[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4115-4117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01621]


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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Shawnee Fossil Plant New Coal Combustion Residual Landfill

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Issuance of Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: This notice is provided in accordance with the Council on 
Environmental Quality's regulations and Tennessee Valley Authority's 
(TVA) procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA). TVA has decided to construct and operate an onsite landfill at 
the Shawnee Fossil Plant (SHF). A notice of availability (NOA) of the 
Final EIS for Shawnee Fossil Plant Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) 
Management was published in the Federal Register on December 8, 2017. 
The Final EIS identified TVA's preferred alternative as Alternative B--
Construction of an Onsite CCR Landfill, Closure-in-Place of Ash 
Impoundment 2 with a reduced footprint, and Closure-in-Place of the 
former Special Waste Landfill. TVA's current decision pertains only to 
the construction of a new onsite CCR landfill, and would achieve part 
of the project purpose and need by providing additional long-term 
disposal for dry CCR materials produced at SHF. TVA is electing to 
further consider the alternatives for closure of Ash Impoundment 2 and 
the former Special Waste Landfill (SWL) before making a decision.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashley Pilakowski, Project 
Environmental Planning, NEPA Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority, 
400 W. Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN 37902; telephone 865-632-2256, 
or by email [email protected]. The Final EIS, this Record of 
Decision and other project documents are available on TVA's website 
https://www.tva.gov/nepa.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently, SHF consumes an average of 2.7 
million cubic yards of coal per year and generates approximately 8 
billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year (enough to supply 540,000 
homes). Until December 2017, SHF produced approximately 183,000 cubic 
yards of coal combustion residuals (CCR) a year. In December 2017, 
newly installed selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and flue gas 
desulfurization (FGD) systems became operational on SHF Units 1 and 4, 
increasing the amount of CCR to an estimated 490,000 cubic yards per 
year. All CCR currently are managed in the existing onsite landfill and 
Ash Impoundment 2. The CCR generated by the plant include fly ash, 
bottom ash and dry scrubber product.
    The existing onsite landfill, formerly the Special Waste Landfill 
(SWL), had a state landfill permit. However, it is now considered a CCR 
Landfill under a Registered Permit-by-Rule with the Kentucky Division 
of Waste Management effective September 21, 2017. The estimated 
remaining capacity for the former SWL is approximately 5.2 million 
cubic yards. Due to current and projected SHF operations, it is 
expected the former SWL will reach capacity by 2027. To accommodate the 
need for additional dry CCR storage at SHF, TVA is proposing to design, 
build, and operate a new CCR Landfill that would accommodate up to 20 
additional years of storage capacity. SHF is expected to produce 
approximately 490,000 to 910,000 cubic yards of CCR per year until 
2040. The low-end of this range is based on the current plant 
configuration, including the use of SCR and FGD systems on SHF Units 1 
and 4. The higher-end of this range provides the maximum CCR output 
that could be anticipated should TVA elect to explore the option of 
installing similar emission controls on the other SHF units in the 
future. At present, TVA has no plans to install such systems. 
Approximately 10 to 20 million cubic yards of disposal capacity is 
desired for the 20-year SHF comprehensive disposal plan.
    The purpose of this action is to support the need for additional 
capacity for the long-term management of CCR at SHF. Additional storage 
capacity would also enable TVA to continue operations at SHF as planned 
and would be consistent with TVA's voluntary commitment to convert wet 
CCR management systems to dry systems.

Alternatives Considered

    In 2015, TVA performed a siting study to evaluate onsite and 
offsite alternatives for the construction of a landfill for storage of 
dry CCR from SHF. The siting study identified six alternative sites 
(Options 1 through 6), within 5 to 10 miles of the plant, for the 
construction and operation of a new CCR Landfill. The siting study also 
considered the offsite transport of CCR to one of three existing 
permitted third-party landfills as a potential alternative. The impacts 
of development and/or use of each of the landfill alternatives were 
further evaluated against environmental and engineering factors to 
determine those sites that should be carried forward for further 
analysis in the study. Ultimately, one site for construction and 
operation of a new CCR Landfill (Option 1) and one existing permitted 
third-party landfill (Freedom Waste Landfill)

