Cheatham County Generation Site Environmental Impact Statement, 32267-32269 [2023-10651]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 97 / Friday, May 19, 2023 / Notices ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 generating capacity additions, and coalfired generation. The alternative strategies were analyzed in the context of six different scenarios that described plausible future economic, financial, regulatory, and legislated conditions, as well as social trends and adoption of technological innovations. TVA then developed a preferred alternative, the Target Power Supply Mix, based on guideline ranges for key energy resources. In developing the Target Power Supply Mix, TVA conducted least-cost planning taking into account customer priorities of power cost and reliability, as well as other comments it received during the public comment periods regarding demand for electricity, energy resource diversity, energy conservation and efficiency, renewable energy resources, flexibility, dispatchability, reliability, environmental impacts, and risks. The Target Power Supply Mix established ranges, in MW, for coal plant retirements and additions of nuclear, hydroelectric, demand response, energy efficiency, solar, wind, and natural gas capacity. TVA anticipates using an analytical approach similar to that of the 2019 IRP/EIS described above. The number of alternative energy resource strategies and scenarios to be evaluated may differ from the 2019 IRP/EIS and will be determined after the completion of scoping. Scoping Process Scoping, which is integral to the process for implementing NEPA, provides an early and open process to ensure that (1) issues are identified early and properly studied; (2) issues of little significance do not consume substantial time and effort; (3) the draft EIS is thorough and balanced; and (4) delays caused by an inadequate EIS are avoided. With the help of the public, TVA will identify the most effective energy resource strategy that will meet TVA’s mission and serve the people of the region between now and 2050. To ensure that the full range of issues and a comprehensive portfolio of energy resources are addressed, TVA invites members of the public as well as Federal, state, and local agencies and Indian tribes to comment on the scope of the IRP EIS, including potential alternative energy resource strategies. In addition, TVA invites the public to identify information and analyses relevant to the IRP EIS. As part of the IRP process and in addition to other public engagement opportunities, TVA is assembling representatives from key stakeholders to participate in an IRP Working Group that will discuss VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:30 May 18, 2023 Jkt 259001 tradeoffs associated with different resource options and assist TVA in developing an optimal energy resource strategy. Comments on the scope of this IRP EIS should be submitted no later than the date given under the DATES section of this notice. Written requests by agencies or Indian tribes to participate as a cooperating agency or consulting party must also be received by this date. Any comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and will be available for public inspection. After consideration of the comments received during this scoping period, TVA will summarize public and agency comments, identify the issues and alternatives to be addressed in the EIS, and identify the schedule for completing the EIS process. Following analysis of the issues, TVA will prepare a draft EIS for public review and comment. Notice of availability of the draft EIS will be published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal Register. TVA will solicit written comments on the draft IRP and EIS and also hold public meetings for this purpose. TVA expects to release the draft IRP and EIS in early 2024. TVA anticipates issuing the final IRP and EIS in 2024. Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9. Susan Jacks, General Manager, Environmental Resource Compliance. [FR Doc. 2023–10652 Filed 5–18–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8120–08–P TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Cheatham County Generation Site Environmental Impact Statement Tennessee Valley Authority. Notice of intent. AGENCY: ACTION: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed construction and operation of a simple cycle Combustion Turbine (CT) plant and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on a parcel of TVA-owned land in Cheatham County, Tennessee. The Cheatham County Generation Site (CHG) would generate approximately 900 Megawatts (MW) and replace generation capacity for a portion of the Cumberland Fossil Plant (CUF) second unit retirement planned by the end of 2028. The CHG CTs would be composed of multiple natural gas-fired frame CTs and natural gas-fired and oil-fired (i.e., SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 32267 dual-fuel) Aeroderivative CTs. CHG would provide flexible and dispatchable transmission grid support and facilitate the integration of renewable generation onto the TVA bulk transmission system, consistent with the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). TVA is inviting public comment concerning the scope of the EIS, alternatives being considered, and environmental issues that should be addressed as a part of this EIS. DATES: The public scoping period begins with the publication of this notice of intent in the Federal Register. To ensure consideration, comments must be postmarked, submitted online, or emailed no later than June 20, 2023. To facilitate the scoping process, TVA will hold an in-person public open house; see https://www.tva.gov/NEPA for more information on the meeting. