[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8794-8795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3427]



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Part III





Tennessee Valley Authority





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Environmental Impact Statement--Watts Bar Reservoir Integrated Land 
Plan, Loudon, Meigs, Rhea, and Roane Counties, Tennessee; Notice of 
Intent

  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2004 / 
Notices  

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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Environmental Impact Statement--Watts Bar Reservoir Integrated 
Land Plan, Loudon, Meigs, Rhea, and Roane Counties, TN

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), TVA's 
procedures implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, and 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and its 
implementing regulations (36 CFR Sec.  800). TVA will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the impact of various 
alternatives for management of Watts Bar Reservoir project lands in 
Loudon, Meigs, Rhea, and Roane Counties in Tennessee through the 
development of a Reservoir Land Plan.
    TVA is considering updating a Reservoir Land Management Plan 
completed for Watts Bar Reservoir in 1988. The new Land Plan will 
allocate lands to various categories of uses, which will then be used 
to guide the types of activities that will be considered on TVA land. 
This will enable TVA to allocate additional lands that were not 
previously considered, and to reassess past land use designations 
taking into account public needs, the presence of sensitive 
environmental resources, and TVA policies.
    Lead Agency: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the lead 
agency in the development of this EIS.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS should be received on or before 
April 15, 2004.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard L. Toennisson, NEPA 
Specialist, Environmental Policy and Planning, Tennessee Valley 
Authority, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 8C, Knoxville, Tennessee 
37902-1499; telephone (865) 632-8517 or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Watts Bar Reservoir was completed in 1942 
and is one of 23 multipurpose reservoirs operated by TVA for 
navigation, flood control, power production, recreation, and other 
uses. The Watts Bar Reservoir flows from northeast to southwest through 
Loudon, Meigs, Rhea, and Roane counties in east Tennessee. The 
reservoir extends from Watts Bar Dam 72.4 miles to Fort Loudoun Dam on 
the Tennessee River and 23.1 miles on the Clinch River to Melton Hill 
Dam. It also includes portions of the Emory and Little Emory Rivers. 
TVA originally acquired 49,686 acres of land in fee simple ownership 
for reservoir construction. Of that, 38,600 acres are covered by water 
during normal summer pool. Subsequent transfers of land by TVA for 
economic, industrial, residential, or public recreation development 
have resulted in a current balance of approximately 14,200 acres of TVA 
land on Watts Bar Reservoir.
    TVA is considering reassessing and updating a Reservoir Land 
Management Plan completed for Watts Bar Reservoir in 1988. This will 
enable TVA to allocate additional lands that were not previously 
considered, and to reassess land use designations taking into account 
public needs, the presence of sensitive environmental resources, and 
TVA policies. TVA develops reservoir land management plans to 
facilitate the management of reservoir properties in its custody. In 
general, TVA manages public land to protect and enhance natural 
resources, generate prosperity, and improve the quality of life in the 
Tennessee Valley. These plans allocate lands to various categories of 
uses, which are then used to guide the types of activities that will be 
considered on each tract of land. By providing a clear statement of how 
TVA intends to manage land and by identifying land for specific uses, 
TVA hopes to balance conflicting uses and facilitate decision-making 
for use of its land. Plans are submitted to the TVA Board of Directors 
for approval and adopted as policy to provide for long-term land 
stewardship and accomplishment of TVA responsibilities under the 1933 
TVA Act.
    In developing the new Watts Bar Reservoir Land Plan, it is 
anticipated that lands currently committed to a specific use would be 
allocated to that current use; however, changes that support TVA goals 
and objectives can be considered. Committed land parcels include those 
with existing long term easements, leases, licenses, and contracts, 
parcels with outstanding land rights, or parcels that are necessary for 
TVA project operations. All lands under TVA control would be allocated 
in the planning process. Alternative approaches to land allocation 
would be analyzed in the EIS. The No Action alternative would continue 
to rely on the existing 1988 Watts Bar Reservoir Land Management Plan. 
The 1988 plan allocates land into 19 categories, including natural 
areas, forest and wildlife management, recreation, and industrial 
sites. The action alternative(s) would propose options for allocating 
reservoir lands into land use zones such as: Project Operations, 
Sensitive Resource Management, Natural Resource Conservation, Economic 
Development, Developed Recreation, and Residential Access. The action 
alternatives are expected to include scenarios with allocations 
reflecting varying emphasis on conservation, development, or balanced 
growth.
    In addition to allocating TVA lands into land use zones, TVA 
proposes to provide detailed prescriptions for conserving, enhancing, 
and integrating natural, cultural, visual, and recreation resources 
management on a reservoir-wide basis. This detailed planning is 
proposed within the planning zones for Project Operations, Sensitive 
Resource Management, Natural Resource Conservation, and Developed 
Recreation. This portion of planning will encompass the management or 
protection of public use and access, natural areas, forest health, 
exotic invasive species, nuisance wildlife, ecological diversity, water 
quality, scenic quality and uniqueness, archeological sites, historic 
structures and sites, and public outdoor recreation opportunities.
    This EIS will tier from TVA's Final EIS, Shoreline Management 
Initiative: An Assessment of Residential Shoreline Development Impacts 
in the Tennessee Valley (November 1998). That EIS evaluated alternative 
policies for managing residential uses along TVA's reservoir system, 
including Watts Bar Reservoir.
    TVA anticipates that the EIS will include discussion of the 
potential effects of alternatives on the following resources and issue 
areas: Aquatic ecology, water quality, wetlands, terrestrial ecology, 
cultural resources, recreation, visual resources, threatened and 
endangered species, and navigation. Other issues which may be 
discussed, depending on the potential impacts of the alternatives, 
include floodplains, prime farmland, and air quality.
    Public Participation: This notice constitutes TVA's intent to 
prepare an EIS for the development of the Watts Bar Reservoir Land 
Plan. TVA is interested in receiving comments on the scope of issues to 
be addressed in the EIS. The participation of affected federal, state, 
and local agencies and Indian tribes, as well as other interested 
persons is invited. Further, pursuant to the regulations of the 
Advisory Council

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on Historic Preservation implementing Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act, TVA also solicits comments on the potential 
of the proposed land allocation plan to affect historic properties. 
Additionally, this notice also provides an opportunity under Executive 
Orders 11990 and 11988 for early public review as to the potential of 
TVA's management plan to affect wetlands and floodplains respectively. 
Written comments on the scope of the EIS, including the range of 
alternatives that should be considered and the impacts to be assessed, 
should be received on or before April 15, 2004.
    Comments may also be provided in an oral or written format at a 
public scoping meeting, which will take place during the comment period 
(i.e., prior to April 15, 2004) in the Watts Bar area. The date, time, 
location, and place will be announced in local newspapers, on the TVA 
Web page at http://www.tva.gov, and may also be obtained by contacting 
the persons listed above. In addition, a questionnaire for gathering 
specific information will be distributed at the public meeting and will 
be available on TVA's Web site.
    Upon consideration of the scoping comments, TVA will develop 
alternatives and identify environmental issues to be addressed in the 
EIS. Following analysis of the environmental consequences of each 
alternative, TVA will prepare a draft EIS for public review and 
comment, and distribute it to commenting agencies and the public. 
Notice of availability of the draft EIS will be published in the 
Federal Register. Any meetings that are scheduled to receive comments 
on the draft EIS will be announced by TVA.

    Dated: February 11, 2004.
Kathryn J. Jackson,
Executive Vice President, River System Operations & Environment.
[FR Doc. 04-3427 Filed 2-24-04; 10:39 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P