[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 35106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15515]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Heat and Electrical 
Generation and Distribution Upgrades at Fort Wainwright, Alaska

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces its intent to conduct 
public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
solicit public comments to gather information to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address heat and electrical 
generation and distribution upgrades at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The 
current condition of the heat and power plant, one of the oldest coal-
fired central heat and power plants (CHPP) in the United States, and 
its aging heat distribution system requires an upgrade to provide 
reliable heat and electrical infrastructure for the installation that 
resolves safety, resiliency, fiscal, and regulatory concerns. The 
scoping process will help identify reasonable alternatives, potential 
environmental impacts, and key issues of concern to be evaluated in the 
EIS. Based on the information presented in the EIS, the Department of 
the Army will determine which of the identified heat and power 
generating alternatives would be implemented.

DATES: Comments must be sent by August 21, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be forwarded to Laura Sample, NEPA 
Program Manager at: Directorate of Public Works, ATTN: IMFW-PWE (L. 
Sample), 1046 Marks Road #6000, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703-6000, email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact Grant Sattler, Public 
Affairs Office, IMPC-FWA-PAO (Sattler), 1060 Gaffney Road #5900, Fort 
Wainwright, AK 99703-5900; telephone (907) 353-6701; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Wainwright, Alaska is located in the 
interior of Alaska in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, and is home to 
the U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Alaska and units of United States Army 
Alaska (USARAK). The Soldiers, Families, and Civilians that make up the 
Fort Wainwright population are reliant upon a 65-year old coal-fired 
CHPP and a 30-year old heat distribution system to heat and power more 
than 400 facilities. The system is operating at approximately 40 
percent efficiency, has one of the highest utility costs of U.S. Army 
installations, has experienced near-catastrophic critical failures, is 
failing to meet air emissions standards, and poses a threat to USAG 
Alaska and USARAK missions. Constructing upgraded heat and electrical 
infrastructure would reduce utility costs, minimize the risk of a 
single point catastrophic failure, help safeguard mission readiness, 
meet energy efficiency standards, be compliant with emissions 
standards, and conform to Army-directed energy security criteria.
    To understand the environmental consequences of the decision to be 
made, the EIS will evaluate the potential direct, indirect, and 
cumulative environmental impacts of a range of reasonable alternatives 
that meet the purpose and need of the Proposed Action. Alternatives to 
be considered in the EIS, including a No Action Alternative, are (1) 
construction of a new coal-fired CHPP, (2) construction of a new dual-
fuel combustion turbine generator CHPP that would be primarily fueled 
by natural gas, and (3) decentralization of heat and power to a model 
in which heat is provided by distributed natural gas boilers installed 
at facilities across the installation and electricity is purchased from 
the regional electrical grid. Other reasonable alternatives raised 
during the scoping process and capable of meeting the project purpose 
and need will be considered for evaluation in the EIS.
    Federal, state, and local agencies, Native Americans, Native 
American organizations, and the public are invited to be involved in 
the scoping process for the preparation of this EIS by participating in 
a scoping meeting or submitting written comments. The scoping process 
will help identify possible alternatives, potential environmental 
impacts, and key issues of concern to be analyzed in the EIS. Written 
comments must be sent within 30 days of publication of this Notice of 
Intent in the Federal Register. A scoping meeting will be held in 
Fairbanks, Alaska, with notification of the time and location published 
locally.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-15515 Filed 7-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-03-P