Kingston Fossil Plant Retirement Environmental Impact Statement
| Published date | 08 April 2024 |
| Record Number | 2024-07411 |
| Citation | 89 FR 24557 |
| Court | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| Section | Notices |
Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 68 (Monday, April 8, 2024)
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 68 (Monday, April 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24557-24565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07411]
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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
Kingston Fossil Plant Retirement Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.
ACTION: Record of decision.
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SUMMARY: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has made a decision to adopt
the Preferred Alternative identified in its Final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the retirement of the Kingston Fossil Plant (KIF).
The Notice of
[[Page 24558]]
Availability (NOA) for the Kingston Retirement Final EIS was published
in the Federal Register on February 23, 2024. TVA's Preferred
Alternative, Alternative A, involves the retirement of KIF,
decommissioning and demolition of KIF's nine coal-fired units, and the
construction and operation of facilities to replace the retired
generation that include a single natural gas-fired combined cycle (CC)
plant, 16 dual-fuel aeroderivative combustion turbines (aero CTs) and a
new switchyard (hereafter the CC/aero CT Plant), a 3 to 4 megawatt (MW)
solar site, a 100 MW lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS),
and new transmission line infrastructure. Alternative A also involves
the Ridgeline Expansion Project, consisting of a new 122-mile natural
gas pipeline, compressor station, and metering and regulation
facilities to be constructed, owned, and operated by East Tennessee
Natural Gas, LLC (ETNG). Alternative A will achieve the purpose and
need to have firm, dispatchable replacement generation to meet capacity
system demands, particularly peak load events, by the end of 2027 when
KIF is retired. Alternative A will also facilitate the integration of
additional solar and battery storage resources elsewhere on TVA's
system, which is part of TVA's overall asset planning that includes the
deployment and installation of up to 10,000 MW of solar by 2035.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brittany Kunkle, NEPA Compliance
Specialist, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 W. Summit Hill Dr, WT11B-K,
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902; telephone 865-632-6470; email
[email protected]. The Final EIS, this Record of Decision, and other
project documents are available on TVA's website at https://www.tva.gov/nepa.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S. Code
[U.S.C.] 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality's
regulations for implementing NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
1500 through 1508, as updated April 20, 2022), and TVA's NEPA
procedures (18 CFR 1318). TVA is a corporate agency and instrumentality
of the United States that provides electricity for 153 local power
companies serving approximately 10 million people as well as directly
served commercial, industrial, and government customers in the
Tennessee Valley--an 80,000-square-mile region comprised of Tennessee
and parts of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
and Kentucky. TVA receives no taxpayer funding and derives virtually
all its revenue from the sale of electricity. In addition to operating
and investing revenues in its power system, TVA provides flood control,
navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River watershed, and
provides economic development and job creation assistance within the
TVA Power Service Area.
Planning Basis and Assumptions
In 2019, TVA completed its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and
associated Final EIS. The IRP identified various energy resource
options that TVA may pursue to meet the energy needs of the Tennessee
Valley region over a 20-year planning period. The Preferred Alternative
aligns with the 2019 IRP, which guides future generation planning
consistent with TVA's congressionally mandated least-cost planning
principles. Following the completion of TVA's 2019 IRP and to inform
long-term planning, TVA began conducting end-of-life evaluations of its
operating coal-fired generating plants not already scheduled for
retirement. This evaluation confirmed that TVA's aging coal fleet is
among the oldest in the nation and is experiencing deterioration of
material condition and performance challenges. The performance
challenges are projected to increase because of the coal fleet's
advancing age and the difficulty of adapting the fleet's generation
within the changing generation profile that integrates increased
renewables. Additionally, the continued, long-term operation of TVA's
coal plants, including KIF, may increase environmental, economic, and
reliability risks, and the aging infrastructure at KIF, built between
1951 and 1955, exacerbates these risks.
KIF is situated on the 2,254-acre Kingston Reservation on the
Clinch and Emory rivers in Harriman, Roane County, Tennessee. As TVA
continues to transition the rest of its fleet to cleaner and more
flexible technologies, KIF will continually be challenged to operate
reliably. In accordance with the recommendations in the 2019 IRP, TVA
conducted end-of-life evaluations for its aging coal fleet and
concluded that retiring TVA's entire coal fleet by 2035 would align
with least-cost planning and reduce economic, reliability, and
environmental risks. TVA also developed planning assumptions for the
retirement of all TVA coal units by 2033 and sequencing the retirement
of TVA's coal fleet and the construction of necessary replacement
generation. For the nine coal-fired units at KIF, TVA's planning
identified retirement by the end of 2027 as the optimal timeframe.
The nine-unit, coal-fired plant has a summer net generating
capacity of 1,298 MW, a reduction from the facility's design capacity
(1,700 MW) resulting from the effects of aging equipment and long-term
fuel blend changes. As TVA's generating fleet has evolved, primarily
driven by additions of nuclear, gas, and renewable resources over the
past 10 to 15 years, the need for KIF to operate at full capacity has
decreased. This has resulted in more frequent cycling of KIF units to
meet fluctuating loads. However, KIF was not designed for these types
of operations, which presents reliability challenges that are difficult
to anticipate and expensive to mitigate.
Further, a significant monetary investment would be required to
comply with the requirements of the 2020 Effluent Limitation Guidelines
(ELGs) and other environmental regulations. Continued operation of KIF
beyond 2027 would create operational, and therefore reliability risks
in TVA's system due to the deteriorating condition of the coal units.
In addition, operation of the KIF Plant beyond 2027 is likely to result
in cascading delays for the later planned retirements in TVA's phased
2035 coal fleet retirement plan and cause delay in TVA's plans to
integrate more solar and storage assets onto the system. Thus, KIF was
recommended for retirement by the end of 2027.