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to J. Taylor Johnson, NEPA Compliance Specialist, 1101 Market Street, BR 2C–C, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402. Comments may also be submitted online at: https:// www.tva.gov/NEPA or by email at nepa@tva.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the project, please contact J. Taylor Johnson, NEPA Compliance Specialist, by mail at 1101 Market Street, BR 2C–C, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402, by email at nepa@ tva.gov, or by phone at 423–751–2732. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508) and TVA’s procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). TVA is an agency and instrumentality of the United States, established by an act of Congress in 1933, to foster the social and economic welfare of the people of the Tennessee Valley region and to promote the proper use and conservation of the region’s natural resources. One component of this mission is the generation, transmission, and sale of reliable and affordable electric energy. TVA Transmission System TVA provides electricity for local power companies serving 10 million people in Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states, as well as directly to large industrial customers and Federal installations. TVA is fully self-financed without Federal appropriations and funds virtually all operations through electricity sales and power system bond financing. Dependable electrical capacity on the TVA power system is approximately 38,000 MW. TVA transmits electricity from generating E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 32268 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 97 / Friday, May 19, 2023 / Notices facilities over 16,000 miles of transmission lines. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Generation Asset Planning In June 2019, TVA published an IRP, which was developed with input from stakeholder groups and the public. The 2019 IRP evaluated six scenarios (plausible futures) and five strategies (potential TVA responses to those plausible futures) and identified a range of potential resource additions and retirements throughout the TVA power service area, which encompasses approximately 80,000 square miles. The target supply mix adopted by the TVA Board through the 2019 IRP included the potential retirement of 2,200 MW of coal-fired generation by 2038. The IRP acknowledged continued operational challenges for the aging coal fleet and included a recommendation to conduct end-of-life evaluations during the term of the IRP to determine whether retirements greater than 2,200 MW would be appropriate. Following the publication of the IRP, TVA began conducting these evaluations to inform long-term planning. TVA’s recent evaluation confirms that the aging coal fleet is among the oldest in the nation and is experiencing deterioration of material condition and performance challenges. Consistent with aging coal fleet evaluation, TVA made a decision to retire the first CUF unit by the end of 2026 and the second unit by the end of 2028. Generation from the proposed project would replace a portion of the capacity of the second CUF unit to be retired by 2028. Generation from the proposed project would also be consistent with the target supply mix in the 2019 IRP that aims the addition of up to 5,200 MW of simple cycle capacity by 2028 to facilitate the integration of solar onto the TVA bulk power system. Project Purpose and Need The TVA-owned land for TVA’s proposed project is in Ashland City, Cheatham County, Tennessee, which is approximately 22 miles northwest of Nashville. The total property is approximately 285 acres with the proposed project footprint covering a footprint of approximately 75 acres. TVA’s EIS would evaluate the proposed action to replace a portion of the 1,450 MW generation capacity of the second CUF unit planned for retirement in 2028 with up to 900 MW of generation capacity from CHG. The purpose of the proposed action is to help provide generation to support continued load growth in the Tennessee Valley and TVA’s decarbonization goals. TVA needs flexible, dispatchable power VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:30 May 18, 2023 Jkt 259001 that can successfully integrate increasing amounts of renewable energy sources while ensuring reliability. One of the purposes of the proposed action is to facilitate the integration of solar onto the electric grid and thereby advance TVA’s decarbonation goals. The need for the Proposed Action is to ensure that TVA can meet required year-round generation and maximum capacity system demands and planning reserve margin targets. By constructing and operating a CT with a BESS interconnected to the transmission system at the same location, TVA would continue providing dispatchable and reliable energy to the people of the Tennessee Valley at the lowest feasible cost with fewer environmental impacts than the current generating capacity that is being replaced. The addition of the proposed 400 MW-hour BESS could also help TVA maintain grid stability and reliability as generating assets with greater minute-by-minute variability are integrated into TVA’s transmission system (e.g. wind and solar generating assets). Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives TVA anticipates that the scope of the EIS will evaluate a No Action Alternative and an Action Alternative. The No Action alternative provides a baseline for comparing against the Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would not develop the TVA-owned property in Cheatham County for energy generation. The Action Alternative would evaluate the development of the CHG property for construction and operation of a CT interconnected with a BESS. The CHG property would also include an approximately 13-acre pollinator habitat along Sycamore Creek. Whether these or other alternatives are reasonable warranting further consideration under NEPA would be determined in the course of preparing the EIS. Related actions, such as the construction of an approximately 12-mile natural gas pipeline lateral and off-site transmission lines, will also be assessed in this EIS. The pipeline facilities to bring gas supply to the CHG property would, to the extent practicable, be located within or adjacent to an existing pipeline right of way. Anticipated Environmental Impacts The EIS will include a detailed evaluation of the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with implementation of the proposed action. Resource areas to be addressed in the EIS include, but are not limited to: air quality; aquatics; botany; climate PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 change; cultural resources; emergency planning; floodplains; geology and groundwater; land use; noise and vibration; soil erosion and surface water; socioeconomics and environmental justice; threatened and endangered species; transportation; visual; waste; wetlands; and wildlife. Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse effects will be identified and evaluated in the EIS. Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations TVA anticipates seeking required permits or authorizations, as appropriate. The construction of the natural gas pipeline(s) would be subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction and additional review will be undertaken by FERC in accordance with its own NEPA procedures. TVA’s proposed action to construct a CT and BESS may also require issuance of an air permit under the Clean Air Act, an Individual or Nationwide Permit under section 404 of the Clean Water Act; section 401 Water Quality Certification; conformance with Executive Orders on Environmental Justice (12898), Wetlands (11990), Floodplain Management (11988), Migratory Birds (13186), and Invasive Species (13112); and compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and other applicable local, Federal, and State regulations. Public Participation and Scoping Process Scoping, which is integral to the process for implementing NEPA, provides an early and open process to ensure that issues are identified early and properly studied; issues of little significance do not consume substantial time and effort; the draft EIS is thorough and balanced; and delays caused by an inadequate EIS are avoided. TVA seeks comment and participation from all interested parties for identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action in this EIS. Information about this project is available at https:// www.tva.gov/NEPA, which includes a link to an online public comment page. Comments must be received or postmarked no later than June 20, 2023. Federal, State, local agencies, and Native American Tribes are also invited to provide comments. Please note that any comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the project administrative record and will be available for public inspection. TVA plans to have an open house on E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 97 / Friday, May 19, 2023 / Notices May 24, 2023. Visit https:// www.tva.gov/NEPA to obtain more information about the open house. EIS Preparation and Schedule TVA will consider comments received during the scoping period and develop a scoping report which will be published at https://www.tva.gov/NEPA. The scoping report will summarize public and agency comments that were received and identify the projected schedule for completing the EIS process. Subsequently, following completion of the environmental analysis, TVA will post a Draft EIS for public review and comment on the project web page. TVA anticipates holding a public open house after releasing the Draft EIS. Open house details will be posted on TVA’s website in conjunction with the Draft EIS. TVA expects to release the Draft EIS in 2024, a Final EIS in 2025, and a Record of Decision at least 30-days after the release of the Final EIS. Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9. Susan Jacks, General Manager, Environmental Resource Compliance. [FR Doc. 2023–10651 Filed 5–18–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8120–08–P TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Pumped Storage Hydro Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Tennessee Valley Authority. Notice of intent. AGENCY: ACTION: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is conducting a study to evaluate increasing pumped storage hydropower (PSH) capacity within its power service area. To meet its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), TVA is preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential new PSH facilities at two locations in Jackson County, Alabama and expansion of the existing Raccoon Mountain PSH Plant in Marion County, Tennessee. Based on the findings of the PEIS, TVA may potentially select one or more sites as the need for long-duration energy storage increases. The PEIS will consider potential environmental and economic impacts from the construction and operation at each site. DATES: To ensure consideration, comments on the scope and environmental issues must be postmarked, emailed, or submitted online no later than July 5, 2023. To facilitate the scoping process, TVA will hold a virtual public scoping meeting; ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:30 May 18, 2023 Jkt 259001 see https://www.tva.gov/nepa for more information on the meeting. