Electrical Power for Valdez and the Copper River Basin-1981

then be determined for the 100-year evaluation period. This will portrayboth benefits and costs reduced with a corresponding reduction in netbenefits; however the ratio of benefits to costs will remain the same.In the case of the PRT the total benefits and cost were presentworthedto 1984 and then spread over the 100-year evaluation period.These economic evaluation procedures have the effect of evaluating theplans on equal ground.RATIONALE FOR DESIGNATION OF NED PLANThe ~Jational Economic Development (NED) objectives are achieved byincreasing the value of the nation's output of goods and services andimproving national economic efficiency. Based on this criteria the NEDPlan is Plan D, the pressure reducing turbine plus Allison hydropower.This plan would provide net annual benefits exceeding any of the alternateplans. The combination of the PRT with hydropower would allow thedisplacement of exceedingly precious and expensive petroleum products.Although a number of questions regarding implementation of the PRT remainto be resolved between the local utility and Alyeska Pipeline ServiceCompany, these are the responsibility of those organizations. Fundingfor the PRT would be private whereas it would be primarily Federal forthe hydropower portion of the plan. The average net annual NED benefitsover the life of the proposed plan, are $2,391,000.~ATIONALEFOR DESIGNATION OF EQ PLANThe Environmental Quality (EQ) Plan is an alternative which makes themost significant contribution to preserving, maintaining, or enhancingthe cultural and natural resources of the study area. Of the detailedplans considered, none would provide an actual enhancement of theenvironment; however, Plan B (PRT plus diesel), would cause the leastenvironmental damage (LED). Therefore, this alternative has beendesignated the LED plan.The continued use of diesel has the impact of noise and air pollution,but this is relatively minor compared to the impact of hydropowerconstruction. The fact that the generators are already in place, and noadditional units would be required until the mid-1990's, would eliminateany environmental impacts from construction.The pressure reducing turbine would have some minimal impacts fromconstruction, but there would be less impact from noise and pollutionduring operation. Located immediately adjacent to the oil pipeline, thefacility would be in an area that has been previously disturbed. The PRTwould be housed in a building approximately 60 x 170 feet. The totalarea required for the building and grounds would be approximately 1.5acres.49