Replacement generation for KIF must provide at least 1,500 MW of
firm, dispatchable power, capable of providing year-round generation
and meeting peak capacity demands, as well as capacity for observed and
anticipated future load growth in the Tennessee Valley. Replacement
generation needs to be operational prior to the retirement of the nine
KIF coal-fired units by the end of 2027. An additional consideration
was the location of KIF on the transmission system, specifically the
161-kilovolt system near the Knoxville load center, making KIF an
integral part of the system's power flows and stability. The
replacement generation must continue to maintain the planning reserve
margins and to provide transmission system voltage support to the local
area that is needed to maintain overall system stability and
reliability.
As with other utilities across the nation, TVA has an active
interconnection queue with close to 30,000 MW of generation currently
in the queue. Over 15,000 MW of that is solar or solar and storage.
While the interest in interconnecting generation is robust, a
significant portion of those
[[Page 24559]]
projects are non-viable, speculative projects that require significant
transmission upgrades, or are not cost competitive. Renewable projects
in the queue tend to be located in areas that are more suitable for
solar, such as West Tennessee, North Alabama, and North Mississippi,
not in the East Tennessee region where KIF is located. The queued
projects are not capable of meeting the purpose and need to support
generation in the East Tennessee region and to provide replacement
capacity by the end of 2027.
TVA prepared a Final EIS pursuant to NEPA to assess the
environmental impacts associated with retiring and demolishing the nine
KIF coal-fired units and constructing and operating the replacement
generation.
Alternatives Considered
TVA considered various resource types for replacement generation as
a result of retiring the nine units at KIF, see Final EIS section
2.1.5. To meet the stated purpose and need for the proposed action, the
alternatives considered were required to be mature, proven
technologies, capable of being constructed, and operating by the end of
2027. TVA assessed in detail a No Action Alternative and two action
alternatives. Under both action alternatives, the nine KIF coal-fired
units would be retired, decommissioned, and demolished, and the retired
generation would be replaced with at least 1,500 MW of new capacity.
The Final EIS also evaluated related actions associated with the gas
supply and transmission components of the respective alternatives. The
alternatives considered by TVA in the Draft and Final EIS are:
No Action Alternative--Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would
not retire the nine KIF coal-fired units. These units would continue to
operate as part of the TVA generation portfolio. For the existing units
to remain operational, additional construction, repairs, and
maintenance would be necessary to maintain reliability and to comply
with applicable regulatory requirements, such as the ELGs under the
Clean Water Act (CWA). Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would not
construct new replacement generation. The costs of implementing the No
Action Alternative could require potentially significant rate
increases, which would disproportionately impact low-income
Environmental Justice (EJ) populations. Based on the age, material
condition, upgrades required for current or future environmental
compliance and investment costs required to ensure reliability of KIF,
this alternative does not meet the purpose and need of TVA's proposed
action.
Alternative A--TVA's Preferred Alternative is the retirement of
KIF, decommissioning and demolition of the nine KIF coal-fired units,
and the addition of at least 1,500 MW of replacement generation through
the construction and operation of a natural gas-fueled CC plant
combined with 16 dual-fueled aero CTs, a 3 to 4 MW solar site, a 100 MW
BESS, and a new 161-kilovolt switchyard on the Kingston Reservation.
The CC/aero CT Plant and associated Alternative A components would
occupy approximately 505 acres of the Kingston Reservation and in the
East Tennessee region.
Off-site transmission upgrades needed for initiating operations of
the new gas plant would be completed during construction of the CC/aero
CT Plant. These upgrades would be required to support resiliency,
reliability, and the electrical capacity of the off-site transmission
lines. Upgrades would include uprating, reconductoring, or rebuilding
transmission lines within existing right-of-way, as well as replacing
terminal equipment, bus work, and/or jumpers. As described in the Final
EIS section 2.1.3.5, four transmission lines on the Eastern
Transmission Corridor and one transmission line on the Western
Transmission Corridor would require upgrades.
Natural gas would be supplied to the CC/aero CT Plant by ETNG's
Ridgeline Expansion Project, if approved by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC). For the Ridgeline Expansion Project, ETNG
proposes to construct and operate a new natural gas pipeline primarily
adjacent to ETNG's existing pipeline system's line number 3100. ETNG's
Ridgeline Expansion Project would consist of the construction of
approximately 122 miles of new 30-inch natural gas pipeline, a 14,600-
horsepower electric motor drive compressor station, and other gas
system infrastructure to connect the CC/aero CT Plant to the pipeline.
The Ridgeline Expansion Project would include a permanent pipeline
easement and adjacent temporary workspace which would cross portions of
Trousdale, Smith, Jackson, Putnam, Overton, Fentress, Morgan, and Roane
counties, Tennessee. The pipeline requires approval by FERC through the
issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity under
section 7 of the Natural Gas Act. ETNG has submitted an application for
certification of the pipeline to FERC. The Ridgeline Expansion Project
(FERC Docket No. CP23-516-000 and amended CP23-516-001) was the subject
of a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS issued by FERC on
September 22, 2023 (88 FR 65383), and was amended on December 18, 2023
(89 FR 6108). Details of the pipeline and its potential environmental
impacts, provided in resource reports prepared by ETNG, were
independently evaluated by TVA and are incorporated into TVA's Final
EIS.
Alternative A would meet TVA's project purpose and need to provide
at least 1,500 MW of firm, dispatchable power to replace the retiring
nine KIF coal-fired units by the end of 2027.