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Elizabeth Smith, NEPA Compliance Specialist, 400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 11D, Knoxville, TN 37902–1499. Comments may also be submitted online at: https:// www.tva.gov/nepa or by email at pumpedstorageNEPA@tva.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the NEPA process and/or general project information, please email pumpedstorageNEPA@tva.gov, or NEPA Specialist, Elizabeth Smith, at (865) 632–3053. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508) and TVA’s procedures for implementing the NEPA. TVA is an agency and instrumentality of the United States, established by an act of Congress in 1933, to foster the social and economic welfare of the people of the Tennessee Valley region and to promote the proper use and conservation of the region’s natural resources. One component of this mission is the generation, transmission, and sale of reliable and affordable electric energy. The analyses in a programmatic NEPA review are valuable in setting out the broad view of environmental impacts and benefits for a proposed decision such as a rulemaking, or establishing a policy, program, or plan. That programmatic NEPA review can then be relied upon when agencies make decisions based on the programmatic EIS, as well as decisions based on a subsequent (also known as tiered) NEPA review. Background PSH is a type of hydroelectric energy storage that consists of two water reservoirs at different elevations in which water can be pumped to the higher elevation reservoir during periods in which energy storage is needed and then can be released during periods when energy is needed on the electrical grid. PSH is utilized for long term storage to provide for reserves on the grid, use excess energy to store water in the higher reservoir when demand drops below the base load generation, and to support intermittent generation for renewables such as wind and solar. TVA is planning a substantial decarbonization effort and aspires to be carbon neutral by 2050. As part of these efforts, long-duration storage (8 to 12 hours) will be needed to balance the PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 32269 daily energy cycle. This long-duration storage will enable additional generation from solar, new nuclear, and carbon capture technologies. Long duration energy storage, like pumped storage, supports nuclear generation and carbon capture technologies by assisting with load balancing and allowing these technologies to run nearly full time, which is important as these technologies are generally not conducive to following the demand curve and work best when running fully loaded. PSH is a reliable and proven technology. The addition of pumped storage hydro facilities could also help TVA maintain grid stability and reliability in the future grid with less dispatchable generation and greater minute-by-minute variability due to fluctuations in output from renewables such as solar and wind. Project Purpose and Need TVA is planning a substantial decarbonization effort with aspirations of being carbon neutral by 2050. To meet these goals, long-duration storage (8 to 12 hours) will be needed to balance the daily energy cycle. This longduration storage will enable additional generation from solar, new nuclear, and carbon capture technologies. Long duration energy storage, like pumped storage, supports nuclear generation and carbon capture technologies by assisting with load balancing and allowing these technologies to run nearly full time, which is important as these technologies are generally not conducive to following the demand curve and work best when running fully loaded. PSH is a reliable and proven technology. The addition of pumped storage hydro facilities could also help TVA maintain grid stability and reliability in the future grid with less dispatchable generation and greater minute-by-minute variability due to fluctuations in output from renewables such as solar and wind. The purpose of this PEIS is to evaluate the potential for pumped storage facilities in two areas in Jackson County, Alabama, and an expansion of the existing facility at Raccoon Mountain and to consider potential environmental and economic impacts from the construction and operation of pumped storage facilities at each site. After the PEIS, one or more sites will be further evaluated, and transmission line siting performed. The impacts of that evaluation and transmission options for the preferred site(s) will be considered in a future supplement to this PEIS. E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32267-32269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10651]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Cheatham County Generation Site Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the potential 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed construction and 
operation of a simple cycle Combustion Turbine (CT) plant and Battery 
Energy Storage System (BESS) on a parcel of TVA-owned land in Cheatham 
County, Tennessee. The Cheatham County Generation Site (CHG) would 
generate approximately 900 Megawatts (MW) and replace generation 
capacity for a portion of the Cumberland Fossil Plant (CUF) second unit 
retirement planned by the end of 2028. The CHG CTs would be composed of 
multiple natural gas-fired frame CTs and natural gas-fired and oil-
fired (i.e., dual-fuel) Aeroderivative CTs. CHG would provide flexible 
and dispatchable transmission grid support and facilitate the 
integration of renewable generation onto the TVA bulk transmission 
system, consistent with the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). TVA is 
inviting public comment concerning the scope of the EIS, alternatives 
being considered, and environmental issues that should be addressed as 
a part of this EIS.

