[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38932-38934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18452]
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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Peaking Capacity Additions
AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
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 (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508) and
TVA's procedures implementing the National Environmental Policy Act.
TVA has decided to adopt the preferred alternative identified in its
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Peaking Capacity Additions.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was made available to
the public on May 13, 1999. A Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final
EIS was published by the Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal
Register on May 21, 1999. Under the preferred alternative, TVA will
construct additional peaking capacity at two TVA fossil plants: 340
megawatts (MW) at Johnsonville Fossil Plant, in Humphreys County,
Tennessee and 340 MW at Gallatin Fossil Plant in Sumner County,
Tennessee. The additions will be gas fired simple cycle combustion
turbines.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard B. Armstrong Jr., NEPA
Specialist, Environmental Management, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400
West Summit Hill Drive, mail stop WT 8C, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-
1499; telephone (423) 632-8059 or e-mail rbarmstrong@tva.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In December 1995, TVA issued its final
Energy 2020 Integrated Resource Plan and Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement. This document projected demands for electricity in
the TVA power service area through the year 2020 and evaluated
different ways of meeting these projected increases. Under the forecast
adopted by TVA, the demand for electricity was projected to exceed
TVA's 1996 generating capacity of 28,000 (MW) by approximately 6,250 MW
in the year 2005. TVA decided to meet this demand through a combination
of supply-side options and customer service options.
One of the supply-side options was to construct additional peaking
capacity within the TVA power system. Tiering
[[Page 38933]]
from the Energy Vision 2020 EIS, this Peaking Addition EIS evaluates
the decision of adding up to 1,530 MW capacity among three existing TVA
fossil plants; Colbert Fossil Plant, Colbert County, Alabama; Gallatin
Fossil Plant, Sumner County and Johnsonville Fossil Plant, Humphreys
County, Tennessee. The evaluation considered the following: the No
Action Alternative, and seven Action Alternatives based on all
combinations of the use of one, two or three candidate sites. Other
options evaluated included generation technology, transmission
connectivity and distribution, and fuel supply. The three candidate
sites were selected based on the following criteria: location in the
TVA service area, sites currently owned by TVA, and use of TVA fossil
plants that now operate combustion turbines. Operating nuclear plant
sites were not considered. The alternative selected was based on both
economic and environmental considerations. The preferred alternative
locates the capacity additions at Gallatin and Johnsonville Fossil
Plants, Tennessee.
On August 12, 1998, TVA issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
an EIS on its proposed construction of additional peaking capacity at
TVA existing sites. Press announcements were sent to TVA region news
media on July 22, 1998, which generally described TVA's plans to add
new peaking capacity by June 2000. On August 24, 1998, TVA issued a
press release which contained specific information about TVA's intent
to hold public scoping meetings concerning the peaking additions. Also,
newspaper notices were published for the meetings. These meetings were
held at the following locations: Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee;
Waverly, Humphreys County, Tennessee and Cherokee, Colbert County,
Alabama. Public comments were considered in preparing the draft EIS. A
NOA of the draft EIS was published by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register on January 29, 1999. Three public
information and comment meetings were held on February 16, 18, and 22,
1999 at Waverly, Tennessee; Cherokee, Alabama; and Gallatin, Tennessee
respectively. Comments were received from three federal and three state
agencies, two corporations, and eight individuals. After considering
all comments, TVA revised the EIS appropriately. The Final EIS was
distributed to commenting agencies and the public on May 13, 1999. A
NOA of the final EIS was published by EPA in the Federal Register on
May 21, 1999.
Alternatives Considered
Alternative methods of meeting TVA's future electrical generation
capacity requirements were evaluated in Energy Vision 2020. One of the
selected methods was to construct additional electric generation
capacity within the TVA system. Tiering from Energy Vision 2020, to
address the peaking capacity additions, two alternatives were
evaluated: a No Action Alternative and an Action Alternative.
Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would not construct additional
peaking generation capacity and would not construct or upgrade
transmission lines or natural gas lines connecting to the new
facilities to the TVA transmission system and fuel supplies. Instead,
TVA would select another fossil alternative evaluated in Energy Vision
2020, such as an option purchase agreement or spot market purchases.
This would not necessarily preclude development and construction of
additional generating capacity in the future by TVA or suppliers of
power to TVA. However, this would be uncertain at this time.
Under the Preferred Alternative, TVA would construct peaking
capacity additions of 340 MW at both Gallatin and Johnsonville Fossil
Plant sites, increasing the total peaking capacity of the TVA system by
680 MW. Each site would receive four simple-cycle combustion turbines
(CT) with a per unit capacity of 85 MW. These CTs are designed to
operate with dual fuel capacity firing either natural gas or low sulfur
distillate fuel oil to maximize fuel flexibility and lower operational
cost. The CTs at both sites would be equipped with dry low nitrogen
oxides (NOX) burners for natural gas firing and would use
water injection for NOX control when firing No. 2 distillate
oil. The peaking capacity additions are proposed to be completed and
operational by June 2000. In addition to the peaking capacity
additions, associated transmission lines serving as a connection to
TVA's power distribution system would be constructed and or upgraded.