Alternative B--Under this alternative, the nine KIF coal-fired
units would be retired, decommissioned and demolished, and the
necessary replacement power would be supplied through the construction
and operation of 1,500 MW of utility-scale solar and 2,200 MW of BESS
facilities. These facilities would be located at numerous sites
totaling approximately 10,950 acres for the solar facilities and up to
825 acres for the BESS facilities, with portions located in East
Tennessee. To maintain stability on TVA's transmission system, TVA
would need to accommodate the decreased influx of generated power from
KIF as well as ensure that the multiple (15+) solar generating
locations can be connected without impacting the existing grid for the
areas surrounding the new solar sites. In addition to on-site
transmission upgrades and off-site upgrades to existing transmission
lines and substations described in Alternative A, each solar and BESS
facility would also require the construction of an interconnection to
the TVA transmission system.
Based on TVA's experience with interconnections, approximately 5.4
years or greater are generally required to bring a solar
interconnection to commercial operation. For the solar and battery
resources under Alternative B, it would take approximately 8.4 years to
bring those resources online in the Knoxville area following completion
of site identification and acquiring control of the site (the timeline
for identification and acquisition of sites is hard to predict). This
long timeframe would not allow the replacement power for KIF to be
online for several years after KIF's retirement in 2027, compounding
the operational, reliability, and environmental risks. A blended
alternative that combines a smaller gas plant with a solar and BESS
scenario to support the retirement of the KIF Plant is not a viable
alternative as it would not resolve the transmission-related challenges
described above nor
[[Page 24560]]
meet the purpose and need to have firm dispatchable power by the end of
2027.
Alternative B would also require a large number of solar panels,
approximately 3.8 million panels, based on the projected 10,950 acres
required to generate 1,500 MW. Recent supply chain delays in securing
solar panels challenge the ability to obtain the projected volume of
solar panels in time to complete Alternative B by the end of 2027.
While the Inflation Reduction Act incentivizes the transition of the
solar supply chain to the U.S., it is projected that it will take 3 to
5 years for the domestic supply chain to mature and ease the current
constraints on the solar industry. TVA's review of the 2023 Solar
Energy Industries Association affirms this finding. Thus, TVA's Final
EIS solar price and supply chain assumptions are valid and are informed
by recent market offers, which remain elevated due to supply chain
risks.
Preferred Alternative
TVA identified Alternative A as the Preferred Alternative in both
the Draft and Final EISs. Alternative B would not fully meet TVA's
project purpose and need because it would not provide 1,500 MW of firm,
dispatchable replacement generation and could not be constructed and
operational prior to the proposed retirement and decommissioning of the
nine KIF coal-fired units by the end of 2027. Alternative A is the best
overall solution to provide low-cost, reliable energy to TVA's power
system and could be built and made operational sooner than Alternative
B, thereby reducing economic, reliability, and environmental risks.
Alternative A meets the purpose and need of the proposed action,
particularly its ability to provide replacement generation that can
supply at least 1,500 MW of firm, dispatchable power by the end of 2027
to support the retirement and decommissioning of the KIF coal-fired
units. This replacement aligns with the 2019 IRP near-term actions to
evaluate engineering end-of-life dates for aging generation units to
inform long-term planning and to enhance system flexibility to
integrate renewables and distributed resources. Alternative A is
consistent with the need set forth in the 2019 IRP to establish new
capacity in TVA's region and increase reliability and flexibility, as
well as meet near-term TVA energy production goals. It is also
consistent with the target supply mix, reflecting the application of
least-cost planning principles, adopted by TVA in its 2019 IRP.
Replacement of coal-fired generation at KIF with a CC/aero CT Plant is
the best overall solution to provide low-cost, reliable, and cleaner
energy to TVA's power system. In addition to enabling the integration
of renewables, the Preferred Alternative includes a renewable energy
component that can be accommodated on the Kingston Reservation and
would replace the retired generation with an energy complex that
includes natural gas, 3-4 MW of solar, and 100 MW of battery storage-a
first-of-its-kind complex for TVA.
TVA prefers Alternative A because the CC/aero CT Plant will provide
the operational flexibility needed to support reliably integrating up
to 10,000 MW of solar onto the TVA system by 2035 and will also enable
the KIF coal-fired units to be retired by the projected end-of-life
estimates for those units and before significant water treatment and
other investments become necessary under recent and anticipated new
regulations such as the ELGs. In contrast, Alternative B would not
provide firm, dispatchable power needed to maintain system reliability
by 2027. The construction of multiple solar and storage facilities, as
well as their associated transmission system interconnections, would
not be feasible to complete by the end of 2027 based on current
transmission project and construction timelines.
Summary of Environmental Effects
The anticipated environmental impacts of the No Action Alternative
and the two action alternatives are described in detail in the Final
EIS and summarized in table 2.2-1, and this section summarizes the
actions and impacts that would occur under the various alternatives.
No Action Alternative--The No Action Alternative would avoid the
impacts of constructing and operating new generating facilities, an
associated gas pipeline, and on-site transmission system connections.
However, for the existing nine KIF coal-fired units to remain
operational given their ongoing performance challenges, additional
construction, repairs, and maintenance activities would be necessary to
maintain reliability and compliance with applicable regulatory
requirements. These performance challenges would result in moderate,
adverse, and permanent impacts to utilities; thus, the No Action
Alternative could have minor negative financial impacts on ratepayers
due to the potential need for rate increases to help pay for the costs
to operate and maintain the KIF's coal-fired units, which could have a
greater disproportionate impact on low-income EJ populations.
KIF's continued operation would continue to produce relatively
large quantities of air emissions under the existing Title V permit,
including greenhouse gases (GHGs), as well as wastewater discharges and
solid wastes from coal combustion. Any increases in local ambient air
temperatures due to climate change could increase the temperature of
raw water used to cool plant equipment thereby reducing plant
efficiency and increasing the risk of the occurrence, magnitude, and
frequency of exceedances of thermal discharge limits in KIF's National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and potentially
triggering additional permit requirements under CWA 316(a). The
withdrawal of raw water at the KIF cooling water intake structure for
non-contact cooling of plant equipment would need to continue, which
results in potential adverse effects to aquatic life from entrainment
and impingement mortality, and potentially triggering additional permit
requirements under CWA 316(b).
