STAFF RECOMMENDATION

Hinkle

NCPC File No. 7242

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL

Electric Generating Equipment

Arlington County, Virginia

Submitted by the Department of the Army, Joint Base Myer—Henderson Hall

September 29, 2011

Abstract The Department of the Army has submitted a project to install eleven new emergency electrical generators at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. In combination with multiple existing on-site generators, the project supports an overall program to improve energy reliability and security for mission critical operations and services at both Fort McNair and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The specific generator size and required setbacks vary among sites. The sites were chosen for their adjacency to existing utility connections and generators, and proximity to existing electrical switchgear. All planned electric generators are to be mounted on above-grade concrete slabs to prevent snow accumulation and water ponding. This submission is for approval of the location and placement of the generators, construction of the base concrete pads, and associated site and utility work. Screening for each of the new generators is not part of this submission and will be proposed as a separate project at a later date.

Commission Action Requested by Applicant Approval of preliminary and final site development plans pursuant to 40 U.S.C. § 8722 (b)(1).

Executive Director’s Recommendation The Commission: Approves the preliminary and final site development plans for the installation of 11 electric generators at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, in Arlington, Virginia, as shown on NCPC Map File No. 1.61(38.00)43317. Notes that this approval is for the location and placement of the generators, construction of base concrete pads, and associated site and utility work. Requires that within two years of this approval the Department of the Army submit final site development plans and a construction timeline for screening of the equipment at nine (9) of the 11 sites as identified below:

• Site 7-1 (Building 47)—A 10-foot, 7-inch-high brick screening wall and landscape • Site 7-2 (Building 54)—A 10-foot-high brick screening wall

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• Site 7-3 (Building 56)—A 10-foot-high brick screening wall • Site 7-4 (Building 57)—A 10-foot-high brick screening wall • Site 7-5 (Building 23)—A 10-foot-high brick screening wall • Site 7-6 (Building 416)—A 10-foot-high brick screening wall • Site 7-7 (Building 241)—A 12-foot-high brick screening wall • Site 7-10 (Building 272)—A 10- foot-high brick screening wall • Site 7-11 (Building 214)—A 12-foot-high brick screening wall

Requires that the Department of the Army notify the Commission within two years of this approval if it cannot provide the final site development plans and a construction timeline, as required, and/or if funding cannot be identified, so that further consultation on possible solutions can be conducted. Requires that future submissions for new and replacement generators be accompanied with complete site development plans for screening walls and landscaping.

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Site

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBM-HH) occupies a commanding site of approximately 250 acres in Arlington, Virginia overlooking Washington, DC. The installation is immediately south of Arlington National Cemetery and shares a fence line with the Cemetery. It was first used as a fort to protect the city during the Civil War, with permanent buildings being constructed as early as 1872. The installation is residence to the elite Third Infantry Regiment or The Old Guard, which supports ceremonial functions of the White House and the Cemetery. The installation also houses Pershing’s Own, the U.S. Army Band. The eleven sites for the proposed electric generators are distributed across the installation. Background / Project JBM-HH maintains a contract with Dominion Virginia Power (DVP) to distribute power within the installation. As part of this contract, DVP is also responsible for the operation, monitoring and maintenance of numerous existing emergency generators at the installation and to ensure consistent compliance with regulations. To make certain sufficient energy is available and secure for mission critical operations and services at the installation, JBM-HH has entered into a design/build contract with DVP to upgrade the emergency electrical generating capacity at the installation with multiple new generators.

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The submitted project is the first phase of an overall upgrade of electrical generating capacity at JBM-HH. It includes the placement of eleven new generators and the removal of three existing generators. The next phase of the upgrade includes the placement of five additional electric generators and the removal of one existing generator. The Army plans to submit this next phase to the Commission in FY 2012. The eleven sites for the new generators are identified in green on the following map and described in the project analysis section below. The sites were chosen for their adjacency to existing utility connections and generators, and proximity to existing electrical switchgear. The specific generator size and required setbacks vary among the sites. All planned electric generators are to be mounted on concrete slabs, placed 4 inches above grade, to prevent snow accumulation and water ponding.

