Notice2023-18756
Sugar Camp Energy LLC Mine No. 1 Significant Boundary Revision 8 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
September 1, 2023
Issuing agencies
Tennessee Valley Authority
Abstract
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement evaluating the proposed expansion of mining operations (proposed mine expansion) by Sugar Camp Energy, LLC (Sugar Camp) to extract TVA-owned coal reserves in Franklin, Hamilton, and Jefferson counties, Illinois. The proposed 22,414-acre expansion area contains 21,868 acres of coal reserves owned by TVA that are under a coal lease agreement with Sugar Camp. TVA will consider whether to approve Sugar Camp's application to mine TVA-owned coal reserves within the project area. Additionally, TVA will evaluate the divestiture of TVA's mineral rights and associated land rights in Franklin, Hamilton and Jefferson counties, Illinois.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 169 (Friday, September 1, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 169 (Friday, September 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60527-60529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18756]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Sugar Camp Energy LLC Mine No. 1 Significant Boundary Revision 8
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement evaluating the proposed expansion of
mining operations (proposed mine expansion) by Sugar Camp Energy, LLC
(Sugar Camp) to extract TVA-owned coal reserves in Franklin, Hamilton,
and Jefferson counties, Illinois. The proposed 22,414-acre expansion
area contains 21,868 acres of coal reserves owned by TVA that are under
a coal lease agreement with Sugar Camp. TVA will consider whether to
approve Sugar Camp's application to mine TVA-owned coal reserves within
the project area. Additionally, TVA will evaluate the divestiture of
TVA's mineral rights and associated land rights in Franklin, Hamilton
and Jefferson counties, Illinois.
DATES: To ensure considerations, comments on the scope, alternatives
being considered, and environmental issues must be received or
postmarked, emailed, or submitted online no later than October 2, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Elizabeth Smith, NEPA
Specialist, TVA, 400 W. Summit Hill Drive #WT11B, Knoxville, Tennessee
37902. Comments may be sent 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#5a141f0a1b1a2e2c3b743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="125c574253526664733c757d64">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Smith by phone at 865-632-
3053, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#82e7f1efebf6eab3b6c2f6f4e3ace5edf4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e7b6d73776a762f2a5e6a687f30797168">[email protected]</span></a>, or by mail at the address above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with
the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 to
1508) and TVA procedures for implementing the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). TVA is a federal corporation and instrumentality of
the United States government, created in 1933 by an act of Congress to
foster the social and economic well-being of the residents of the
Tennessee Valley region. As part of its diversified energy strategy,
TVA completed a series of land and coal mineral acquisitions from the
1960s through the mid-1980s that resulted in the ownership of
approximately 65,000 acres of coal reserves. These reserves consist of
approximately 1.35 billion tons of Illinois coal, including portions of
the Springfield (also known as Number [No.] 5) and Herrin (also known
as No. 6) coal seams. TVA executed a coal lease agreement with Sugar
Camp in July 2002 to mine portions of the TVA Illinois coal reserves in
an environmentally sound manner, as subject to environmental reviews in
accordance with NEPA and other applicable laws and regulations. Based
in part on TVA's evolving electricity generation priorities, and TVA's
diminishing need for coal to supply TVA's electricity generating
portfolio, TVA is considering divesting itself of these same land and
mineral acquisitions.
Background
On January 4, 2023, Sugar Camp submitted Permit 382 Significant
Boundary Revision (SBR) 8 application to Illinois Department of Natural
Resources (IDNR) proposing to expand its underground longwall mining
operations at its Sugar Camp Mine No. 1 in Franklin, Hamilton, and
Jefferson counties, Illinois, by approximately
[[Page 60528]]
22,414 acres (the project area). TVA-owned coal reserves underlie
approximately 21,868 acres of the project area. Under the proposal,
Sugar Camp would extract approximately 122 million raw tons of TVA-
owned coal over a 25-year period (this excludes 45M tons currently
permitted). Underground mining would be performed using room and pillar
and continuous mining techniques during a development period, followed
by longwall mining and associated planned subsidence (controlled
settlement of the ground surface). Planned subsidence would occur
within the project area once the coal has been removed through longwall
mining methods. Sugar Camp would utilize its existing Sugar Camp Mine
No. 1 facilities to process and ship the extracted coal, and expansion
of these facilities is not needed to support the proposed mine
expansion. Sugar Camp would also construct approximately six bleeder
ventilation shafts (bleeder shafts, which ventilate the underground
mine area) and install associated utilities needed to operate the
bleeder shafts within the project area.
