83 FR 61708 - Environmental Impact Statement for Allen Fossil Plant Ash Impoundment Closures

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 231 (November 30, 2018)

Page Range		61708-61709
FR Document		2018-25914

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the potential environmental effects associated with the future management of coal combustion residual (CCR) material at the Allen Fossil Plant (ALF) located in Shelby County, Tennessee, southwest of the City of Memphis. The purpose of this EIS is to support the implementation of TVA's goal to eliminate all wet CCR storage at its coal plants by closing CCR surface impoundments across the TVA system, and to assist TVA in complying with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) CCR Rule. In addition, the proposed actions would make the ALF closure area land available for future economic development projects in the greater Memphis area. TVA will evaluate closure of the East Ash Pond Complex, the West Ash Pond, and the Metal Cleaning Pond. In addition to these closures, TVA will analyze potential location requirements and associated environmental impacts associated with construction and utilization of a proposed beneficial re-use facility to process CCR materials. TVA will also evaluate potential impacts associated with actions requiring use of permitted borrow sites and the disposal of CCR at existing offsite permitted landfills. TVA will develop and evaluate various alternatives to these actions, including the No Action Alternative. Public comments are invited concerning both the scope of the review and environmental issues that should be addressed.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 231 (Friday, November 30, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61708-61709]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25914]

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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

Environmental Impact Statement for Allen Fossil Plant Ash
Impoundment Closures

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) to address the potential
environmental effects associated with the future management of coal
combustion residual (CCR) material at the Allen Fossil Plant (ALF)
located in Shelby County, Tennessee, southwest of the City of Memphis.
The purpose of this EIS is to support the implementation of TVA's goal
to eliminate all wet CCR storage at its coal plants by closing CCR
surface impoundments across the TVA system, and to assist TVA in
complying with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) CCR Rule. In
addition, the proposed actions would make the ALF closure area land
available for future economic development projects in the greater
Memphis area.
TVA will evaluate closure of the East Ash Pond Complex, the West
Ash Pond, and the Metal Cleaning Pond. In addition to these closures,
TVA will analyze potential location requirements and associated
environmental impacts associated with construction and utilization of a
proposed beneficial re-use facility to process CCR materials. TVA will
also evaluate potential impacts associated with actions requiring use
of permitted borrow sites and the disposal of CCR at existing offsite
permitted landfills. TVA will develop and evaluate various alternatives
to these actions, including the No Action Alternative. Public comments
are invited concerning both the scope of the review and environmental
issues that should be addressed.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS must be received on or before
January 4, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Ashley Farless, NEPA
Compliance Specialist, 1101 Market Street, BR4A-C, Chattanooga, TN
37402. Comments also may be submitted online at: https://www.tva.gov/nepa or by email to arfarless@tva.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Other related questions should be sent
to Ashley Farless, NEPA Compliance Specialist, Tennessee Valley
Authority, at 423-751-2361 or arfarless@tva.gov.

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 National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations (36
CFR part 800).

TVA Power System and CCR Management

TVA is a corporate agency and instrumentality of the United States
created by and existing pursuant to the TVA Act of 1933 that provides
electricity for business customers and local power distributors. TVA
serves more than 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern
states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its
revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and
investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood
control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system
and assists local power companies and state and local governments with
economic development and job creation.
Historically, TVA has managed its CCRs in wet impoundments or dry
landfills. On March 31, 2018, ALF's three coal-fired units were
retired. While in operation, ALF consumed approximately 7,200 tons of
coal a day and produced approximately 5,160 million kilowatt-hours of
electricity a year. CCR produced by the collective units included
approximately 85,000 dry tons of slag and fly ash that was wet-sluiced
to the East Ash Pond Complex every year.
It is estimated that approximately 250,000 cubic yards (yd\3\) of
CCR material remains in the West Ash Pond and approximately 2.7 million
cubic yards (yd\3\) of CCR material remains in the East Ash Pond
Complex. There are approximately 193,000 cubic yards of CCR in the area
surrounding the Metal Cleaning Pond.
In July 2009, the TVA Board of Directors passed a resolution for
staff to review TVA practices for storing CCRs at its generating
facilities, including ALF, which resulted in a recommendation to
convert the wet ash management system at ALF to a dry storage system.
On April 17, 2015, the EPA published the final Disposal of CCRs from
Electric Utilities rule, also known as the CCR Rule.
In June 2016, TVA issued a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PEIS) that analyzed methods for closing CCR impoundments at
TVA fossil plants and identified specific screening and evaluation
factors to help frame its evaluation of closures at its other
facilities. A Record of Decision was released in July 2016 that would
allow future environmental reviews of qualifying CCR impoundment
closures to tier from the PEIS. This EIS is intended to tier from the
2016 PEIS to evaluate the closure alternatives for the CCR Ash
Impoundments at ALF.