Retirement and Demolition of KIF--Under both action alternatives,
the nine KIF coal-fired units would be retired, decommissioned, and
demolished. These actions will have a minor and temporary adverse
effect on the following resources: aquatic life, soils, surface water,
groundwater, air quality and GHGs, natural areas, parks and recreation,
land use, transportation, waste management, public health and safety,
noise, and visual effects. If retirement and demolition activities must
be located in floodplains, these activities would be considered
temporary uses and would have no permanent impacts. EJ and
socioeconomic effects may be offset by temporary employment increases
during demolition activities.
The retirement and demolition of KIF will have a permanent and
beneficial effect on the following resources: water, air quality and
GHGs, aquatic life, public health and safety, and visual. There will be
long-term beneficial effects from: reduced cooling water withdrawals
and the reduction of wastewater discharges; reduction in emissions of
GHGs, which benefits both air quality and public health and safety;
viewshed improvement; and the elimination of water withdrawals and
heated effluent discharge, which benefits aquatic life.
Alternative A TVA Actions--TVA's actions during construction under
this alternative will have a minor and temporary adverse effect on the
following resources: EJ, soils, prime farmland, floodplains, air
quality and
[[Page 24561]]
GHGs, natural areas, parks and recreation, transportation, waste
management, public health and safety, socioeconomics, noise, and
visual. A temporary increase in employment during construction
activities will also occur, which may offset impacts on EJ communities
and socioeconomic resources. The decommissioning and demolition of the
KIF nine-unit, coal-fired plant is expected to have beneficial effects
on local air quality, climate change, and reduce future regional GHG
emissions that would be positive for EJ populations as well as the
general population.
TVA's actions during operation under Alternative A will have an
adverse effect on the following resources: geology, soils, prime
farmland, floodplains, surface waters, wetlands, vegetation, wildlife,
aquatic life, natural areas, parks and recreation, land use,
transportation, waste management, and visual. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS) concurred that TVA's actions under Alternative A
may affect but are not likely to adversely affect the gray bat, Indiana
bat, or northern long-eared bat. This concurrence completes TVA's
obligations under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. TVA's Final
EIS, table 3.824 referenced preliminary Endangered Species Act (ESA)
determinations made or pending consultation by ENTG for construction of
the natural gas pipeline right of way. TVA updates and incorporates by
reference the assessment of impacts on threatened or endangered
species, as presented in the Revised Biological Assessment for East
Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC's Ridgeline Expansion Project filed March
11, 2024 (FERC Docket No. CP23-516, accession no. 20240311-5269).
TVA actions under Alternative A will have a permanent and
beneficial effect on the following resources: air quality and GHGs,
utilities, and public health and safety. Alternative A will advance
TVA's Strategic Intent and Guiding Principles to execute a plan to 70
percent carbon reduction by 2030, develop a path to 80 percent
reduction by 2035, and aspire to achieve net-zero carbon reduction by
2050, all of which supports recent Federal GHG reduction policies and
guidance. TVA completed a comparative analysis of GHG and Social Cost
of GHG (SC-GHG) of the No Action and Action Alternatives, using methods
consistent with the 2023 National Environmental Policy Act Interim
Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate
Change developed by the Council on Environmental Quality. On a TVA
system-wide basis, the estimated total Alternative A life cycle social
costs of GHG emissions in comparison to the No Action Alternative,
i.e., net savings/benefit, ranges from approximately $398 million to
$4.34 billion in nominal dollars. Due to disparate scientific,
economic, and legal positions on SC-GHG rates and their application in
determining the SC-GHG, the analysis presented in this Final EIS
provides a SC-GHG range based on Federal Government published SC-GHG
documents (e.g., Biden Administration SC-GHG rate, Trump Administration
SC-GHG rate, Interagency Working Group figures, or other Federal
Government agency policy or Executive Orders).
Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet
issued a final rule for New Source Performance Standards for GHG
Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Fossil Fuel-fired
Electric Generating Stations, TVA has incorporated a sensitivity
analysis of the potential impacts of the Proposed Rule in the
evaluation of the No Action and Action Alternatives presented in the
Final EIS appendix B. The construction and operation of the KIF
replacement generation would be consistent with the requirements of any
final rules promulgated by the EPA under section 111 of the Clean Air
Act. The Proposed Rule is discussed further in Final EIS section
2.1.5.4. appendix B includes a sensitivity analysis that covers
estimated impacts of the Proposed Rules. The GHG Proposed Rule
sensitivity analysis takes a conservative approach and does not include
tax incentives for carbon capture and storage for the No Action
Alternative or Alternative A. EPA's Proposed Rule does not address
solar and storage facilities under Alternative B. Based on this
sensitivity analysis, Alternative A is still the lowest cost
alternative, even after accounting for the cost of carbon capture and
storage or hydrogen co-firing that may be applicable to the CC/aero CT
plant in a final rule.
To fulfill its obligations under section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act, TVA completed consultation with the
Tennessee State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and federally
recognized Indian Tribes regarding potential project-related effects to
cultural resources from TVA's actions under Alternative A. The
Tennessee SHPO agreed with TVA's findings under section 106 and none of
the consulted Tribes objected. Thus, TVA's actions under Alternative A
will have no effect on the only recorded National Register of Historic
Places (NRHP)-eligible archaeological site within the CC/aero CT Plant
site.
ETNG Actions--Under Alternative A, ETNG would construct and operate
a new natural gas pipeline as part of the Ridgeline Expansion Project.
ETNG's actions would have a minor and temporary adverse effect on the
following resources during construction: soils, floodplains, surface
waters, air quality and GHGs, vegetation, aquatic life, natural areas,
parks and recreation, land use, transportation, waste management,
public health and safety, socioeconomics, and noise. A temporary
increase in employment during construction activities would also occur
which may offset temporary adverse effects on socioeconomic resources.
