 
building with a footprint of approximately 5,000 SF or less; support 
equipment, such as pumps, valves, piping, controls, and an emergency 
generator; and security fencing, lighting, and other site improvements. 
The NIH would use this system to meet chilled water demands within the 
Campus.

Industrial Water Storage System

    This system would be located at the Parking Lot 41 site and would 
store up to approximately five million gallons of industrial water. 
Industrial water is water that the CUP utilizes to generate steam or 
chilled water. Components of the system would include a storage tank, 
partially below-grade; a pump house building with a footprint of 
approximately 5,000 SF; support equipment, such as pumps, valves, 
variable frequency drivers, electrical equipment, switchgear, piping, 
controls, instrumentation, and an emergency generator; and security 
fencing, lighting, and other site improvements. The NIH would use this 
system to ensure an adequate supply of water to the chillers.

Other Supporting Infrastructure

    The Thermal Energy Storage System and the Industrial Water Storage 
System

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would each require new or upgraded utility infrastructure at locations 
outside the limit of disturbance for each system. Potential locations 
for many components of this infrastructure have been identified during 
the planning process. However, precise details including piping 
locations and sizes are not fully developed. Examples of the types of 
infrastructure that the NIH may install or upgrade include additional 
equipment (e.g., pumps, variable frequency drives, electrical 
equipment, switchgear, emergency generator, control valves, backflow 
preventers, pressure reducing valves, controls, and instrumentation); 
other utility buildings; aboveground or buried piping; aboveground or 
buried utilities; and site improvements (e.g., repairs to existing 
features, new concrete slabs).

Alternatives Considered

    The Proposed Action, Alternative Action and No Action Alternative 
were the three alternatives analyzed in the Final EIS. The Alternative 
Action would implement water infrastructure improvements that would 
enable the NIH to adequately accomplish the project goals. The 
characteristics, features, and location of the Thermal Energy Storage 
System would be identical to the Proposed Action. What separates the 
Alternative Action from the Proposed is the proposal of the Potable 
Water Storage System. The Potable Water Storage System would store up 
to nine million gallons of potable water to ensure an adequate supply 
of industrial water to the chillers and for potable water requirements 
on the Campus. The proposed location for the Potable Water Storage 
System would be the same as that described for the Industrial Water 
Storage System under the Proposed Action. The characteristics and 
components of the Potable Water Storage System would be similar to the 
Industrial Water Storage System, except that the storage tank would be 
larger. The tank would be about 90 feet in height, which is similar to 
the planned height of MLP-12 once fully built. The pump house, support 
equipment, and utilities and site improvements would otherwise be 
identical to the described features of the Industrial Water Storage 
Tank.

Factors Involved in the Decision

    The NIH prefers the Proposed Action over the Alternative Action 
because the Alternative Action would require the NIH to become a 
continuous water source, which would incur more upfront and ongoing 
costs for treatment, maintenance, and monitoring of the campus potable 
water system. Additionally, relative to the Alternative Action, the 
Proposed Action would retain more connections to WSSC water mains (for 
redundancy), would not require installation and operation of pumps to 
maintain adequate pressure for fire service, would maintain existing 
flow dynamics of potable water within the Campus, and would require 
less construction (and therefore pose less potential for construction-
related impacts to campus neighbors).

Resources Impacted

    The Final EIS describes potential environmental effects of the 
Selected Alternative. These potential effects are documented in Chapter 
3 of the Final EIS. Any potential adverse environmental effects will be 
avoided or mitigated through design elements, procedures, and 
compliance with regulatory and NIH requirements. Potential impacts on 
air quality are all within government standards (federal, state, and 
local). NIH does not expect significant negative effects on the 
environment or on the citizens of Bethesda from construction and 
operation at NIH.

Summary of Impacts

    The following is a summary of potential impacts resulting from the 
Selected Alternative that the NIH considered when making its decision. 
No adverse cumulative effects have been identified during the NEPA 
process. Likewise, no unavoidable or adverse impacts from 
implementation of the Selected Action have been identified. The 
Selected Action will be beneficial to the long-term productivity of the 
national and world health communities. Biomedical research conducted at 
the NIH facility will have the potential to advance techniques in 
disease prevention, develop disease immunizations, and prepare defenses 
against naturally emerging and re-emerging diseases and against 
bioweapons. Additionally, the local community will benefit from 
increased employment, income and, government and public finance.