Alternatives

In addition to a No Action Alternative, this EIS will address
alternatives that meet the purpose and need for the project. TVA plans
to consider the following: (1) No Action, (2) closure of the Metal
Cleaning Pond and closure-by-removal of the East Ash Pond Complex, the
West Ash Pond and the CCR surrounding the Metal Cleaning Pond to an
offsite landfill location (note that the Metal Cleaning Pond would be
removed by default while removing the CCR material surrounding it), (3)
closure of the Metal Cleaning Pond and closure-by-removal of the East
Ash Pond Complex, the West Ash Pond and the CCR surrounding the Metal
Cleaning Pond to a beneficial re-use facility & offsite landfill
location (see note above in #2), and (4) closure of the Metal Cleaning
Pond and closure-in-place of all CCR in the East Ash Pond Complex, the
West Ash Pond and CCR surrounding the Metal Cleaning Pond.

Proposed Resources and Issues To Be Considered

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 management of
CCR at ALF. Evaluation of potential environmental impacts to these
resources will include, but not be limited to, water quality, aquatic
and terrestrial ecology, threatened and endangered species, wetlands,
land use, historic and archaeological resources, as well as solid and
hazardous waste,

[[Page 61709]]

safety, socioeconomic and environmental justice issues. The final range
of issues to be addressed in the environmental review will be
determined, in part, from scoping comments received. The preliminary
identification of reasonable alternatives and environmental issues in
this notice is not meant to be exhaustive or final.

Public Participation

TVA is interested in an open process and wants input from the
community. 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.
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 a draft EIS for public review and comment. In making its
final decision, TVA will consider the analyses in this EIS and
substantive comments that it receives. A final decision on proceeding
with the management and final disposal of CCR and closure of the
surface impoundments will depend on a number of factors. These include
results of the EIS, requirements of the CCR Rule, relevant state law
requirements, engineering and risk evaluations, and financial
considerations.
TVA anticipates holding a community meeting near ALF after
releasing the Draft EIS. Meeting details will be posted on TVA's
website. TVA expects to release the Draft EIS in the Fall of 2019.

Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.

M. Susan Smelley,
Director, Environmental Compliance and Operations.
[FR Doc. 2018-25914 Filed 11-29-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P

61708 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 231 / Friday, November 30, 2018 / Notices

