[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 154 (Thursday, August 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41928-41929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-19947]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Union County Multipurpose Reservoir/Other Water Supply 
Alternatives Project

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Issuance of record of decision.

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

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. 
The Union County, Mississippi, Board of Supervisors and the City of New 
Albany, Mississippi, have decided to adopt Alternative 2: Multipurpose 
Reservoir, as described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) on the Union County Multipurpose Reservoir/Other Water Supply 
Alternatives Project. This alternative would result in the construction 
and operation of a multipurpose reservoir on Cane Creek in Union 
County, Mississippi. Implementing this alternative requires TVA to 
abandon a portion of an existing electrical transmission line right-of-
way and relocate the existing electrical transmission line from that 
right-of-way. TVA has decided to relocate the line to the Alternate 1 
route. In the Final EIS, Union County and the City of New Albany 
identified Alternative 2 as their preferred water supply alternative, 
and TVA identified Alternate 1 as its preferred transmission line 
route. The Final EIS was made available to the public on June 30, 2000. 
A Notice of Availability of the Final EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on July 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles P. Nicholson, NEPA Specialist, 
Environmental Management, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit 
Hill Drive, WT 8C, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499; telephone (423) 
632-3582 or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In July 1998, TVA was requested by the City 
of New Albany, Union County, and others to assist in assessing the 
environmental consequences of alternatives for meeting the future water 
needs of New Albany and Union County, Mississippi. TVA's assistance was 
requested because of its expertise in water supply issues, its 
experience in conducting environmental reviews, and because one of the 
proposed water supply solutions would require TVA to relocate a portion 
of an electrical transmission line. TVA responded to this request by 
preparing a Draft and Final EIS. TVA's action in this project is 
limited to the relocation of the transmission line. The U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers would have actions under at least two of the alternatives.
    TVA provided public notice of its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement on water supply alternatives for Union 
County on December 2, 1998. A public meeting on the proposal was held 
on December 10, 1998. TVA released its Draft EIS on April 14, 2000, and 
held a public meeting to receive comments on the document on May 1, 
2000. Comments were received from two federal and three state agencies, 
one university institute, four representatives of local governments or 
development corporations, and thirteen individuals. After considering 
all comments, TVA revised the EIS appropriately. The Final EIS was 
distributed to commenting agencies and the public on June 30, 2000.

Alternatives Considered

    The Final EIS evaluated a No Action Alternative and three Action 
Alternatives for meeting the future water supply needs of the Union 
County area. The No Action Alternative was based on a normal growth 
scenario, i.e., that the local population and their water supply needs 
will continue to grow at the moderate rate experienced during the 
1990s. The Action Alternatives are based on higher growth rate 
projections, which would result in an additional 0.74 million gallons 
per day (mgd) of water demand in 2020 and an additional 1.67 mgd in 
2050. The Final EIS also evaluated two alternate routes for the 
relocation of a transmission line that would occur as part of one of 
the action alternatives.
    Under Alternative 1: No Action, Union County and the City of New 
Albany would continue making incremental improvements to their existing 
water supply systems Existing local water supply systems rely on 
groundwater pumped from several wells.
    Under Alternative 2: Multipurpose Reservoir, Union County and the 
City of New Albany would construct and operate a reservoir on Cane 
Creek to supply the high growth water demands and provide other 
benefits such as recreation and flood control. The reservoir would be 
impounded by a 2,000-foot long earthen dam located northeast of New 
Albany about 1.75 miles upstream of the junction of Cane Creek and the 
Little Tallahatchie River. At normal pool level, the reservoir would 
impound about 960 acres. Associated water supply system components 
include a water treatment plant immediately downstream of the reservoir 
and a pipeline connection to the local water distribution system.
    As part of this alternative, TVA would relocate a 5.5 mile segment 
of the Albany-Ripley #2 161-kV transmission line from the reservoir 
basin to one of two alternate routes north and east of the reservoir. 
The Alternate 1 route is about 6.4 miles long, and the Alternate 2 
route is about 7.5 miles long. About 3.4 miles of both routes share a 
common corridor. About 1.9 miles of the Alternate 2 route are parallel 
to an existing 500-kV transmission line; along this segment, the 
existing right-of-way would be widened from 175 feet to 247.5 feet to 
accommodate the new line. All of the Alternate 1 route and 5.6 miles of 
the Alternate 2 route would be built on new 100-foot wide right-of-way. 
The line would use a combination of single and double pole metal 
structures with horizontal cross arms.
    Under Alternative 3: Pipeline from Existing Water Supply, a 
pipeline would be constructed, most likely to the Northeast Mississippi 
Regional Water Supply District at Tupelo. This pipeline would be about 
27 miles long and parallel U.S. Highway 78 West. It would

[[Page 41929]]

likely be built with 24-inch diameter iron pipe on a 20- to 50-foot 
wide right-of-way, and require at least one pressure booster station. 
The Northeast Mississippi district withdraws its water from a diversion 
of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and currently has sufficient 
capacity to supply Union County/New Albany. The Northeast Mississippi 
district would eventually have to expand its treatment plant to meet 
the future needs of Union County/New Albany.
    Under Alternative 4: Additional Groundwater Sources, Union County 
and the City of New Albany would rely on groundwater to meet future 
demand, and construct additional wells and pipeline connections. The 
locations of additional wells are unknown at this time; some would 
likely be in the vicinity of existing wells and others would be likely 
be near new large water supply users such as industries. If additional 
well fields were required, they would likely be south and west and New 
Albany.