There are seven NRHP-eligible archaeological sites that require further
evaluation prior to construction to determine if they would be
adversely impacted by construction activities.
ETNG operations would have an adverse effect on the following
resources: EJ, geology, soils, prime farmland, wetlands, air quality
and GHGs, vegetation, wildlife, land use, socioeconomics, and visual
resources. Moderate effects would occur to soils due to placement of
fill and land use due to conversion of hay/pasture, forest, and open
space to industrial use. ETNG's operation actions would have a
permanent and beneficial effect on utilities and public health and
safety as described for Alternative A TVA actions. Effects of the
natural gas pipeline on climate change would be minor. ETNG's Ridgeline
Expansion Project requires approval by FERC through the issuance of a
certificate of public convenience and necessity and for related
authorizations under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act. FERC will issue
an EIS with its findings prior to making a decision on the Ridgeline
Expansion Project.
Alternative B TVA Actions--For many environmental resources, the
potential impacts of TVA's actions under Alternative A as described
above are comparable to Alternative B. Alternative B would be unlikely
to affect natural areas, parks and recreation, and cultural resources.
Anticipated temporary and beneficial socioeconomic effects under
Alternative B include an increase to local population numbers and local
employment, indirect effects to the local economy, and long-term and
beneficial effects to the local tax base. Specific impacts would be
evaluated through reviews for individual solar and storage facilities.
Alternative B reflects an estimated $2.26 billion of SC-GHG savings
relative to the No Action Alternative, approximately $417 million
[[Page 24562]]
more savings than Alternative A. In comparison to Alternative B,
Alternative A has higher estimated GHG life cycle emissions and
associated estimated future social costs. However, Alternative B would
not fully meet the project purpose and need to provide 1,500 MW of
replacement generation by 2027. And even accounting for updated pricing
as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, Alternative B is estimated
to cost approximately $1 billion more than Alternative A in project
costs, which include capital, transmission, and production costs.
Similar to Alternative A, increases in flooding events and severity
and extended drought conditions are not expected to have an effect on
the physical infrastructure or operations under Alternative B. However,
extended heat waves would reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic
facilities and the amount of electricity they generate and would also
reduce the efficiency of storage facilities by increasing their cooling
system energy requirements.
Environmentally Preferable Alternative
While the No Action Alternative would avoid the impacts of
constructing and operating new generating facilities and associated gas
pipeline and transmission system connections, it would continue to
produce relatively large quantities of air pollutants, including GHGs,
from the continued operation of the nine KIF coal-fired units, as well
as wastewater discharges and solid wastes from coal combustion.
When comparing the environmental impacts of the two action
alternatives, Alternative A would be environmentally preferable for
certain resources, whereas Alternative B would be environmentally
preferable for other resources. Alternative A would have fewer
environmental impacts in terms of land use, prime farmland, stream and
wetland conversion, visual, and soil impacts. Alternative B would have
fewer environmental impacts in terms of surface water, air quality,
GHGs, climate change, public health and safety, and noise impacts. For
both Alternatives A and B, the intensity of impacts for certain
resources are relatively similar, including for EJ communities,
floodplains, geology, aquatic, wildlife, and ecological habitat loss
and conversion, natural areas and parks and recreation, utilities,
cultural resources, socioeconomic resources, and hazardous waste.
Thus, there are important environmental tradeoffs between
Alternative A and Alternative B that TVA has considered. While
Alternative A would result in lower GHG life cycle emission reductions,
Alternative B would require significantly greater land use conversions
in the region. No clear environmentally preferred alternative emerges
from the comparison. Ultimately, however, Alternative A is the only
alternative that would fully meet the project purpose and need to
provide 1,500 MW of firm, dispatchable power by 2027 needed to ensure
system reliability.
Public Involvement
TVA initiated a 30-day public scoping period on June 15, 2021, when
it published a NOI in the Federal Register announcing the preparation
of an EIS (85 FR 31780, June 15, 2021). TVA also announced the project
and requested public input in news releases; on its website; in notices
printed in relevant area newspapers and news websites; in flyers which
were handed out in the general area of the plant; and in letters to
Federal, State, and local agencies and federally recognized Indian
Tribes. TVA held a live virtual public scoping meeting on June 29,
2021, and hosted a virtual meeting room with project information for
the duration of the scoping period. TVA received approximately 56
scoping comments, a form letter from Sierra Club with 583 signatories,
and a petition from Energy Alabama with eight signatories. These
comments were carefully considered during the preparation of the EIS.
The National Park Service, in its comments on the NOI for the scoping
of the Kingston action, requested to be a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the Final EIS. TVA granted this request. Additionally,
TVA invited the EPA to be a cooperating agency, and EPA has served as a
cooperating agency for this EIS.
The NOA of the Draft EIS was published in the Federal Register on
May 19, 2023, initiating a 45-day public comment period that ended on
July 3, 2023 (88 FR 32215, May 19, 2023). The availability of the Draft
EIS and request for comments were announced on the TVA website; in
regional and local newspapers; in a news release; in locally sent
postcards; in electric bill mailers; in flyers handed out at commodity
distribution and other local community events; and in letters to local,
State, and Federal agencies and federally recognized Tribes. TVA
contacted local officials and leaders, schools, and community action
organizations in the KIF project area. TVA held a virtual public
meeting and two in-person public meetings in Rockwood and Kingston,
Tennessee during the Draft EIS comment period.
TVA received 602 comments on the Draft EIS, with one form letter
containing approximately 4,350 signatures. A large portion of comments
generally supported the retirement of the nine KIF coal-fired units but
opposed Alternative A and preferred Alternative B; however, there was
also significant support for Alternative A and the No Action
Alternative. TVA carefully reviewed all substantive comments and, where
appropriate, revised the text of the EIS to address the comments and
issued the Final EIS. The submitted comments and TVA's responses to
them are included in appendix D to the Final EIS.
