$48 million is slated to arrive in the West Sound area this year. The money comes from a House of Representatives appropriations panel for construction projects at West Sound naval installations. Last year, local naval installations received $152.6 million for military construction projects — the most in 20 years.

Naval Submarine Base Bangor will receive $33.8 million for an upgrade to a service pier and $6.5 million for a waterfront security facility in fiscal 2004. The service pier upgrade comes courtesy of the USS Jimmy Carter, a secret spy sub that will be based at Bangor.

According to a recent Navy report, the current Bangor pier lacks adequate electrical power, a compatible mooring system and a waterfront support facility for the Jimmy Carter. If the pier is not built, the sub “will not be able to perform its mission in a cost-effective manner.”

Upgrades to the pier will include an underwater equipment lab to “maintain, repair and test seven sophisticated electronic, deployable devices” supporting the Carter’s mission.

The Jimmy Carter is scheduled to arrive next year and will replace the USS Parche, which is at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in the final stages of its last maintenance period and scheduled for decommissioning.

Other West Sound military construction projects include $6 million for major rehabilitation of a ship repair pier at PSNS and $2.2 million for an ordnance transfer facility at Indian Island near Port Hadlock.

Statewide, Washington will receive $127.6 million for military construction, including $48 million a barracks complex at Fort Lewis.