Decision

    Union County and the City of New Albany have chosen Alternative 2: 
Multipurpose Reservoir because it would ensure an adequate water supply 
and provide the greatest range of supplemental benefits, including 
recreation and limited flood control. TVA has chosen the Alternate 1 
route for the transmission line that would be relocated from the 
reservoir basin area. In the Final EIS, Union County and the City of 
New Albany identified Alternative 2 as their preferred water supply 
alternative, and TVA identified Alternate 1 as its preferred 
transmission line route. TVA will take this action when and if Union 
County and the City of New Albany obtain funding to complete the 
reservoir project, obtain necessary permits, and make appropriate 
financial arrangements with TVA to move the line. In addition, the TVA 
Board of Directors would have to authorize the abandonment of the 
existing transmission line right-of-way.

Environmentally Preferred Alternative

    Section 2.6 of the Final EIS ranked the alternatives by their 
potential environmental impacts. Alternative 1: No Action would result 
in the lowest level of environmental impacts. This alternative would 
not, however, allow Union County and the City of New Albany to meet 
their projected water supply needs. Of the two action alternatives that 
would meet the projected water supply needs without greatly reducing 
groundwater levels, Alternative 3: Pipeline from Existing Supply would 
have fewer environmental impacts that Alternative 2: Multipurpose 
Reservoir.
    Of the alternative actions available to TVA, namely the two 
alternate routes for the transmission line relocation, the Alternate 1 
route is environmentally preferable. It would affect fewer landowners, 
cross fewer streams, and result is less forest clearing than the 
Alternate 2 route. The Alternate 2 route, however, would result in less 
conversion of forest wetlands to scrub-shrub wetlands.

Public Comments on the Final EIS

    Comments on the Final EIS were received from the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Interior, and the Mississippi 
State Department of Health. Most of the comments addressed issues 
related to the operation of the reservoir proposed under Alternative 2. 
At the time the Final EIS was published, detailed information on 
shoreline ownership and management, water levels, downstream flow, 
water withdrawals, and other operational characteristics of the 
reservoir was not available from Union County and the City of New 
Albany. TVA anticipates these issues will be addressed during the 
permitting process.

Environmental Consequences and Commitments

    The construction and operation of the multipurpose reservoir under 
Alternative 2 would result in the inundation of 960 acres of land along 
Cane Creek and changes to stream ecology resulting from impoundment. 
With the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures, many of 
which will be developed during the permitting process, the adverse 
environmental impacts of Alternative 2 are expected to be 
insignificant.
    TVA has adopted the following mitigation measures pertaining to its 
construction and operation of the transmission line:
     Prior to initiation of construction activities, TVA will 
conduct an archaeological survey of the right-of-way. Adverse effects 
to archaeological resources potentially eligible for listing on the 
National Register of Historic Places would likely be avoided by slight 
changes in the location of the line or individual structures. If this 
avoidance is impracticable, adverse effects will be resolved pursuant 
to regulations (36 CFR 800) implementing Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
     All construction and maintenance activities will utilize 
applicable Best Management Practices. Construction activities will also 
adhere to the Right-of-Way Clearing Specifications and Environmental 
Quality Protection Specifications for Transmission Line Construction 
listed in Appendix B-1 of the Final EIS. These list requirements for 
protecting sensitive areas, water and air quality, reducing noise, and 
disposing of wastes.
     Wetlands will be avoided to the extent practicable. 
Identified wetlands, streams, and drainage ways will not be modified so 
as to alter their natural hydrological patterns during transmission 
line clearing, construction, and maintenance. Hydric soils will not be 
disturbed or modified in any way that would alter their hydrological 
properties.
     Initial right-of-way clearing within forested wetlands 
will be accomplished using accepted silvicultural practices for timber/
vegetation harvesting within wetlands.
     Within streams, riparian zones, and wetlands, trees will 
be cut close to ground level and stumps will not be uprooted or 
removed.
     Transmission line maintenance using mechanical means in 
areas surrounding or adjacent to identified wetlands will only be 
conducted during seasonal dry periods, usually late summer or early 
fall, and will be accomplished without the use of heavy equipment.
     Any herbicide applications would be by licensed personnel 
and use EPA-registered herbicides.

    Dated: August 2, 2001.
Kathryn J. Jackson,
Executive Vice President, River System Operations & Environment.
[FR Doc. 01-19947 Filed 8-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P