The NOA for the Final EIS was published in the Federal Register on
February 23, 2024 (89 FR 13717). Following publication of the Final
EIS, and therefore outside of the comment period, TVA staff and the
Board of Directors received several hundred comment submissions, many
of which were submitted through form letters, primarily from
individuals in support of the retirement of KIF and a renewable
replacement generation. These comments were addressed by TVA in section
2.1.5 of the Final EIS, which considered a renewable generation option
to replace the generation from the nine retiring KIF units.
Following the publication of the NOA for the Final EIS, and
therefore outside of the comment period for the EIS, TVA received
additional public comments in March 2024, including a comment letter
from the EPA. The comments raised in the letters post-dating the Final
EIS largely reiterated earlier comments on the Draft EIS and did not
raise new issues of relevance that were not already addressed by TVA in
the Final EIS or Appendix D of the Final EIS.
On March 25, 2024, EPA submitted comments in accordance with
section 309 of the Clean Air Act and section 102(2)(C) of NEPA. EPA is
also a cooperating agency on this project. Many of these comments were
raised during EPA's cooperating agency review of the Draft EIS and the
Final EIS. TVA responded as discussed in Appendix L of the Final EIS.
TVA gave further consideration to EPA's section 309 letter and TVA's
responses are included in the administrative record.
Decision
TVA certifies, in accordance with 40 CFR 1505.2(b), that the agency
has considered all of the alternatives, information, analyses, material
in the record determined to be relevant, and comments submitted by
Federal, State, Tribal and local governments and public
[[Page 24563]]
commenters for consideration in developing the Final EIS.
TVA has decided to implement the Preferred Alternative identified
in the Final EIS: Alternative A, to retire, decommission, and demolish
the nine KIF coal-fired units, and to install at least 1,500 MW of
replacement generation capacity through the construction and operation
of a natural gas-fired combined cycle plant, 16 dual-fired aero-
derivative CTs, a 3 to 4 MW solar site, and a 100 MW BESS at the
Kingston Reservation. This alternative best achieves TVA's purpose and
need to retire the nine KIF units and to replace the generation from
those retired units with firm, dispatchable power by the end of 2027 to
maintain system reliability.
Mitigation Measures
TVA will employ standard practices and routine measures and other
project-specific measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse
impacts from implementation of Alternative A. Certain minimization and
mitigation measures were provided by the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation (TDEC) as recommendations regarding
demolition materials in lieu of open burning, such as beneficial reuse
or transport to a recycling facility or landfill; general permitting;
and best management practice (BMP) guidance regarding cultural, air,
and water resources.
TVA will implement minimization and mitigation measures that have
been developed with consideration of BMPs, permit requirements, TDEC
recommendations, and adherence to erosion and sediment control plans.
TVA will utilize standard BMPs to minimize erosion during construction,
operation, and maintenance activities. These BMPs are described in A
Guide for Environmental Protection and BMPs for TVA Construction and
Maintenance Activities--Revision 4 and the Tennessee Erosion and
Sediment Control Handbook. Additionally, TVA will incorporate, as
appropriate, environmentally beneficial features, such as pollinator
habitat, at the Kingston Reservation in the future.
ETNG has identified numerous mitigation measures for the
construction and operation of the 122-mile natural gas pipeline, which
include many of the standard practices to comply with environmental
laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, FERC's Regulations
Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (18 CFR part 380)--
Transportation of Natural Gas and Other Gas by Pipeline: Minimum
Federal Safety Standards, the FERC Plan and the FERC Procedures or
under FERC-approved deviations, FERC Guidance for Horizontal
Directional Drill Monitoring, Inadvertent Return Response, and
Contingency Plans (49 CFR part 192).
In association with Alternative A, TVA would employ standard
practices and specific routine measures to avoid and minimize effects
to resources. During development of the Final EIS, TVA has adopted all
practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from
Alternative A and commits to implementing the following minimization
and mitigation measures and commitments listed in the Final EIS section
2.3 in relation to potentially affected resources:
Soils
[cir] Install silt fence along the perimeter of areas cleared of
vegetation.
[cir] Implement other soil stabilization and vegetation management
measures to reduce the potential for soil erosion during site
operations.
[cir] Try to balance cut-and-fill quantities to alleviate the
transportation of soils offsite during construction.
Water Resources
[cir] TVA will continue to implement KIF Ash Pond Dredge Cell
Restoration Project Phase III that includes restoration of the natural
resources affected by the 2008 Ash Spill.
[cir] TVA will develop a project specific stormwater pollution
prevention plan, as required under the General Permit for Stormwater
Discharges Associated with Construction Activities, prior to beginning
construction or demolition.
[cir] Perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral streams and wetlands
that could be affected by the construction would be protected by
implementing standard BMPs as identified in the project stormwater
pollution prevention plan, TVA's BMP manual, and the Tennessee Erosion
and Sediment Control Handbook. Direct, permanent effects to streams and
wetlands would be permitted and mitigated under the CWA section 404
permit and TDEC Aquatic Resources Alteration Permit/CWA section 401. In
particular, TVA will purchase mitigation credits within the Clinch,
Emory, and Tennessee River watersheds, as appropriate and to the extent
such credits are available within these watersheds. Should mitigation
credits not be available within the primary or applicable secondary
watersheds, TVA will pursue mitigation through in-lieu fee credit
purchases or through permittee-responsible mitigation.
[cir] Comply with the terms and water quality standards, as
identified in the individual NPDES permit, for industrial wastewater
discharge(s) by ensuring any process water discharge meets applicable
effluent limits and water quality standards.
