[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8824-8825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02861]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


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

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability 
of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) addressing heat 
and electrical upgrades at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The current coal-
fired central heat and power plant (CHPP) and its aging heat 
distribution system require an upgrade that resolves safety, 
resiliency, fiscal, and regulatory concerns. The Final EIS analyzes and 
evaluates reasonable alternatives, potential environmental impacts, and 
mitigation measures, and responds to comments on the Draft EIS. The 
Army will observe a 30-day waiting period before deciding how to 
proceed.

DATES: The waiting period for the Final EIS will end 30 days after 
publication of this Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at which time the Army can 
execute a Record of Decision.

ADDRESSES: Please submit questions or requests for a hard copy of the 
Final EIS to Mr. Matt Sprau at: Directorate of Public Works, ATTN: 
AMIM-AKP-E (M. Sprau), 1046 Marks Road #4500, Fort Wainwright, AK 
99703-4500; or by email at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Grant Sattler at: Public Affairs 
Office, AMIM-AKG-PA (Sattler), 1060 Gaffney Road #5900, Fort 
Wainwright, AK 99703-5900; by telephone at (907) 353-6701; or by email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Wainwright is in the interior of Alaska 
in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. It is home to U.S. Army Garrison--
Alaska (USAG-Alaska) and units of the 11th Airborne Division. The 
soldiers, families, and civilian employees that make up the Fort 
Wainwright population rely on a 65-year-old coal-fired CHPP and an 
antiquated heat distribution system, with 24 percent of the steam and 
condensate pipe installed in the 1950s, to heat and power more than 400 
facilities. The CHPP is one of the oldest working coal-fired power 
plants in the United States and is operating beyond its design life. 
Constructing upgraded heat and electrical infrastructure would reduce 
utility costs, minimize the risk of a catastrophic failure, help 
safeguard mission readiness, meet energy efficiency standards, comply 
with emissions standards, and conform to Army-directed energy security 
criteria.
    The Final EIS was prepared in accordance with: the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S. Code Sec.  
4321 et seq.); NEPA implementing regulations issued by the President's 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 
Parts 1500-1508); and the Army's NEPA implementing regulation (32 CFR 
part 651, Environmental Analysis of Army Actions).
    The Final EIS will inform decision-makers, as well as federal, 
state, and local agencies, interested parties, Alaska Natives, Native 
Americans, Native American organizations and Tribes, public 
organizations, and the general public of the possible environmental 
consequences associated with heat and electrical upgrades at Fort 
Wainwright.
    USAG Alaska is proposing to upgrade its coal-fired central heat and 
power plant on Fort Wainwright to a more reliable and sustainable 
heating and electrical infrastructure system that would be compliant 
with Army installation energy security requirements and air quality 
regulations for the region. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to 
provide reliable heat and electrical infrastructure for the 
installation that resolves current safety, resiliency, fiscal, and 
regulatory concerns. The Proposed Action is needed to prevent the 
failure of heat and power generation and distribution. Such a failure 
could require evacuation of the installation and severely affect 
mission readiness. USAG-Alaska needs to meet DoD and Army energy 
efficiency, energy security, and resiliency criteria, and must comply 
with air quality regulations. Within the last decade, the installation 
experienced four critical, near-catastrophic failures of the CHPP and 
11 unexpected, installation-wide outages due to maintenance, repair, or 
operational issues. Unexpected outages present substantial risk to 
safety and mission readiness.
    The Final EIS considered a No-Action Alternative and three Action 
Alternatives that were determined to be reasonable: (1) construction of 
a new coal-fired CHPP; (2) construction of a new dual-fuel combustion 
turbine generator CHPP that would primarily rely on natural gas; and 
(3) decentralization of heat and power, whereby heat would be provided 
by natural gas boilers at facilities across the installation and 
electricity would be purchased from a local utility provider.
    Implementation of the preferred alternative would result in 
significant adverse socioeconomic and environmental justice impacts. 
Significant impacts to cultural resources could be mitigated to be less 
than significant. Beneficial impacts would primarily involve 
enhancements in heating efficiency, air quality, and job creation. The 
Final EIS summarizes the potential impacts for each considered 
alternative.
    The Final EIS identified several non-carbon-based alternative 
energy sources, including nuclear, geothermal, wind, and solar power. 
These alternatives were not carried forward for full analysis because 
they could not fully meet the heat and power needs of the installation. 
Such technologies could potentially be used in the future to supplement 
the installation's energy output.
    The Army identified Alternative 3, Install Distributed Natural Gas 
Boilers, as the preferred alternative. The Army based its preference 
on: public comments; environmental, social, technical, and economic 
considerations; and the ability to meet the missions of USAG-Alaska and 
the 11th Airborne Division.
    An electronic copy of the Final EIS is available online at: https://home.army.mil/alaska/index.php/fort-wainwright/NEPA/HEU-EIS. Hard 
copies of the Final EIS will be available at the following facilities 
when they are open: the Noel Wien Library, 1215

[[Page 8825]]

Cowles Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701; the Post Library, Building 3700, 
Santiago Avenue, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703; and the Tri-Valley 
Community Library, 400 Suntrana Road, Healy, AK 99743. Requests for a 
hard copy of the Final EIS can also be directed to Mr. Matt Sprau at: 
Directorate of Public Works, ATTN: AMIM-AKP-E (M. Sprau), 1046 Marks 
Road #4500, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703-4500; or by email at 
[email protected].

James W. Satterwhite, Jr.,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-02861 Filed 2-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3711-02-P