Site 7-8

Site 7-9

Site 7-3

Site 7-4

Site 7-6

Site 7-7

Site 7-5

Site 7-2

Site 7-1

Site 7-10

Site 7-11

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PROJECT ANALYSIS Executive Summary Staff recommends that the Commission approve the preliminary and final site development plans for the installation of the eleven electric generators at JBM-HH, including the location and placement of the electric generating equipment, construction of base concrete pads, and associated site and utility work. However, staff recommends that the Commission require the Army to submit within two years final site development plans and a construction timeline for screening of the equipment at nine of the sites. Staff also recommends that the Commission require the Army to provide notification within two years of this approval if it cannot provide the required final site development plans and construction timeline and/or if funding cannot be identified, so that further consultation on possible solutions can be conducted. Further, staff recommends that the Commission require future submissions for new and replacement generators at JBM-HH to be accompanied with complete site development plans for screening walls and landscaping. These recommendations are described below. Generator Siting As noted above, the eleven sites for the new generators were chosen for their adjacency to existing utility connections and generators, and proximity to existing electrical switchgear and buildings for which they are to serve. The new generators will run on diesel and operate only during maintenance and power failure emergencies. It is not expected for the operations of the generators to exceed an average of 150 hours per year. Pollution and noise levels from the new generators will be less than or equal to existing site generators. $7,953,538 in funding for the entire project has been in place since FY 2010. This funding is for a total of 16 new generators at both Fort McNair and JBM-HH.1

1 The five generators at Fort Leslie J. McNair are to be reviewed separately by the Commission. See NCPC File No. 7238.

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Site 7-1: Building 47, Old Garage A 250kw generator will be placed with a new switch and transformer across Johnson Lane from Building 47, which an old garage scheduled to be demolished. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant plans to construct a 10”-7’-high brick screen wall and landscaping to enclose all the electrical equipment.

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Site 7-2: Building 54, Old Garage A 150kw generator will be located adjacent to an existing transformer near Building 54, a side road, and several trees. This location is out of view from nearby general officer quarters and from Jackson Avenue, which contains several historic structures. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant plans to construct a 10-foot-high brick screen wall.

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Site 7-3: Building 56, Old Garage A 150kw generator will be placed near an existing substation, down slope and behind Building 56. This location is out of view from the general officer quarters and from Jackson Avenue. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant plans to construct a 10-foot-high brick screen wall.

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Site 7-4: Building 57, Old Garage A 250kw generator will be located adjacent to Building 61 (an existing substation) and Building 57. This location is out of view of nearby general officers quarters on Lee Avenue, which contains many historic structures. Two small pine trees at the site are to be removed. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant also plans to construct a 10-foot-high brick screening wall.

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Site 7-5: Building 23, General Officers Quarters An 800kw generator will be located near the existing substation and behind Building 23. This location is out of view from Jackson Avenue. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant plans to construct a 10-foot-high brick screening wall. NCPC and CFA staff have also recommended that the applicant explore construction of a screen wall that surrounds all the electrical equipment at the site.

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Site 7-6: Building 416, Officer Quarters A 250kw generator will be placed near an existing transformer and behind the building, out of view from Sheridan Avenue, a primary street on the installation. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant also plans to construct a 10-foot-high brick screening wall with a gate that matches the existing screening wall for the transformer.

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Site 7-7: Building 241, Conmy Hall An 800kw generator will be placed near the existing switch gear behind Building 241. A second generator may also be placed in the same location in the future; as such space will be left for this future generator. This location is out of view from Sheridan Avenue. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant also plans to construct a 12-foot-high brick screening wall that will surround both generators.

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Site 7-8: Building 59, Garrison Command Building A 150kw generator will be placed close to an existing substation and electric building. No screen wall is proposed by the applicant as the site is sufficiently surrounded by trees and hedges.

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Site 7-9: Building 414, Physical Fitness Building A 250kw generator will replace an existing generator at the rear of Building 414, and will be located behind an exiting brick screen wall.

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Site 7-10: Building 272, Dog Kennels A 250kw generator will be placed close to an existing transformer; in a location that is between trees, parking spaces, a fence, and two flagpoles. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant also plans to construct a 10-foot-high brick screening wall to surround the generator on three sides.