[cir] Use TVA BMP procedures for controlling soil erosion and
sediment control, such as the use of buffer zones surrounding perennial
and intermittent streams and wetlands (impaired or high-quality
designated water features may require larger buffer zones) and install
erosion control silt fences and sediment traps.
[cir] Implement other routine BMPs as necessary, including:
[ssquf] non-mechanical tree removal within stream and wetland
buffers;
[ssquf] placement of silt fence and sediment traps along buffer
edges;
[ssquf] selective herbicide treatment to restrict application near
receiving water and groundwater features;
[ssquf] proper vehicle maintenance to reduce the potential for
adverse effects to groundwater; and
[ssquf] use of wetland mats for temporary crossing, dry season work
across wetlands, and no soil rutting of 12 inches or more in wetlands.
Biological Resources
[cir] Revegetate with native and/or noninvasive vegetation
consistent with Invasive Species Executive Order 13112, including
species that attract pollinators, to reintroduce habitat, reduce
erosion, and limit the spread of invasive species.
[cir] In areas requiring chemical treatment, only EPA-registered
and TVA-approved herbicides would be used in accordance with label
directions designed, in part, to restrict applications near sinkholes
and caves and near receiving waters to prevent unacceptable aquatic
effects. TVA would apply for coverage under TDEC's NPDES General Permit
for Application of Pesticides prior to use of herbicides in aquatic
environments.
[cir] Follow FWS recommendations regarding biological resources and
pollinator species:
[ssquf] Use of downward and inward facing lighting to limit
attracting wildlife, particularly migratory birds and bats;
[ssquf] Instruct construction personnel on wildlife resource
protection measures, including applicable Federal and State laws such
as those that prohibit animal disturbance, collection, or removal, the
importance of protecting wildlife resources, and avoiding unnecessary
vegetation removal; and
[ssquf] Perform surveys of buildings prior to demolition to ensure
they have not been colonized by bats or migratory birds. If bats are
found, including those listed as threatened or endangered species,
these buildings would not be
[[Page 24564]]
demolished until one of two mitigation actions occurs: (1) bats are
transitioned out of the buildings, or (2) consultation with FWS is
completed (if federally listed species are observed). If active nests
of migratory birds are present and demolition activities must occur
within the nesting season, TVA would coordinate with FWS or the United
States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, whichever is
appropriate based on the species' Federal status, to determine best
options for carrying out demolition activities.
[cir] Should actions near nesting osprey rise to levels above
normal routine disturbance typically encountered on the Kingston
Reservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services will be
contacted to ensure compliance under Federal law.
[cir] As practicable, TVA will endeavor to remove trees on the
Kingston Reservation between November 15 and March 31 when listed bat
species are not expected to be roosting in trees and when most
migratory bird species of conservation concern are not nesting in the
region. Likewise, TVA will endeavor, as practicable, to remove trees
for the offsite transmission system upgrade activities between November
15 and March 31 for tree clearing activities occurring within 0.5 miles
of known bat hibernacula.
[cir] For those activities with potential to affect listed bats,
TVA will commit to implementing specific conservation measures approved
by FWS through TVA's updated programmatic consultation (May 2023) to
ensure effects would not be significant. Relevant conservation measures
that will be implemented as part of the approved project are listed in
the bat strategy form provided in Appendix F to the Final EIS.
[cir] TVA will endeavor to sell any marketable timber generated
from onsite clearing activities. Non-marketable timber may be cut and
left in place in specified, non-wetland areas as a windrow BMP or may
be chipped and used as sediment barriers or mulch.
Cultural Resources
[cir] Keep access routes and construction activities outside of the
30-meter buffers surrounding any archaeological sites listed in
eligible, or potentially eligible for listing, in the NRHP.
[cir] When access routes must be placed within such buffers, avoid
modifications and use wetland mats and light-duty equipment when
practicable.
[cir] Locate new structures and buildings at least one-half mile
from, and out of view of, any NRHP-listed or eligible historic
architectural structures, when practicable. When avoidance is not
practical, mitigation will be performed in consultation with the SHPO.
[cir] Maintain vegetative screening (at least 100 feet in width) to
prevent clear views from any NRHP-listed or -eligible above-ground
resources, or from the Green-Mahoney Cemetery to the new facilities.
Waste Management
[cir] Develop and implement a variety of plans and programs to
ensure safe handling, storage, and use of hazardous materials.
Public and Occupational Health and Safety
[cir] Implement BMPs for site safety management to minimize
potential risks to workers.
Transportation
[cir] Implement staggered work shifts during daylight hours and
utilize a flag person during the heavy commute periods to manage
construction traffic flow near the project site(s), if needed.
[cir] To mitigate the potential for effects to public safety, TVA
will restrict or close roads in the vicinity should blasting be used to
demolish the stack. No barge or boat traffic would be allowed in the
area during the stack blasting activities.
[cir] TVA will work with the demolition contractor to create a
detailed site-specific plan for any public road closures that will be
distributed to affected parties, including emergency personnel.
Noise
[cir] Minimize construction activities during overnight hours,
where possible, and ensure that heavy equipment, machinery, and
vehicles utilized at the project site meet all Federal, State, and
local noise requirements.
Visual
[cir] Use downward- and inward-facing lighting.
Air Quality and GHG Emissions
[cir] Comply with local ordinances or burn permits if burning of
vegetative debris is required and use BMPs, such as periodic watering,
covering open-body trucks, and establishing a speed limit to mitigate
fugitive dust.
[cir] Remove ash from the facilities for deconstruction and
demolition, prior to removal of that facility, and implement dust
control measures during demolition to prevent the spread of dust, dirt,
and debris to minimize potential fugitive dust mobilization associated
with explosive demolition. Dust control methods may include covering
waste or debris piles, using covered containers to haul waste and
debris, or wet suppression techniques. Wet suppression may include
wetting of equipment and demolition areas and wetting unpaved vehicle
access routes during hauling, which can reduce fugitive dust emissions
from roadways and unpaved areas.
