[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72694-72696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19557]


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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY


Jugfork Solar Project Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for the purchase of electricity 
generated by the proposed Jugfork Solar Project in Lee and Union 
Counties, Mississippi. The EIS will assess the potential environmental 
effects of constructing, operating, and maintaining the proposed 200-
megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC) solar facility, along with a 20 
MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The proposed 200 MW AC solar 
panel facility would occupy approximately 1,000 acres of the 
approximately 1,700-acre Project Study Area. The project would also 
include the upgrade of 6.4 miles of the Tupelo to Union 161-kV 
transmission line. Public comments are invited concerning the scope of 
the EIS, alternatives being considered, and environmental issues that 
should be addressed as a part of this EIS. TVA is also requesting data, 
information, and analysis relevant to the proposed action from the 
public; affected federal, state, tribal, and local governments, 
agencies, and offices; the scientific community; industry; or any other 
interested party.

DATES: The public scoping period begins with the publication of this 
Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. To ensure consideration, 
comments must be postmarked, emailed, or submitted online no later than 
October 7, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Neil Schock, NEPA 
Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 
11B, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902. Comments may be submitted online at: 
www.tva.gov/nepa, or by email to [email protected]. To ensure comments are 
correctly dispositioned,

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please specify the project when submitting comments. Please note that 
TVA encourages comments submitted electronically.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil Schock by email at 
[email protected], by phone at (865) 632-3053, or by mail at the address 
above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with 
the Council on Environmental Quality's Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 
to 1508) and TVA's procedures for implementing the NEPA (18 CFR 1318). 
TVA is an agency and instrumentality of the United States, established 
by an act of Congress in 1933, to foster the social and economic 
welfare of the people of the Tennessee Valley region and to promote the 
proper use and conservation of the region's natural resources. One 
component of this mission is the generation, transmission, and sale of 
reliable and affordable electric energy.

Background

    In June 2019, TVA completed the final Integrated Resource Plan 
(IRP) and associated EIS. The 2019 IRP identified the various resources 
that TVA intends to use to meet the energy needs of the TVA region over 
the 20-year planning period while achieving TVA's objectives to deliver 
reliable, low-cost, and cleaner energy with fewer environmental 
impacts. The 2019 IRP anticipates growth of solar in all scenarios 
analyzed, with most scenarios anticipating 5,000 to 8,000 MW and one 
anticipating up to 14,000 MW by 2038 (TVA 2019). The 2019 IRP remains 
valid and guides future generation planning consistent with least cost 
planning principles. With the demand for solar energy increasing, TVA 
has an expansion target of 10,000 MW of solar by 2035 (TVA 2021). 
Customer demand for cleaner energy prompted TVA to release a Request 
for Proposal (RFP) for renewable energy resources (2022 Carbon-Free 
RFP).
    TVA has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with 
Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) to purchase 200 MW AC of power 
generated by the proposed Jugfork Solar Project, hereafter referred to 
as the Project. The proposed 200 MW AC solar facility would occupy 
approximately 1,000 acres of the approximately 1,700-acre Project Study 
Area which is located in Lee and Union Counties, in northeast 
Mississippi. The project site is north of Tupelo, Mississippi, along 
State Highway 348 east of New Albany, Mississippi. The project site is 
mostly farmland with areas of woody wetlands, deciduous forest, and 
hay/pasture. The land surplus is to accommodate access roads and the 
potential repositioning of the array if any areas need to be avoided as 
a result of the NEPA review. A map showing the project site is 
available at www.tva.gov/nepa.

Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives

    In addition to a No Action Alternative, TVA will evaluate the 
action alternative of purchasing power from the proposed Jugfork Solar 
Project under the terms of a PPA. In evaluating alternatives, TVA 
considered other solar proposals, prior to selecting the Jugfork Solar 
site for further evaluation. Part of the screening process included a 
review of transmission options, including key connection points to 
TVA's transmission system. The screening process indicated that the 
Jugfork site is a viable option for connectivity. Environmental and 
cultural considerations were also included in TVA's screening process. 
The EIS will evaluate ways to avoid impacts, as well as mitigate 
impacts that cannot be avoided. The description and analysis of these 
alternatives in the EIS will inform decision makers, other agencies, 
and the public about the potential for environmental impacts. TVA 
solicits comments on whether there are other alternatives that should 
be assessed in the EIS.

Project Purpose and Need

    The Jugfork Solar Project that was submitted as a result of TVA's 
2022 Carbon-Free RFP will help TVA meet the need for additional 
renewable generating capacity in response to customer demands and 
fulfill the renewable energy goals established in the 2019 IRP which 
remains valid. This EIS will identify the purpose and need of the 
project and will contain descriptions of the existing environmental and 
socioeconomic resources within the area that could be affected by the 
proposed solar facility, including the documented historical, cultural, 
and environmental resources. Evaluation of potential environmental 
impacts to these resources will include, but not be limited to, air 
quality and greenhouse gas emissions, surface water, groundwater, 
wetlands, floodplains, vegetation, wildlife, threatened and endangered 
species, land use, natural areas and parks and recreation, geology, 
soils, prime farmland, visual resources, noise, cultural resources, 
socioeconomics and environmental justice, solid and hazardous waste, 
public and occupational health and safety, utilities, and 
transportation.
    Based on a preliminary evaluation of these resources, potential 
impacts to vegetation and wildlife due to the conversion of deciduous 
forest of various ages to early maintained grass-dominated fields may 
occur. Impacts to water resources would likely be minor with the use of 
best management practices and avoidance of siting project components in 
or near streams, wetlands, and riparian areas to the extent feasible. 
Land use would be impacted by the conversion of farmland to industrial 
use and the elimination of current farming operations. This would also 
result in visual impacts. Beneficial impacts are expected by 
facilitating the development of renewable energy and thereby increasing 
local job opportunities. The EIS will analyze measures that would 
avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental effects. The final range of 
issues to be addressed in the environmental review will be determined, 
in part, from scoping comments received.

Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and 
Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action

    The final range of issues to be addressed in the environmental 
review will be determined, in part, from scoping comments received. TVA 
is particularly interested in public input on other reasonable 
alternatives that should be considered in the EIS. The preliminary 
identification of reasonable alternatives and environmental issues in 
this notice is not meant to be exhaustive or final.

Public Participation

    The public is invited to submit comments on the scope of this EIS 
no later than the date identified in the DATES section of this notice. 
Federal, state, and local agencies and Native American Tribes are also 
invited to provide comments. Information about this project is 
available on the TVA web page at www.tva.gov/nepa, including a link to 
an online public comment page. Any comments received, including names 
and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and will 
be available for public inspection. After consideration of comments 
received during the scoping period, TVA will develop and distribute a 
scoping document that will summarize public and agency comments that 
were received and identify the schedule for completing the EIS process. 
Following analysis of the issues, TVA will prepare the draft EIS for 
public review and

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comment; expected to be released summer of 2025. TVA anticipates the 
final EIS in spring 2026. In finalizing the EIS and in making its final 
decision, TVA will consider the comments that it receives on the draft. 
Information regarding the release of the draft EIS, the associated 
comment period, the final EIS, and the schedule will be posted on TVA's 
website.

Michael McCall,
Vice President, Environment and Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2024-19557 Filed 9-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P