Under the terms of the lease agreement, Sugar Camp cannot commence
mining of TVA-owned coal reserves until completion of all environmental
reviews required under applicable laws and regulations have been
finalized. TVA intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to consider whether to approve Sugar Camp's application to mine
the TVA-owned coal reserves underlying the project area and/or divest
all remaining TVA-owned mineral reserves in Illinois.
The EIS initiated by TVA will assess the environmental impact of
approving the mining of TVA-owned coal under the mine plan and/or
divesting all TVA-owned mineral reserves in IL. In doing so, TVA will
address the cumulative impacts from other coal mining activities and
identified federal and private actions. The cumulative impacts
considered will include approved or completed activities associated
with Sugar Camp Mine No. 1.
The operations of Sugar Camp Mine No. 1 have previously been
subject to TVA review and approval. In 2008, Sugar Camp obtained
Underground Coal Mine (UCM) Permit No. 382 from IDNR for underground
longwall mining operations within approximately 12,103 acres in
Franklin and Hamilton counties; the original permit did not include
TVA-owned coal reserves. In 2010, Sugar Camp applied to IDNR for an
expansion associated with UCM Permit No. 382 to mine TVA-owned coal
under an additional 817-acre area. The permit was issued in May 2010.
In 2011, TVA prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to document the
potential effects of Sugar Camp's proposed mining of TVA-owned coal
underlying a 2,600-acre area.
In November 2017, Sugar Camp obtained approval from IDNR to expand
Sugar Camp Mine No. 1 by 37,972 acres. This proposal included the
expansion of operations along the northern perimeter of the original
mine perimeter, into a 2,250-acre area referred to as Viking District
No. 2. In November 2018, TVA completed an EA that addressed expansion
of mining operations into Viking District No. 2. In May 2019, TVA
supplemented this EA to consider Sugar Camp's proposal to expand its
mining into a 155-acre area within the Viking District No. 3, adjacent
to Viking District No. 2.
In August 2019, TVA issued a Notice of Intent in the Federal
Register to complete an EIS for the mining of approximately 12,125
acres of TVA-owned coal reserves associated with SBR No. 6 of UCM
Permit No. 382. In October 2020, TVA issued the Final EIS outlining the
analysis of alternatives associated with this additional mining of TVA
coal reserves. In November 2020, TVA published a Record of Decision and
approved Sugar Camp's application to mine the additional TVA-owned coal
reserves under the IDNR-approved SBR No. 6.
Alternatives
TVA has initially identified four alternatives for evaluation in
the EIS associated with the proposed purpose and need. These include a
No Action Alternative and three Action Alternatives. Under the No
Action Alternative, TVA would not approve the requested expansion to
mine TVA-owned coal within the project area. Under Action Alternative
A, TVA would implement the terms of the existing coal lease agreement,
evaluate, and potentially approve the plan to mine 21,868 acres of TVA-
owned coal as submitted by Sugar Camp in the current SBR of UCM Permit
No. 382. Under Action Alternative B, TVA would implement the terms of
the existing coal lease agreement, evaluate, and potentially allow
mining of the 21,868 acres of TVA-owned coal, and consider divesting
the remaining TVA-owned mineral rights/reserves including coal, oil,
and gas in IL, and all associated surface rights. Under Action
Alternative C, TVA considers divesting all remaining TVA-owned mineral
rights/reserves including coal, oil, and gas in IL, and all associated
surface rights, and would not approve Sugar Camp's expansion request as
detailed under UCM Permit No. 382.
The EIS will evaluate ways to 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 associated with the proposed mine
expansion and/or divesting TVA-owned mineral rights. TVA solicits
comment on whether there are other alternatives that should be assessed
in the EIS. 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 EIS will identify the purpose and need of the Action
Alternatives and will contain descriptions of the existing
environmental and socioeconomic resources within the area that could be
affected by the proposed mine expansion. 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. 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. TVA
is particularly interested in public input on the scope of the EIS,
alternatives being considered, and environmental issues that should be
addressed as part of this 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 the EIS no
later than the date identified in the
[[Page 60529]]
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
<a href="http://www.tva.gov/nepa">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 EIS process. Following analysis of the resources and
issues, TVA will prepare a draft EIS for public review and comment
tentatively scheduled for fall 2024; the final EIS and decision is
tentatively scheduled for completion in early 2025. In finalizing the
EIS and in making its final decision, TVA will consider the comments
that it receives on the draft EIS.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9.
Rebecca Tolene,
Vice President, Environment and Sustainability.
[FR Doc. 2023-18756 Filed 8-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 1, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.