DATES: The public scoping period begins with the publication of this 
notice of intent in the Federal Register. To ensure consideration, 
comments must be postmarked, submitted online, or emailed no later than 
June 20, 2023. To facilitate the scoping process, TVA will hold an in-
person public open house; see https://www.tva.gov/NEPA for more 
information on the meeting.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to J. Taylor Johnson, NEPA 
Compliance Specialist, 1101 Market Street, BR 2C-C, Chattanooga, 
Tennessee 37402. Comments may also be submitted online at: https://www.tva.gov/NEPA or by email at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the 
project, please contact J. Taylor Johnson, NEPA Compliance Specialist, 
by mail at 1101 Market Street, BR 2C-C, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402, 
by email at [email protected], or by phone at 423-751-2732.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with 
the Council on Environmental Quality's Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 
to 1508) and TVA's procedures for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). TVA is an agency and instrumentality 
of the United States, established by an act of Congress in 1933, to 
foster the social and economic welfare of the people of the Tennessee 
Valley region and to promote the proper use and conservation of the 
region's natural resources. One component of this mission is the 
generation, transmission, and sale of reliable and affordable electric 
energy.

TVA Transmission System

    TVA provides electricity for local power companies serving 10 
million people in Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states, as 
well as directly to large industrial customers and Federal 
installations. TVA is fully self-financed without Federal 
appropriations and funds virtually all operations through electricity 
sales and power system bond financing. Dependable electrical capacity 
on the TVA power system is approximately 38,000 MW. TVA transmits 
electricity from generating

[[Page 32268]]

facilities over 16,000 miles of transmission lines.

Generation Asset Planning

    In June 2019, TVA published an IRP, which was developed with input 
from stakeholder groups and the public. The 2019 IRP evaluated six 
scenarios (plausible futures) and five strategies (potential TVA 
responses to those plausible futures) and identified a range of 
potential resource additions and retirements throughout the TVA power 
service area, which encompasses approximately 80,000 square miles.
    The target supply mix adopted by the TVA Board through the 2019 IRP 
included the potential retirement of 2,200 MW of coal-fired generation 
by 2038. The IRP acknowledged continued operational challenges for the 
aging coal fleet and included a recommendation to conduct end-of-life 
evaluations during the term of the IRP to determine whether retirements 
greater than 2,200 MW would be appropriate. Following the publication 
of the IRP, TVA began conducting these evaluations to inform long-term 
planning. TVA's recent evaluation confirms that the aging coal fleet is 
among the oldest in the nation and is experiencing deterioration of 
material condition and performance challenges. Consistent with aging 
coal fleet evaluation, TVA made a decision to retire the first CUF unit 
by the end of 2026 and the second unit by the end of 2028. Generation 
from the proposed project would replace a portion of the capacity of 
the second CUF unit to be retired by 2028. Generation from the proposed 
project would also be consistent with the target supply mix in the 2019 
IRP that aims the addition of up to 5,200 MW of simple cycle capacity 
by 2028 to facilitate the integration of solar onto the TVA bulk power 
system.

Project Purpose and Need

    The TVA-owned land for TVA's proposed project is in Ashland City, 
Cheatham County, Tennessee, which is approximately 22 miles northwest 
of Nashville. The total property is approximately 285 acres with the 
proposed project footprint covering a footprint of approximately 75 
acres. TVA's EIS would evaluate the proposed action to replace a 
portion of the 1,450 MW generation capacity of the second CUF unit 
planned for retirement in 2028 with up to 900 MW of generation capacity 
from CHG.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to help provide generation to 
support continued load growth in the Tennessee Valley and TVA's 
decarbonization goals. TVA needs flexible, dispatchable power that can 
successfully integrate increasing amounts of renewable energy sources 
while ensuring reliability. One of the purposes of the proposed action 
is to facilitate the integration of solar onto the electric grid and 
thereby advance TVA's decarbonation goals.
    The need for the Proposed Action is to ensure that TVA can meet 
required year-round generation and maximum capacity system demands and 
planning reserve margin targets. By constructing and operating a CT 
with a BESS interconnected to the transmission system at the same 
location, TVA would continue providing dispatchable and reliable energy 
to the people of the Tennessee Valley at the lowest feasible cost with 
fewer environmental impacts than the current generating capacity that 
is being replaced. The addition of the proposed 400 MW-hour BESS could 
also help TVA maintain grid stability and reliability as generating 
assets with greater minute-by-minute variability are integrated into 
TVA's transmission system (e.g. wind and solar generating assets).

