[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39551-39552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18760]



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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Environmental Impact Statement--Tims Ford Reservoir Land 
Management Plan, Franklin and Moore Counties, Tennessee

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This notice is provided in accordance with the Council on 
Environmental Quality's regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508) and 
TVA's procedures implementing the National Environmental Policy Act. 
TVA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation 
(TDEC), in partnership, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) on alternatives for management and disposition of Tims Ford 
Reservoir project lands in Franklin and Moore Counties, Tennessee.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS must be received on or before 
August 31, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Jon M. Loney, Manager, 
Environmental Management, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit 
Hill Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold M. Draper, NEPA Specialist, 
Environmental Management, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit 
Hill Drive, WT 8C, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499; telephone (423) 
632-6889 or e-mail [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Tims Ford Reservoir has a surface area of 10,600-acres (4,290-
hectare) on the Elk River in Franklin and Moore Counties, Tennessee. It 
was completed in 1970 by TVA for the purposes of flood control, 
hydroelectric generation, recreation, and economic development. The 
reservoir is 34 miles (54.7 kilometers) long at full pool. There are 
approximately 250 miles (400 km) of shoreline and 10,000 acres (4050 
ha) of project lands around the impoundment. TVA and TDEC are 
considering new allocations for approximately 6,200 acres (2510 ha) of 
this land. The remainder is already committed to project operations and 
long-term easements.
    The Tennessee Elk River Development Agency (TERDA) was created by 
the Tennessee General Assembly in 1963. The enabling legislation (TCA 
64-1-301) that created TERDA states:

    The agency is created for the purpose of developing and 
effectuating plans and programs for comprehensive development 
including the control and development of the water resources of 
those portions of the Elk River watershed and integrating plans, 
programs, and development activities with the overall economic 
development of the area described.

    On May 17, 1966, TVA and TERDA entered into Contract No.TV-27333A 
to ``engage in a cooperative program of comprehensive, unified resource 
development for the purpose of fostering the orderly physical, 
economic, and social development of the Elk River area,'' which 
included the construction of the Tims Ford Dam and Reservoir. Under 
that agreement, properties that were voluntarily sold were purchased by 
the Federal Government for this project in the name of TERDA. Later, 
those properties below the 895-foot contour were transferred to TVA for 
reservoir project operations. Those tracts acquired under the power of 
eminent domain were purchased in the name of the United States 
Government and remain in the custody of TVA. In September 1980, 
Contract No. TV-27333A was replaced by Contract No. TV-50000A, which 
further defined the roles and responsibilities of each party in 
managing the overall Tims Ford project. In April 1996, the Tennessee 
General Assembly passed Public Chapter 816 of the Public Acts of 1996, 
which terminated TERDA and transferred all powers, duties, contractual 
obligations, functions, and remaining land interests of the agency to 
TDEC. TDEC was charged with the responsibility of disposing of the 
remaining land interests.
    In February 1998, Contract No. TV-50000A was replaced by Contract 
No. 98RE2-229151, which redefined the obligations and responsibilities 
of each party to cooperatively develop a comprehensive Land Management 
and Disposition Plan. The EIS will evaluate the environmental impacts 
of implementing this Plan. Under this contract, all portions of project 
lands must be allocated to specific uses, including TVA project 
operations, resource protection, resource management, industrial/
commercial, recreational, residential, and any other uses deemed 
desirable by the parties. In addition, the Plan will also determine 
which portions of such lands should be transferred to or retained by 
the State; transferred to or retained by TVA or other governmental 
entities for public purposes; or sold, leased, or otherwise disposed.
    The Plan will seek to integrate land and water benefits, provide 
for optimum public benefit, and balance competing and sometimes 
conflicting resource use goals. By providing a clear statement of how 
TVA and TDEC intend to manage land and by identifying land for specific 
uses, TVA and TDEC hope to balance conflicting uses and facilitate 
decision making for use of its land. This Plan will be submitted for 
approval by the TVA Board of Directors and the Tennessee State Building 
Commission and adopted as policy to provide for long-term land 
stewardship and accomplishment of TVA responsibilities under the 1933 
TVA Act, carry forth the purposes for which Congress approved funding 
for the Tims Ford project, and fulfill the intent of Public Chapter 816 
of the 1996 Tennessee General Assembly.
    In developing the plan, it is anticipated that lands currently 
committed to a specific use would be allocated to that current use 
unless there is an overriding need to change. Commitments include 
transfers, easements, leases, licenses, contracts, utilities, 
outstanding land rights, or developed recreation areas. All lands under 
TVA and TDEC control would be allocated in the planning process. At 
this time, TVA anticipates that four alternatives would be analyzed in 
the EIS. The No Action alternative would be chosen if either or both 
agencies decline to adopt a jointly-prepared land management and 
disposition plan. In the absence of a joint plan, TVA and TDEC would 
proceed with disposition or management of properties on a case-by-case 
basis, using the scope of the Tims Ford Project as originally set forth 
and subject to existing laws and policies. TDEC would be guided by 
Public Chapter 816.
    A second alternative would seek to provide a balance of sensitive 
resource management, natural resource conservation, and development. A 
third alternative would allocate lands into categories that emphasize 
maximum development on suitable and capable tracts of land. The fourth 
alternative would prohibit any new development excluding existing uses. 
This alternative would deem all lands unsuitable for development and 
would allocate them for natural resource conservation.

Scoping

    TVA and TDEC formally began the environmental review process with a 
press release on October 2, 1998, announcing a public comment period 
extending through December 1, 1998 to solicit input and to conduct 
public scoping meetings. Public meetings were held on November 9, 1998 
at Winchester, Tennessee and on

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November 10, 1998 at Fayetteville, Tennessee and attended by 181 
people. TDEC also requested comments through a website (http://
www.state.tn.us/environment/elk/) and requested written comments.
    Subsequent to the scoping meetings, the agencies determined that an 
EIS would allow a better understanding of the impacts of the 
alternatives. Accordingly, this notice publishes the intent of the 
agencies to prepare an EIS. Based on the results of the previous 
scoping, the agencies anticipate that the EIS will include discussion 
of the potential effects of alternatives on the following resources and 
issue areas: visual resources, cultural resources, threatened and 
endangered species, terrestrial ecology, wetlands, recreation, water 
quality, aquatic ecology, and socioeconomics. Other issues which may be 
discussed, depending on the potential impacts of the alternatives, 
include floodplains, prime farmland, and air quality.
    TVA is interested in receiving additional comments on the scope of 
issues to be addressed in the EIS. Written comments on the scope of the 
EIS should be received on or before August 31, 1999. TVA and TDEC 
anticipate completing the Draft EIS in the Fall of 1999. An opportunity 
to review and comment on the draft EIS will be provided at that time.

    Dated: July 14, 1999.
Kathryn J. Jackson
Executive Vice President, River System Operations & Environment.
[FR Doc. 99-18760 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P