Decision
TVA has decided to implement the Preferred Alternative at Gallatin
and Johnsonville fossil plant sites, because it would add a total
capacity of 680 MW to the TVA power system with minimal environmental
impacts and would be more cost effective than constructing additional
capacity at the Colbert Fossil Plant in Colbert County, Alabama. TVA
will also build and upgrade the associated transmission lines serving
as a connection to the TVA power distribution system. This will help
TVA meet the projected demand for electricity in its service area as
well as maintain reliable service to TVA customers.
Environmentally Preferred Alternative
TVA has concluded that the Preferred Alternative is the
environmentally preferred alternative. Alternatives that included the
Colbert Fossil plant required the construction of new or upgraded
natural gas pipelines which had additional potential impacts. There is
no clear basis for identifying either the No Action or the Preferred
Alternative as environmentally preferable to the other. Selection of
the No Action Alternative would eliminate potential adverse impacts
from TVA's construction and operation of new generation peaking
capacity. However, there is no assurance that power purchased by TVA
under the No Action Alternative would be produced by existing
facilities or by facilities with less environmental impacts than the
facilities contemplated by the Preferred Alternative. To the contrary,
given the current and projected needs for new power generation, it may
be more reasonable to assume the purchased power would be produced by
new generating units with unknown environmental cost. Also, by
selecting the Preferred Alternative and constructing its own generation
units, TVA can better assure that appropriate mitigation measures are
employed and that the construction and operation of the new units will
comply with all environmental regulations and policies. In addition,
the Preferred Alternative may better assure the reliability necessary
to meet customer demand.
Environmental Consequences and Commitments
Standard construction and best management practices would be
followed in all aspects of the project construction and operation to
avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts. In addition, TVA has
adopted the following mitigation measures pertaining to the
construction and operation of the peaking capacity additions at
Gallatin and Johnsonville:
Air quality impacts of construction dust will be mitigated
by sprinkling water on open construction areas and roads to reduce
fugitive dust emissions.
Air emission during operation will comply with limits set
in the PSD permit to be issued by Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation (TDEC).
[[Page 38934]]
TVA will use natural gas and low sulfur distillate oil
(maximum sulfur content of 0.05%) as fuels.
TVA will install post-combustion emission controls on all
CTs.
Best Management Practices will be used at all stream and
river crossings by natural gas pipelines and transmission line
resagging, reconductoring, and new construction activities.
All wetlands will be avoided by vans, trucks, bulldozers
and other equipment used to access points along transmission ROW where
resagging and reconductoring activities are required. In no case will
equipment pass through wetlands.
Discharges to surface waters will comply with limits set
in NPDES permits issued by Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation.
Stormwater will be managed in accordance with Storm Water
Pollution Prevention Control and Countermeasure plans.
A TVA botanist will delineate a 50 feet buffer around each
population of bladderpod (Lesquerella perforata) plant in the Spring
Creek bottom area along the Gallatin to Lebanon Industrial Park ROW. No
construction related traffic, vehicular or pedestrian, will be allowed
within the delineated buffer area. Botanists from TVA and TDEC will
meet on site with the transmission line reconductoring project engineer
or project manager to emphasize the significance of the bladderpod
populations and the importance of enforcing the restrictions of
maintaining the non-intrusive 50 feet buffer zone. If any activities
relating to the reconductoring of the transmission line through the
Spring Creek bottom area are modified to the extent that these
activities may directly or indirectly impact this species, TVA, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, and TDEC would meet to establish a strategy
to protect the species.
TVA will use BMP techniques in accordance with TVA
guidelines for environmental protection (Muncey 1992) during the
construction of transmission lines.
Transmission line and natural gas pipeline ROW will be
revegetated where natural vegetation is removed.
TVA will avoid the removal of unique vegetation.
Construction delivery trucks will not be loaded beyond
legal limits and will meet all safety standards. Hauling will comply
with all state, federal, and local ordinances.
Impacts on cultural resources will be mitigated in
accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between TVA and the
Tennessee State Historical Preservation Officer and with Section 106 of
the National Historical Preservation Act (NHPA). All proposed
transmission line ROWs that require reconductoring, resagging or new
construction will be surveyed for cultural, archaeological and historic
resources.
Dated: June 28, 1999.
Joseph R. Bynum,
Executive Vice President, Fossil Power Group.
[FR Doc. 99-18452 Filed 7-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P