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were identified as potential alternatives to be carried forward for 
further evaluation.
    TVA used results of the preliminary alternatives analysis to 
identify two feasible action alternatives for onsite disposal of CCR at 
SHF, in addition to a No-Action alternative (Alternative A), which 
served as a baseline.
    Alternative A--No Action. Under the No Action Alternative, TVA 
would not construct and operate the proposed CCR Landfill at or near 
SHF, or haul CCR to an existing offsite permitted landfill. Since there 
is limited capacity for additional CCR disposal onsite, at some point 
in the future, capacity to store CCR onsite will become a limiting 
factor for continued SHF operations. TVA's 2015 Integrated Resource 
Plan (TVA 2015c) identifies SHF as a facility that will continue to 
operate in the near term as part of its balanced portfolio of energy 
resources. However, SHF cannot continue to operate if it is not 
compliant with the CCR Rule. Under the No Action Alternative, SHF's 
operations would not comply with the CCR Rule; therefore, this 
alternative would not meet the Purpose and Need for the proposed action 
and is not considered viable or reasonable. It does, however, provide a 
benchmark for comparing the environmental impacts of implementation of 
Action Alternatives B and C.
    Alternative B--Construction and Operation of an Onsite Landfill. 
Under Alternative B, TVA would build and operate a new CCR Landfill on 
a portion of the original Option 1 site known as the Shawnee East Site. 
The Shawnee East Site consists of about 205 acres that TVA acquired in 
2016 next to the eastern boundary of SHF. This site would also be used 
for borrow material for both construction of the new CCR Landfill and 
potentially for the closures of Ash Impoundment 2 and the former SWL.
    Alternative C--CCR Disposal at Permitted Offsite Landfill. Under 
Alternative C, dry CCR produced by daily operations at SHF would be 
transported by truck to the Freedom Waste Landfill in Mayfield, 
Kentucky (approximately 32 miles from SHF) along public roadways. No 
landfill would be constructed on the Shawnee East Site, but borrow 
materials from that site potentially would be used in the closures of 
Ash Impoundment 2 and the former SWL. Barge and rail transport were not 
considered feasible options for this EIS given the lack of existing 
infrastructure.

Environmentally Preferable Alternative

    TVA has concluded that Alternative A, the No Action Alternative, is 
the environmentally preferable alternative as it would result in fewer 
environmental impacts than Alternatives B and C. Under Alternative A, 
no additional land area would be required for CCR disposal. Eventually, 
the former SWL would reach capacity which could force reduced 
operations at SHF potentially eliminating the long-term impacts 
associated with air emissions.
    However, Alternative A (No Action) does not meet the purpose and 
need for the project. Because SHF provides base-load power for a large 
portion of TVA's service territory, stopping operations at SHF is not 
consistent with TVA's mission or its 2015 Integrated Resource Plan. 
Continuing current operations would not comply with the CCR Rule 
therefore the No Action Alternative is not consistent with this 
proposed project's purpose and need. Implementation of Alternative B 
would result in minimal unmitigated impacts to the environment, most of 
which would be related to construction activities that would be 
temporary in nature and minimized with implementation of best 
management practices.
    Potential impacts associated with the discharge of storm water from 
the new landfill would be mitigated as needed to ensure compliance with 
the Clean Water Act. There would be moderate impacts to visual 
resources associated with changes in the viewshed around the new 
landfill. Additionally, there would be minor to moderate noise impacts 
in the vicinity of the new landfill as a result of construction and 
operational noise. The visual resources and noise impacts would be 
partially mitigated by the construction and maintenance of a vegetative 
barrier around the boundaries of the new landfill. Tree removal would 
result in a loss of potentially suitable foraging and roosting habitat 
for endangered bat species. Any tree removal would be scheduled so that 
all tree clearing would be conducted between October 15 and March 31, 
outside the breeding season. Impacts to wetlands would be mitigated 
through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act Section 404 
permit. The proposed CCR Landfill would have no significant impact on 
floodplains, which would be consistent with E.O. 11988. TVA consulted 
with the Tennessee State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) on the 
proposed actions. In fall 2017, the SHPO concurred with TVA's 
recommendation that there would be no adverse effect to archaeological 
resources and no adverse effect to historic properties as a result of 
the proposed CCR landfill.
    Under Alternative C, impacts to air quality, transportation, solid 
waste and hazardous waste and hazardous materials, and public health 
and safety would be higher than under Alternative B because of the 
transportation of CCR materials from SHF to an offsite landfill. The 
use of an existing, permitted landfill would result in no other 
additional impacts to the natural environment beyond those described 
for Alternative B.

