[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 98 (Monday, May 22, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27149-27150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12488]



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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Environmental Impact Statement: Coal Receiving Systems--Kingston 
Fossil Plant

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed coal receiving 
system at its Kingston Fossil Plant located at the confluence of the 
Clinch and Emory Rivers near Kingston in east Tennessee. Coal is 
currently delivered to Harrisman, Tennessee by both Norfolk Southern 
and CSX railroads and then is transferred to a Norfolk Southern rail 
line for shipment to the plant. This two-line transfer increases TVA's 
fuel transportation costs. As a result, TVA is exploring alternative 
ways to deliver fuels to the plant site. These alternatives include 
overland conveying systems (both straight-line and flexible) and a new 
rail spur.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS must be received on or before 
June 30, 1995. TVA anticipates holding a public meeting in Kingston or 
Harriman in June to discuss the project and obtain comments on the 
scope of the EIS. The time and location of this meeting will be 
announced in local news media.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Dale Wilhelm, National 
Environmental Policy Act Liaison, Tennessee Valley Authority, WT 8C, 
400 West Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Robinson, Fossil Fuels, Tennessee Valley Authority, 1101 
[[Page 27150]] market Street, LP 5H, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402-2801, 
telephone (615) 751-2502.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: TVA currently receives four million tons of 
coal per year via rail shipment to its Kingston Fossil plant located at 
the confluence of the Clinch and Emory rivers in east Tennessee near 
the towns of Kingston and Harriman. Coal is shipped to Harriman, 
Tennessee by both Norfolk Southern and CSX, and is then transported 
over a short Norfolk Southern spur to a TVA-owned line and into the 
rail car storage yard at the Kingston plant. The costs associated with 
this additional transfer and transport over a short spur line have 
encouraged TVA to assess other methods of transporting the coal into 
the plant. Transportation system and economic studies resulted in the 
identification of several alternative solutions to this situation. All 
the feasible solutions involved the construction of a new 
transportation system to move coal from Harriman to the plant site.
    Preliminary field evaluations have indicated that reasonable 
alternatives to provide this coal transport access include the use of a 
straight-line conveyor, a flexible conveyor, or a new rail spur 
terminating at the coal stockpiles. TVA will also consider the ``no 
action'' alternative which would be a continuation of shipments over 
the Norfolk Southern spur from Harriman. Alternatives that are 
considered uneconomical or infeasible include use of barges, and a 
slurry pipeline. These latter alternatives would not be further 
assessed.
    Alternative transportation system routes that have initially been 
identified originate primarily northeast of Harriman, parallel the 
Emory River for about a mile before dropping almost straight south to 
the plant site. TVA invites the public to comment on the initial 
routing alternatives and to suggest other possible alternatives.

Proposed Issues to Be Addressed

    The EIS will discuss the proposed need for the project and describe 
the existing environmental, cultural, and recreational resources. It 
will describe TVA's siting and location process for the transport 
system and associated facilities and potential impacts on the above 
resources resulting from construction, operation, and maintenance. 
Specifically TVA will evaluate potential impacts to vegetation, 
wildlife, aquatic ecology, endangered and threatened species, wetlands 
and wetland wildlife, aesthetics and visual resources, land use, and 
noise associated with construction and operation of the system. These 
factors and others identified during the scoping process as well as 
engineering and economic considerations will be used to select the 
preferred alternative for coal transport into the plant from the CSX 
line.

Scoping Process

    The scoping process will include interagency and public scoping. 
The public is invited to submit written comments on the scope of this 
analysis by June 30 and/or attend the public meeting that will be 
announced in area news media prior to the meeting. Federal and state 
agencies to be included in the interagency scoping are: U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers; the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 
and various State of Tennessee agencies including the Tennessee 
Wildlife Resources Agency, the Department of Environment and 
Conservation, and the Tennessee Historical Commission, among others.
    Based on the scoping comments, TVA will develop a range of 
alternatives to be assessed in the EIS. Following analysis of the 
environmental consequences of each alternative, TVA will prepare a 
draft EIS for public review and comment. Notice of availability of the 
draft EIS will be announced, comments on the draft solicited, and 
information about possible future public meetings will be published at 
a future date. TVA expects to release a final EIS in mid 1996.

    Dated: May 12, 1995.
Kathryn J. Jackson,
Senior Vice President/Resource Group.
[FR Doc. 95-12488 Filed 5-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-01-M