on during the public comment period. DATES: Comments on the scope of the In July 2009, the TVA Board of
TVA will set time limits for providing EIS must be received on or before Directors passed a resolution for staff to
oral comments, once registered. January 4, 2019. review TVA practices for storing CCRs
Handout materials should be limited to ADDRESSES: Written comments should at its generating facilities, including
one printed page. Written comments are be sent to Ashley Farless, NEPA ALF, which resulted in a
also invited and may be mailed to the Compliance Specialist, 1101 Market recommendation to convert the wet ash
Regional Energy Resource Council, Street, BR4A–C, Chattanooga, TN 37402. management system at ALF to a dry
Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Comments also may be submitted online storage system. On April 17, 2015, the
Summit Hill Drive, WT–9–D, Knoxville, at: https://www.tva.gov/nepa or by EPA published the final Disposal of
Tennessee 37902. email to arfarless@tva.gov. CCRs from Electric Utilities rule, also
Dated: November 8, 2018. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
known as the CCR Rule.
In June 2016, TVA issued a Final
Joseph J. Hoagland, Other related questions should be sent
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Vice President, Enterprise Relations and to Ashley Farless, NEPA Compliance
Statement (PEIS) that analyzed methods
Innovation, Tennessee Valley Authority. Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority,
for closing CCR impoundments at TVA
[FR Doc. 2018–26070 Filed 11–29–18; 8:45 am] at 423–751–2361 or arfarless@tva.gov.
fossil plants and identified specific
BILLING CODE 8120–08–P SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This screening and evaluation factors to help
notice is provided in accordance with frame its evaluation of closures at its
the Council on Environmental Quality’s other facilities. A Record of Decision
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508) was released in July 2016 that would
and TVA’s procedures for implementing allow future environmental reviews of
Environmental Impact Statement for the National Environmental Policy Act
Allen Fossil Plant Ash Impoundment qualifying CCR impoundment closures
(NEPA) and Section 106 of the National to tier from the PEIS. This EIS is
Closures Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and intended to tier from the 2016 PEIS to
AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority. its implementing regulations (36 CFR evaluate the closure alternatives for the
ACTION: Notice of intent. part 800). CCR Ash Impoundments at ALF.
SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley TVA Power System and CCR Alternatives
Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an Management
In addition to a No Action
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) TVA is a corporate agency and Alternative, this EIS will address
to address the potential environmental instrumentality of the United States alternatives that meet the purpose and
effects associated with the future created by and existing pursuant to the need for the project. TVA plans to
management of coal combustion TVA Act of 1933 that provides consider the following: (1) No Action,
residual (CCR) material at the Allen electricity for business customers and (2) closure of the Metal Cleaning Pond
Fossil Plant (ALF) located in Shelby local power distributors. TVA serves and closure-by-removal of the East Ash
County, Tennessee, southwest of the more than 9 million people in parts of Pond Complex, the West Ash Pond and
City of Memphis. The purpose of this seven southeastern states. TVA receives the CCR surrounding the Metal Cleaning
EIS is to support the implementation of no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually Pond to an offsite landfill location (note
TVA’s goal to eliminate all wet CCR all of its revenues from sales of that the Metal Cleaning Pond would be
storage at its coal plants by closing CCR electricity. In addition to operating and removed by default while removing the
surface impoundments across the TVA investing its revenues in its electric CCR material surrounding it), (3) closure
system, and to assist TVA in complying system, TVA provides flood control, of the Metal Cleaning Pond and closure-
with the Environmental Protection navigation and land management for the by-removal of the East Ash Pond
Agency’s (EPA) CCR Rule. In addition, Tennessee River system and assists local Complex, the West Ash Pond and the
the proposed actions would make the power companies and state and local CCR surrounding the Metal Cleaning
ALF closure area land available for governments with economic Pond to a beneficial re-use facility &
future economic development projects development and job creation. offsite landfill location (see note above
in the greater Memphis area. Historically, TVA has managed its in #2), and (4) closure of the Metal
TVA will evaluate closure of the East CCRs in wet impoundments or dry Cleaning Pond and closure-in-place of
Ash Pond Complex, the West Ash Pond, landfills. On March 31, 2018, ALF’s all CCR in the East Ash Pond Complex,
and the Metal Cleaning Pond. In three coal-fired units were retired. the West Ash Pond and CCR
addition to these closures, TVA will While in operation, ALF consumed surrounding the Metal Cleaning Pond.
analyze potential location requirements approximately 7,200 tons of coal a day
and associated environmental impacts and produced approximately 5,160 Proposed Resources and Issues To Be
associated with construction and million kilowatt-hours of electricity a Considered
utilization of a proposed beneficial re- year. CCR produced by the collective This EIS will identify the purpose and
use facility to process CCR materials. units included approximately 85,000 need of the project and will contain
TVA will also evaluate potential dry tons of slag and fly ash that was wet- descriptions of the existing
impacts associated with actions sluiced to the East Ash Pond Complex environmental and socioeconomic
requiring use of permitted borrow sites every year. resources within the area that could be
and the disposal of CCR at existing It is estimated that approximately affected by the management of CCR at
offsite permitted landfills. TVA will 250,000 cubic yards (yd3) of CCR ALF. Evaluation of potential
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1

develop and evaluate various material remains in the West Ash Pond environmental impacts to these
alternatives to these actions, including and approximately 2.7 million cubic resources will include, but not be
the No Action Alternative. Public yards (yd3) of CCR material remains in limited to, water quality, aquatic and
comments are invited concerning both the East Ash Pond Complex. There are terrestrial ecology, threatened and
the scope of the review and approximately 193,000 cubic yards of endangered species, wetlands, land use,
environmental issues that should be CCR in the area surrounding the Metal historic and archaeological resources, as
addressed. Cleaning Pond. well as solid and hazardous waste,

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 231 / Friday, November 30, 2018 / Notices 61709