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Site 7-11: Building 214, Officer’s Club A 250kw generator will be placed near the rear of Building 214, behind several trees. In response to comments made during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff, the applicant plans to construct a 12-foot-high brick screening to surround the generator on three sides.

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Because of the needed redundancy in energy supply for mission critical operations and services at JNM-HH, and the siting requirements for the new generators, including their adjacency to existing utility connections and generators, and proximity to existing electrical switchgear and buildings for which they are to serve, staff recommends that the Commission approve the preliminary and final site development plans for the installation of the eleven (11) electric generators, including the location and placement of electric generating equipment, construction of base concrete pads, and associated site and utility work. Environmental Considerations JBM-HH notes that installation of the new generators will occur on previously disturbed areas and will entail the construction of a concrete slab to support the generator and associated brick screening wall. JBM-HH has also determined that the placement of the new generators would not be expected to individually or cumulatively have significant effects on the environment and that no controversial changes to the existing environmental conditions are expected. However, during consultations, NCPC and CFA staff determined that proposed locations of the new generators will have some negative effect on the visual qualities of the installation. As such, JBM-HH has agreed to construct brick screening walls at nine of the new generator sites, consistent with the base design guidelines for screening walls (see figure below), and provide new landscape screening at site 7-1. As current funding (from Fiscal Year 2010) is only for the installation of the generators and not for the screening walls and landscaping, JBM-HH is currently requesting preliminary and final development plan approval for the generators only. JBM-HH intends to seek Fiscal Year 2012 funding for the design and construction of the screening walls and landscaping and to return to NCPC for approval of these elements at a later date. As such, to ensure that JBM-HH returns to NCPC with a plan to install the screening walls and landscaping, staff recommends that the Commission require the Army to submit within two years final site development plans and a construction timeline for screening walls at all sites and landscaping at site 7-1. Staff also recommends that the Commission require the Army to notify the Commission within two years of this approval if it cannot provide the required final site development plans and a construction timeline and/or if funding cannot be identified, so that further consultation on possible solutions can be conducted. Further, and as mentioned above, as part of the overall program to improve energy reliability at the installation, JBM-HH is proposing to install five (5) additional generators in the near future. As such, staff recommends that the Commission require future submissions for new and replacement generators at JBM-HH be accompanied with complete site development plans for screening walls and landscaping. (Staff notes that JBM-HH agreed to this requirement during consultations with NCPC and CFA staff.)

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JBM-HH design guidelines for utility enclosures CONFORMANCE

Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital

The proposal is not inconsistent with the policies of the federal elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Relevant Federal Facility Master Plan The proposed improvements are consistent with adjacent land uses, and the new generators will be placed adjacent to existing electric generating equipment and switchgear. Joint Base Myer—Henderson Hall has submitted an updated draft master plan for review by the Commission (dated April 2011). The draft document currently identifies the need for the new generators at JBM-HH

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but does not identify the specific sites; however, the sites proposed do not negatively impact any proposed changes in land use within the draft master plan. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pursuant to the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Army, on September 15, 2011, determined that the proposed action would not be expected to individually or cumulatively have significant effects on the environment, that no controversial changes to existing environmental conditions would be expected and that no circumstances exist that would require an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under NEPA, and as such, the proposed action qualifies as a Categorical Exclusion under 32 CFR Appendix B Part 651 (c)1. Given JBM-HH’s location outside of the District of Columbia, NCPC does not have an independent responsibility to satisfy the requirements of NEPA. National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) In accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, the Department of the Army concluded Section 106 consultation with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR), as the State Historic Preservation Office, with the VDHR concurring with JBM-HH on July 5, 2011 that the undertaking would have no adverse effect on historic properties. Given JBM-HH’s location outside of the District of Columbia, NCPC does not have an independent responsibility to satisfy the requirements of NHPA. CONSULTATION

Commission of Fine Arts

The Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) reviewed the case at its September 15, 2011 meeting and expressed no objection to the final plans for the installation of electrical generators at various sites at Fort McNair and JBM-HH. The CFA also noted its understanding that the installation of screen walls around the new equipment will be submitted as a separate project in Fiscal Year 2012.