Public Involvement

    On November 1, 2016, TVA published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the 
Federal Register announcing the plan to prepare an EIS to address the 
potential environmental effects associated with ceasing operations at 
the former SWL and Ash Impoundment 2 and constructing, operating, and 
maintaining a new CCR Landfill at SHF. The 30-day public scoping period 
concluded on December 1, 2016. TVA also sent the NOI to local and state 
government entities and federal agencies; published notices regarding 
this effort in local newspapers; issued a press release to media; 
posted the news release on the TVA website; and notified residents 
within a three-mile radius of the plant.
    TVA hosted an open house scoping meeting on November 15, 2016, at 
the Robert Cherry Civic Center in Paducah, Kentucky. Comments were 
received in relation to the project purpose and need, alternatives, 
impact analysis, cumulative impacts, groundwater and surface water, 
aquatic ecology and threatened and endangered species, general 
environmental concerns, transportation, the NEPA Process and Scoping 
Meeting, and other general topics.
    The Draft EIS was released to the public on June 9, 2017, and a 
notice of availability including a request for comments on the Draft 
EIS was published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2017. In 
association with the publication of the Draft EIS, TVA hosted a public 
meeting on June 22, 2017, at the Robert Cherry Civic Center in Paducah, 
Kentucky. Notification of the public meeting was sent to local 
residents adjacent to the SHF plant, and also published in local 
newspapers. Local and regional stakeholders, governments, and other 
interested parties were also informed of the publication of the Draft 
EIS and provided information about the public meeting. TVA received a 
total of 83

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comments from eight commenters in relation to the Draft EIS.
    The NOA for the Final EIS was published in the Federal Register on 
December 8, 2017.

Decision

    TVA has chosen a phased decision-making approach for CCR Management 
at SHF. TVA has decided to construct and operate an onsite CCR Landfill 
at SHF. This decision would achieve a portion of the purpose and need 
of the project and avoid offsite transfer of CCR along public roads, 
thus eliminating the long-term impacts associated with air emissions, 
increased traffic and associated safety risks, and disruptions to the 
public that would be associated with such offsite transport under 
Alternative C--CCR Disposal at a Permitted Offsite Landfill.
    TVA is continuing to review and consider the alternatives regarding 
closure of Ash Impoundment 2 and the former SWL and will issue a 
decision and any additional documentation at a future date.

Mitigation Measures

    TVA would use appropriate best management practices during all 
phases of construction and operation of the landfill. Mitigation 
measures, actions taken to reduce adverse impacts associated with 
proposed action, include:
     Due to the loss of potentially suitable foraging and 
roosting habitat for endangered bat species, TVA completed Section 7 
consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 
Any tree removal would be scheduled so that all tree clearing would be 
conducted between October 15 and March 31, outside of the bats' 
breeding season.
     Prior to disturbing a 0.7-acre wetland on the Shawnee East 
Site, TVA would obtain a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for impacts 
that could occur in conjunction with clearing, excavating, or grading 
during landfill construction. Where impacts to wetlands cannot be 
avoided, TVA would mitigate impacts in accordance with the Section 404 
permit, as determined in consultation with the USACE.
     To minimize visual and noise impacts, TVA would plant and 
maintain a vegetative buffer around the proposed CCR Landfill as a 
natural screen.
     TVA would avoid the sites in the vicinity of the Shawnee 
East Site that are eligible for the National Register of Historic 
Places.

    Dated: January 16, 2018.
Robert M. Deacy, Sr.,
Senior Vice President, Generation Construction, Projects & Services.
[FR Doc. 2018-01621 Filed 1-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8120-08-P