Housing

    Implementation of the Selected Alternative would result in 
temporary minor impacts on the population and the availability of 
housing, due to construction workers who might temporarily relocate to 
the area.

Education

    Educational resources in the area surrounding the Campus include 
public schools, the Uniformed Services University of the Health 
Sciences (located on NSA Bethesda), and the Foundation for Advanced 
Education in the Sciences (located at 9109 Old Georgetown Road). Public 
schools near the Campus include three high schools, five middle 
schools, and nineteen elementary schools. Implementation of the 
Selected Alternative will not have a significant impact to education.

Transportation

    Implementation of the Selected Alternative would result in minor 
temporary impacts to off-campus roads, transit, and traffic due to 
construction activities. This would include additional traffic due to 
construction vehicles as well as shifts in employee traffic patterns. 
Implementation of the Selected Alternative would involve the 
construction of approximately 1-3 parking spaces to accommodate access 
for operation or maintenance vehicles. The construction of the 
Industrial Water Storage System would reduce parking capacity at 
Parking Lot 41 by approximately 90 parking spaces. In total, this will 
lead to a net decrease of approximately 90 parking spaces.

Security

    Implantation of the Selected Alternative may have the NIH install 
security fencing to prevent unauthorized access to the tanks. There 
would be no significant impacts to security.

Employment

    The Selected Alternative would result in minor benefits to the 
local economy during construction activities (e.g., meals and 
incidentals for construction workers). The Proposed Action would not 
result in a permanent change in job availability at the Campus or 
associated effects on the local economy.

Environmental Justice

    Bethesda as a whole has relatively low proportions of minority, or 
low-income populations. Although there are areas of higher minority 
populations (30 to 35 percent) adjacent to the Campus, the percent 
minority is still low relative to Montgomery County (40.5 percent) and 
Maryland (37.9 percent). Impacts to social resources such as population 
and housing would be minor and temporary.

Visual Quality

    The Selected Alternative would result in minor adverse impacts to 
external viewscapes. Existing topographical features and vegetation 
that largely block many potential views from adjacent neighborhoods 
would not be significantly altered as a result of the Selected 
Alternative.

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    The Selected Alternative would result in minor to moderate adverse 
impacts to internal viewscapes. The construction of the Industrial 
Water Storage System would require removal of a grassy area with trees. 
This would result in a minor negative impact to the visual character of 
that area of the Campus. The construction of the Thermal Energy Storage 
System would have a moderate adverse impact, as the associated tank 
would be viewable from the central part of the Campus. Also, 
implementation of the Selected Alternative could result in removal of 
existing trees and vegetation from the Building 34 site that currently 
reduces views from the north. The scale of this potential impact is 
somewhat tempered as the tank would be adjacent to a parking garage and 
the CUP, so it would not be entirely out of character with surrounding 
structures.
    Under the Selected Alternative, all structures would be constructed 
to a height that does not exceed the Master Plan building height 
guidance. Construction of the Industrial Water Storage System into the 
hillside slope near Parking Lot 41 would be consistent with Master Plan 
guidance for minimizing the visual impact of new construction.

Noise

    Implementation of the Selected Alternative would result in 
temporary minor noise impacts due to construction activities as well as 
long-term moderate noise impacts due to operational changes at the CUP.

Air Quality

    Implementation of the Selected Alternative would result in minor 
direct and indirect impacts to air quality.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    Construction and demolition activities would generate temporary 
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while periodic emergency generator use, 
would generate recurring GHG emissions. Current GHG methodologies 
outlined in the TSD do not describe how to account for construction 
activities; therefore, they are not included in the current NIH GHG 
inventory. NIH would strive to minimize GHG emissions by implementing 
construction, renovation, and demolition best practices.

