The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has issued a request for proposals for preparation of an environmental impact statement for a standalone natural gas pipeline.
The contract will run from Nov. 10, the expected date of award of the contract, until completion, estimated at Dec. 31, 2010. DNR has the option to renew the contract once for an additional 12 months.
The selected contractor will work with the lead permitting agency (anticipated to be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), other participating agencies, DNR and an environmental support services contractor to prepare the EIS. The EIS contractor will not perform any of the environmental base line work.
Deliverables are due over a 15-month period from October through December 2010.
The budget for the work is estimated at $850,000 to $1.25 million; DNR said proposals priced at more than $1.25 million will be considered nonresponsive.
The EIS is required for DNR to evaluate and pursue a standalone gas pipeline which would transport natural gas from Prudhoe Bay to Southcentral Alaska, providing reliable gas supplies to Fairbanks, the Railbelt, the Anchorage area and others.
The two alternative routes to be included in the EIS are: Parks Highway, a 753-mile main line plus a 35-mile lateral to Fairbanks; and Richardson Highway, a 845-mile main line.
Assumptions to be used in preparing the EIS include: a buried pipeline; retention of existing public access routes; permanent work pad and access will be minimized; and no new permanent public vehicular access routes proposed.
—Petroleum News
