Notice2024-19557
Jugfork Solar Project 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 5, 2024
Issuing agencies
Tennessee Valley Authority
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72694-72696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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:
<a href="http://www.tva.gov/nepa">www.tva.gov/nepa</a>, or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6f010a1f0e2f1b190e41080019"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b8d6ddc8d9f8ccced996dfd7ce">[email protected]</span></a>. To ensure comments are
correctly dispositioned,
[[Page 72695]]
please specify the project when submitting comments. Please note that
TVA encourages comments submitted electronically.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil Schock by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dcb2a8afbfb4b3bfb79ca8aabdf2bbb3aa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="701e040313181f131b300406115e171f06">[email protected]</span></a>, 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 <a href="http://www.tva.gov/nepa">www.tva.gov/nepa</a>.
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 <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 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
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