Stormwater

Temporary Construction Impacts
    Implementation of the Selected Alternative would result in minor 
temporary impacts to stormwater quantity and quality due to earth 
disturbances during construction activities. The Limit of Disturbance 
(LOD) for the Selected Alternative would be approximately 467,000 SF of 
earth during construction activities.
    Potential erosion and sediment runoff impacts would be mitigated 
through stormwater management, including the development of an erosion 
and sediment control plan that is approved by MDE. The construction of 
the Thermal Energy Storage System and Industrial Water Storage System 
would each disturb more than one acre and therefore would obtain 
coverage under the MDE 2014 General Permit for Stormwater Associated 
with Construction Activity. As a result, construction activities under 
the Proposed Action would have a minor impact on stormwater quality.
Long-Term Stormwater Management
    Implementation of the Selected Alternative would result in minor 
long-term stormwater management impacts. The Selected Alternative would 
increase impervious surface at the Campus by approximately 153,000 SF, 
which would increase runoff within the Rock Creek Watershed relative to 
baseline conditions. However, the construction of the Thermal Energy 
Storage System and Industrial Water Storage System would each disturb 
greater than 5,000 SF, and therefore site design would be required to 
meet The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) 
Section 438 requirements to restore each site to predevelopment 
conditions. This requirement would minimize hydrologic impacts 
resulting from increased stormwater runoff volumes, such as damage to 
storm sewer infrastructure, increased likelihood of flooding, and 
increased erosion.
    The Selected Alternative would require permanent site stormwater 
management to control runoff and provide water quality treatment per 
federal and Maryland stormwater regulations. Long-term stormwater 
management facilities would be designed and installed per an MDE 
approved stormwater management plan. The NIH would incorporate 
appropriate and feasible Environmental Site Design (ESD) practices into 
the project designs to restore the predevelopment hydrology to the 
maximum extent technically feasible. Overall, these ESD practices would 
reduce runoff volume and rate, disperse flow, remove pollutants, and 
provide for groundwater recharge by facilitating infiltration into the 
soil.
    Construction of the Industrial Water Storage System and Thermal 
Energy Storage System would likely incorporate bioretention areas 
including stormwater planter boxes. These vegetated areas would 
infiltrate runoff from impervious surfaces at the site, reducing the 
quantity of stormwater runoff and improving the water quality.
    The Selected Alternative would not impact coverage under the 
Campus's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, MS4 permit.

Historic Resources

    Construction of the Thermal Energy Storage System and associated 
infrastructure would result in temporary construction impacts (e.g., 
noise) and a permanent change in the appearance of the Building 34 
site. These impacts would be perceptible from the rear of the historic 
Biologics Standards Laboratory and Annex (Buildings 29 and 29A), 
located north of the project site. The new infrastructure would also 
result in a minor change in the appearance of the Campus when viewed 
from the historic National Library of Medicine (NLM) complex (Buildings 
38 and 38A). Additionally, construction of the Industrial Water Storage 
System may result in a minor change in the appearance of the Campus 
when viewed from the upper levels of Building 38A. Construction of 
these new facilities, however, would not affect the integrity of 
setting of these historic properties; would not obscure or compromise 
their original design intent; and would not otherwise affect the 
characteristics that qualify these historic properties for listing in 
the National Register.
    Based on this analysis, the NIH has determined that the Selected 
Alternative would not adversely affect any historic properties or MIHP-
listed properties. Pursuant to Section 106 of the NHPA, the NIH 
initiated consultation with the MD SHPO to obtain their concurrence 
with this finding. MD SHPO's concurrence of no adverse effect was 
received on 20 April 2015.

Practicable Means To Avoid or Minimize Potential Environmental Harm 
From the Selected Alternative

    All practicable means to avoid or minimize adverse environmental 
effects from the Selected Alternative have been identified and 
incorporated into the action. The proposed Chilled Water System 
Improvement construction will be subject to the existing NIH pollution 
prevention, waste management, and safety, security, and emergency 
response procedures as well as existing environmental permits. Best 
management practices, spill prevention and control, and stormwater 
management plans will be followed to appropriately address the 
construction and operation of the new Chilled Water

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System and comply with applicable regulatory and NIH requirements. No 
additional mitigation measures have been identified.

Pollution Prevention

    Air quality permit standards will be met, as will all federal, 
state, and local requirements to protect the environment and public 
health.

Conclusion

    Based upon review and careful consideration, the NIH has decided to 
implement the Selected Alternative for a Chilled Water System 
Improvement System located in Bethesda, Maryland. The decision accounts 
for a potential outside disturbance interrupting the campus water 
supply. The system will provide sufficient storage capacity to meet two 
days of chilled water demand and two days of industrial water demand 
should an interruption occur.
    The decision was based upon review and careful consideration of the 
impacts identified in the Final EIS and public comments received 
throughout the NEPA process.

    Dated: September 8, 2015.
Daniel G. Wheeland,
Director, Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations, 
National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2015-23487 Filed 9-17-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P