Notice2023-10654
Solar and Battery Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 19, 2023
Issuing agencies
Tennessee Valley Authority
Abstract
TVA is working to build an energy system powered by cleaner, more flexible energy, and solar and storage will play a big role. TVA has an expansion target of 10,000 megawatts (MW) of solar by 2035. TVA has identified the need to respond more efficiently and effectively to the growing number of solar and battery projects that will be required to achieve TVA's overall decarbonization goals and aspirations. To meet its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), TVA is preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to develop new guidance and a bounding analysis that will further facilitate solar energy and battery energy storage development on TVA- owned and private lands within the TVA service area. TVA would consider this guidance, including recommended environmental practices and mitigation measures, in its decision-making processes.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 97 (Friday, May 19, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32270-32271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10654]
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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Solar and Battery Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: TVA is working to build an energy system powered by cleaner,
more flexible energy, and solar and storage will play a big role. TVA
has an expansion target of 10,000 megawatts (MW) of solar by 2035. TVA
has identified the need to respond more efficiently and effectively to
the growing number of solar and battery projects that will be required
to achieve TVA's overall decarbonization goals and aspirations. To meet
its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), TVA
is preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to
develop new guidance and a bounding analysis that will further
facilitate solar energy and battery energy storage development on TVA-
owned and private lands within the TVA service area. TVA would consider
this guidance, including recommended environmental practices and
mitigation measures, in its decision-making processes.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments on the scope, alternatives
being considered, and environmental issues must be postmarked, emailed,
or submitted online no later than June 20, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Elizabeth Smith, NEPA
Compliance Specialist, 400 West Summit Hill Dr., WT 11B, Knoxville, TN
37902-1499. Comments may also be submitted online at: <a href="https://www.tva.gov/NEPA">https://www.tva.gov/NEPA</a> or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cd2d9ccdddce8eafdb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f717a6f7e7f4b495e11585049">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the NEPA
process and/or general project information, please contact Elizabeth
Smith, NEPA Compliance Specialist,
[[Page 32271]]
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1772647a7e637f26235763617639707861"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3a5f4957534e520b0e7a4e4c5b145d554c">[email protected]</span></a>, or contact by phone at 865-632-3053.
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 NEPA. 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. As part of its diversified energy strategy,
TVA produces or obtains electricity from a diverse portfolio of energy
sources, including solar, hydroelectric, wind, biomass, fossil fuel,
and nuclear.
The analyses in a programmatic NEPA review are valuable in setting
out the broad view of environmental impacts and benefits for a proposed
decision such as establishing a policy, program, or plan. That
programmatic NEPA review can then be relied upon when agencies make
decisions based on the programmatic EIS, as well as decisions based on
a subsequent (also known as tiered) NEPA review.
Public comment is invited concerning the scope of the PEIS,
alternatives being considered, and environmental issues that should be
addressed as a part of this PEIS. 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.
Background
In June 2019, TVA completed the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)
and associated EIS. The IRP is a comprehensive study of how TVA will
meet the demand for electricity in its service territory over the next
20 years. The 2019 IRP recommends solar expansion and anticipated
growth in all scenarios analyzed, with most scenarios anticipating
5,000 to 8,000 MW and one anticipating up to 14,000 MW by 2038, as well
as up to 5,300 MW of storage. The IRP recommendation as well as
customer demand for cleaner energy has prompted TVA to release multiple
Requests for Proposal for renewable energy and carbon-free energy
resources since 2019. As of April 2023, TVA currently has over 2,900 MW
of solar capacity both operating and contracted.
TVA has identified the need to respond in a more efficient and
effective manner to the growing number of solar and battery projects
that will be required to meet the target supply identified in the 2019
IRP and to meet TVA's carbon reduction goals. Programmatic
environmental guidance would seek to minimize potential negative
environmental impacts, minimize social and economic impacts, integrate
conservation measures with site development in alignment with the TVA
Biodiversity Policy, and standardize and streamline the authorization
process for solar energy development through a bounding analysis to
help identify the range of potential impacts or risks. TVA's purpose is
to promote, expedite, and advance the production and transmission of
environmentally sound energy resources, including solar energy and
battery storage systems, and increase opportunities for responsible
renewable energy development.
Alternatives
The PEIS will evaluate a no action alternative, under which TVA
would not develop programmatic environmental guidance and continue to
address environmental concerns for TVA-owned and TVA-contracted solar
and battery projects on a case-by-case basis. Under the action
alternative, TVA would develop programmatic environmental guidance
through a bounding analysis to help identify the range of potential
impacts or risks for use in TVA-owned and TVA-contracted solar and
battery projects. TVA solicits comment on whether there are other
alternatives that should be assessed in the PEIS. TVA also requests
information and analyses that may be relevant to the project.
Resource Areas and Issues To Be Considered
Public scoping is integral to the process for implementing NEPA and
ensures that (1) issues are identified early and properly studied, (2)
issues of little significance do not consume substantial time and
effort, and (3) the analysis of identified issues is thorough and
balanced. This PEIS will identify the purpose and need of the action
alternative and will contain descriptions of the existing environmental
and socioeconomic resources within the TVA power service area that
could be affected by the proposed project. Evaluation of potential
environmental impacts to these resources will include, but not be
limited to, water resources, biological resources, cultural resources,
natural areas and recreation, navigation, utilities, recreation,
floodplains, wetlands, geology and groundwater, air quality and climate
change, greenhouse gas emissions, land use and prime farmland, noise,
public health and safety, socioeconomics and environmental justice,
solid and hazardous waste and material, transportation, and visual
resources. The PEIS 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. TVA
is particularly interested in public input on other reasonable
alternatives that should be considered in the PEIS. 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 the PEIS
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. Written requests to participate as a
consulting party or cooperating agency must be received by June 20,
2023. Information about this project is available on the TVA web page
at <a href="https://www.tva.gov/NEPA">https://www.tva.gov/NEPA</a> 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 a scoping document that will summarize public and
agency comments that were received and identify the schedule for
completing the PEIS process. Following analysis of the resources and
issues, TVA will prepare a draft PEIS for public review and comment
tentatively scheduled for 2024; the final PEIS and decision is
tentatively scheduled for 2025.
In finalizing the PEIS and in making its final decision, TVA will
consider the comments that it receives on the draft PEIS.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9.
Susan Jacks,
General Manager, Environmental Resource Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023-10654 Filed 5-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P
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