3.0 Affected Environment - Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority

Knik Arm Crossing DraftFinal EIS
Affected Environment
3.2.6.4 Electricity
3.2.6.4.1 The Mat-Su
Chugach Electric Association can transmit up to 300 MW from the Beluga power plant to
Point MacKenzie. CEA owns transmission lines extending from Point MacKenzie north to a
substation known as West Terminal Substation, which is located approximately 1 mile north
of Port MacKenzie. CEA also owns transmission lines extending from Point MacKenzie
north to a substation near Settlers Bay. CEA transmits electricity across Knik Arm using
submarine cables from Point MacKenzie to Point Woronzof in Anchorage and from West
Terminal Substation to East Terminal Substation located near Sixmile Lake. Although CEA
owns all of the transmission lines south of Settlers Bay in the Mat-Su, it sells the energy from
these lines to MEA. Refer to Figure 3.19 for a map showing all of CEA’s electrical utilities
within the Mat-Su portion of the Study Area. CEA’s primary service area is roughly the
portion of Anchorage lying south of Tudor Road.
MEA is the primary electric service provider in the Mat-Su, including the Study Area, north
as far as Talkeetna, east to the Matanuska Glacier, and south as far as Eagle River. As
indicated above, MEA purchases some of its power from CEA.
3.2.6.4.2 Anchorage
Anchorage Municipal Light and Power Company (ML&P) provides electricity for the
northern portion of Anchorage and Elmendorf. Figure 3.21 shows ML&P’s electrical utilities
located in the vicinity of the proposed Anchorage approach alternatives.
3.2.6.5 Communications
GCI, Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA), Alaska Communications Systems (ACS),
and AT&T Alascom are the major providers of voice, video, and data communication
services in the Mat-Su and Anchorage. MTA is currently the primary communications
provider for the Mat-Su with its microwave connections from Eagle River to Point
MacKenzie and to Port MacKenzie.
3.2.7 Relocation
As a means of providing uniform and equitable treatment for those persons displaced by
federal or federal aid projects, the federal government passed the Uniform Relocation
Assistance and Real Property Acquisitions Policies Act of 1970 (Uniform Act). This
legislation provides for uniform and equitable treatment of persons displaced from their
homes, businesses, or farms by federal and federally assisted programs, and establishes
uniform and equitable land acquisition policies for federal and federally assisted programs.
Whenever the acquisition of real property for a program or project using federal monies
displaces anyone, the acquiring agency is required to reimburse the displaced persons
(residential, commercial, and nonprofit) for moving and increased housing costs and to
provide relocation planning assistance and advisory services.
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