safety, socioeconomic and ACTION: Notice of availability and quality; climate; noise and noise-
environmental justice issues. The final request for comment. compatible land use; biological
range of issues to be addressed in the resources; water resources (surface
environmental review will be SUMMARY: In accordance with the waters); hazardous materials, solid
determined, in part, from scoping National Environmental Policy Act of waste, and pollution prevention; and
comments received. The preliminary 1969, as amended (NEPA), Council on historical, architectural, archeological,
identification of reasonable alternatives Environmental Quality NEPA and cultural resources. Potential
and environmental issues in this notice implementing regulations, and FAA cumulative impacts are also addressed
is not meant to be exhaustive or final. Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: in the Draft EA.
Policies and Procedures, the FAA is The FAA has posted the Draft EA on
Public Participation announcing the availability of and the FAA Office of Commercial Space
TVA is interested in an open process requesting comment on the Draft Transportation website: https://
and wants input from the community. Environmental Assessment for Issuing www.faa.gov/about/office_org/
The public is invited to submit SpaceX a Launch License for an In-flight headquarters_offices/ast/
comments on the scope of this EIS no Dragon Abort Test, Kennedy Space environmental/nepa_docs/review/
later than the date identified in the Center, Brevard County, Florida (Draft launch/.
‘‘Dates’’ section of this notice. Federal, EA). The FAA encourages all interested
state and local agencies and Native DATES: Comments must be received on parties to provide comments concerning
American Tribes are also invited to or before December 31, 2018. the scope and content of the Draft EA.
provide comments. ADDRESSES: Comments should be Before including your address, phone
After consideration of comments mailed to Daniel Czelusniak, number, email address, or other
received during the scoping period, Environmental Protection Specialist, personal identifying information in your
TVA will develop and distribute a Federal Aviation Administration, 800 comment, be advised that your entire
scoping document that will summarize Independence Avenue SW, Suite 325, comment—including your personal
public and agency comments that were Washington, DC 20591. Comments may identifying information—may be made
received and identify the schedule for also be submitted by email to publicly available at any time. While
completing the EIS process. Following SpaceXDragonAbortEA@icf.com. you can ask the FAA in your comment
analysis of the issues, TVA will prepare FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: to withhold from public review your
a draft EIS for public review and Daniel Czelusniak, Environmental personal identifying information, the
comment. In making its final decision, Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation FAA cannot guarantee that we will be
TVA will consider the analyses in this Administration, 800 Independence able to do so.
EIS and substantive comments that it Avenue SW, Suite 325, Washington, DC Issued in Washington, DC, on November
receives. A final decision on proceeding 20591; phone (202) 267–5924; email 15, 2018.
with the management and final disposal SpaceXDragonAbortEA@icf.com. Daniel Murray,
of CCR and closure of the surface SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA Manager, Space Transportation Development
impoundments will depend on a is evaluating SpaceX’s proposal to Division.
number of factors. These include results conduct a one-time in-flight Dragon [FR Doc. 2018–26075 Filed 11–29–18; 8:45 am]
of the EIS, requirements of the CCR abort test at Kennedy Space Center’s BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
Rule, relevant state law requirements, Launch Complex 39A, which would
engineering and risk evaluations, and require the FAA to issue a launch
financial considerations. license. Issuing a launch license is DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
TVA anticipates holding a community considered a Federal action subject to
meeting near ALF after releasing the environmental review under NEPA. Federal Railroad Administration
Draft EIS. Meeting details will be posted Under the Proposed Action, the FAA
on TVA’s website. TVA expects to Notice Rescinding Eight Notices of
would issue a license to SpaceX, which
release the Draft EIS in the Fall of 2019. Intent To Prepare Environmental
would authorize SpaceX to conduct the
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7. Impact Statements
abort test using a Falcon 9 launch
M. Susan Smelley, vehicle and a Dragon-2 (i.e., SpaceX’s AGENCY: Federal Railroad
crew version of Dragon). Dragon-2 was Administration (FRA), U.S. Department
Director, Environmental Compliance and
Operations. developed with the intent to carry of Transportation (DOT).
astronauts. The proposed abort test is ACTION: Notice.
[FR Doc. 2018–25914 Filed 11–29–18; 8:45 am]
part of SpaceX’s commercial crew
BILLING CODE 8120–08–P
certification process with the National SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad
Aeronautics and Space Administration Administration (FRA) is issuing this
(NASA). The abort test is scheduled to notice to advise the public that FRA is
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION occur in 2019. rescinding the Notices of Intent (NOI)
Alternatives under consideration for the following Environmental Impact
Federal Aviation Administration Statements (EIS): The Pennsylvania
include the Proposed Action and the No
Office of Commercial Space Action Alternative. Under the No Maglev Proposal; the Tupelo Railroad
Transportation: Notice of Availability Action Alternative, the FAA would not Relocation Planning and Environmental
issue a license to SpaceX to conduct the Study; the Tier 2 EIS for the Chicago to
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1

and Request for Comment on the Draft
Environmental Assessment for Issuing abort test, and therefore SpaceX would Joliet High-Speed Rail (HSR) Project; the
SpaceX a Launch License for an In- not conduct the abort test. Tier 2 EIS for the HSR Project between
Flight Dragon Abort Test, Kennedy The Draft EA evaluates the potential Granite City, IL to St. Louis, MO HSR
Space Center, Brevard County, Florida environmental impacts from the Project; EIS for the ACEforward
Proposed Action and No Action Program; EIS for the Milwaukee, WI to
AGENCY:Federal Aviation Alternative on visual effects (including Minneapolis, MN Rail Corridor; 7) the
Administration, DOT. light emissions); coastal resources; air Los Angeles to San Louis Obispo North

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Document Created: 2018-11-30 04:35:21
Document Modified: 2018-11-30 04:35:21

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of intent.
Dates		Comments on the scope of the EIS must be received on or before January 4, 2019.
Contact		Other related questions should be sent to Ashley Farless, NEPA Compliance Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority, at 423-751-2361 or [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 61708