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

    TVA anticipates that the scope of the EIS will evaluate a No Action 
Alternative and an Action Alternative. The No Action alternative 
provides a baseline for comparing against the Action Alternative. Under 
the No Action Alternative, TVA would not develop the TVA-owned property 
in Cheatham County for energy generation. The Action Alternative would 
evaluate the development of the CHG property for construction and 
operation of a CT interconnected with a BESS. The CHG property would 
also include an approximately 13-acre pollinator habitat along Sycamore 
Creek. Whether these or other alternatives are reasonable warranting 
further consideration under NEPA would be determined in the course of 
preparing the EIS. Related actions, such as the construction of an 
approximately 12-mile natural gas pipeline lateral and off-site 
transmission lines, will also be assessed in this EIS. The pipeline 
facilities to bring gas supply to the CHG property would, to the extent 
practicable, be located within or adjacent to an existing pipeline 
right of way.

Anticipated Environmental Impacts

    The EIS will include a detailed evaluation of the environmental, 
social, and economic impacts associated with implementation of the 
proposed action. Resource areas to be addressed in the EIS include, but 
are not limited to: air quality; aquatics; botany; climate change; 
cultural resources; emergency planning; floodplains; geology and 
groundwater; land use; noise and vibration; soil erosion and surface 
water; socioeconomics and environmental justice; threatened and 
endangered species; transportation; visual; waste; wetlands; and 
wildlife. Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse effects 
will be identified and evaluated in the EIS.

Anticipated Permits and Other Authorizations

    TVA anticipates seeking required permits or authorizations, as 
appropriate. The construction of the natural gas pipeline(s) would be 
subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction and 
additional review will be undertaken by FERC in accordance with its own 
NEPA procedures. TVA's proposed action to construct a CT and BESS may 
also require issuance of an air permit under the Clean Air Act, an 
Individual or Nationwide Permit under section 404 of the Clean Water 
Act; section 401 Water Quality Certification; conformance with 
Executive Orders on Environmental Justice (12898), Wetlands (11990), 
Floodplain Management (11988), Migratory Birds (13186), and Invasive 
Species (13112); and compliance with section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act, section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and 
other applicable local, Federal, and State regulations.

Public Participation and Scoping Process

    Scoping, which is integral to the process for implementing NEPA, 
provides an early and open process to ensure that issues are identified 
early and properly studied; issues of little significance do not 
consume substantial time and effort; the draft EIS is thorough and 
balanced; and delays caused by an inadequate EIS are avoided. TVA seeks 
comment and participation from all interested parties for 
identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses 
relevant to the proposed action in this EIS. Information about this 
project is available at https://www.tva.gov/NEPA, which includes a link 
to an online public comment page. Comments must be received or 
postmarked no later than June 20, 2023. Federal, State, local agencies, 
and Native American Tribes are also invited to provide comments. Please 
note that any comments received, including names and addresses, will 
become part of the project administrative record and will be available 
for public inspection. TVA plans to have an open house on

[[Page 32269]]

May 24, 2023. Visit https://www.tva.gov/NEPA to obtain more information 
about the open house.

EIS Preparation and Schedule

    TVA will consider comments received during the scoping period and 
develop a scoping report which will be published at https://www.tva.gov/NEPA. The scoping report will summarize public and agency 
comments that were received and identify the projected schedule for 
completing the EIS process. Subsequently, following completion of the 
environmental analysis, TVA will post a Draft EIS for public review and 
comment on the project web page. TVA anticipates holding a public open 
house after releasing the Draft EIS. Open house details will be posted 
on TVA's website in conjunction with the Draft EIS. TVA expects to 
release the Draft EIS in 2024, a Final EIS in 2025, and a Record of 
Decision at least 30-days after the release of the Final EIS.
    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9.

Susan Jacks,
General Manager, Environmental Resource Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023-10651 Filed 5-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P


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