[cir] Maintain engines and equipment in good working order.
[cir] Comply with TDEC Air Pollution Control Rule 1200-3-8, which
requires reasonable precautions to prevent particulate matter from
becoming airborne. If necessary, emissions from open demolition areas
and paved/unpaved roads could be mitigated by spraying water on the
work areas and roadways to reduce fugitive dust emissions.
[cir] Comply with the EPA mobile source regulations in 40 CFR part
85 for on-road engines and 40 CFR part 1039 for non-road engines,
requiring a maximum sulfur content in diesel fuel of 15 ppm.
[cir] Implement inherent (e.g., good combustion design and
practice) and/or post-combustion (e.g., selective catalytic reduction,
oxidation catalysts) emissions controls for each emissions unit, which
will mitigate nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter 10
and 2.5, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds.
[cir] Meet 40 CFR part 60, subpart KKKK (NOX and
SO2), and subpart TTTT (GHGs), requirements for combustion
turbines/electric generating units, including emissions monitoring and/
or performance testing requirements, fuel and fuel sulfur monitoring
requirements, and maintenance, recordkeeping, and reporting
requirements. All combustion turbine exhaust stacks will be equipped
with continuous emissions monitoring systems.
[cir] Utilize efficient operation and maintenance techniques and
leak detection to minimize sulfur hexafluoride emissions associated
with transmission construction and upgrades.
[cir] Monitor local air quality and meteorological conditions
during construction and demolition activities, using AIRNOW or other
applicable data source as appropriate. The U.S. Air Quality Index will
be used to monitor local air quality conditions to inform decisions to
reduce, or change the timing of, construction/demolition activities.
Blasting/Explosives
[cir] TVA will work to minimize one-time emissions of fugitive dust
from facilities expected to produce large volumes (such as demolition
of the stack) by working with the demolition contractor on a site-
specific plan. The plan may use mitigation methods that include the
treatment of fall zones,
[[Page 24565]]
misting, and application of tackifier inside the stacks, or cleaning
and removal of ash and other materials. The fall zones may have berms
to reduce the lateral extent of the dust cloud. Also, a hardened berm
near the base of the stack could act as a backstop to prevent rock and
debris spreading from the base of the stacks during demolition.
[cir] Some blasting may be required during the site preparation due
to shallow rock. If blasting is required, the blasting contractor will
complete a survey, develop a blast plan, and review with KIF as well as
other TVA groups or projects who may have ongoing and unrelated
projects in the area (i.e. Dam Safety and Civil Projects) to coordinate
the limits of the vibration monitors/sensors for KIF generating units
or other sensitive features. After obtaining site specific data
provided by the blasting contractor, and if deemed necessary during
development of the demolition plan, TVA would work with a documentation
services company to prepare a vibration model simulating the effects of
discharge of the explosives or vibrations due to the stack hitting the
ground. If indicated by the results, imported fill, dirt binder, and
geofabric could be used for mitigation of noise and vibration.
[cir] During the construction planning process, TVA will determine
mitigation measures to minimize potential effects to on-site power
transmission equipment from vibrations caused by explosive demolition
of the stacks. Use of such mitigation measures would address any power
disruptions.
[cir] Explosives will be managed under the direction of a licensed
blaster, 24-hour security will be provided to monitor the explosives,
and detailed security plans will be developed and provided to area
emergency response agencies as part of measures that will be taken to
mitigate potential effects on the safety of personnel and the public.
TVA will comply with all Federal and State regulations applying to
blasting and blast vibration limits regarding structures and
underground utilities.
Floodplains
[cir] Construction of new transmission lines will adhere to the TVA
subclass review criteria for transmission lines located in floodplains.
[cir] KIF decommissioning and deconstruction debris will be
disposed of outside 100- and 500-year floodplains.
[cir] For any access roads within 100-year floodplains but not
floodways, the roads will be constructed such that flood elevations
would not increase more than one foot.
[cir] For any roads within 100-year floodways, and to prevent an
obstruction in the floodway, (1) any fill, gravel, or other
modifications in the floodway that extend above the pre-construction
road grade will be removed after completion of the project; (2) this
excess material will be spoiled outside of the published floodway; and
(3) the area will be returned to its pre-construction condition.
[cir] Any switchyard(s) located in the floodplain will be located a
minimum of one foot above the 100-year flood elevation at that location
for a regular action, or a minimum of the 500-year flood elevation for
a critical action, as well as be consistent with local floodplain
regulations.
[cir] The flood-damageable components of the solar panels, as well
as other flood-damageable structures and facilities sited in
floodplains, will be located at least one foot above the 100-year flood
elevation at that location and will otherwise be consistent with local
floodplain regulations.
[cir] Outside the Kingston Reservation, in construction laydown
areas, flood-damageable equipment or materials located within the 100-
year floodplain will be relocated outside the floodplain during a
flood.
[cir] On the Kingston Reservation, in construction laydown areas,
flood-damageable equipment or materials located within the 100-year
floodplain will be relocated by the equipment owner to an area above
elevation 750 during a flood.
ETNG would implement the following mitigation measures to
mitigate the impacts of construction and operation of the pipeline:
[cir] ETNG would follow the Karst Hazards Mitigation Guidance Plan
submitted to FERC on July 18, 2023, with ETNG's Certificate
application, which provides practical solutions to address typical
karst features, hydrotechnical hazards, and steep slopes, where site-
specific mitigation plans are deemed unnecessary.
[cir] ETNG would conduct pipeline blasting during daylight hours,
as feasible, and will not begin until occupants of nearby buildings,
stores, residences, places of business and farms have been notified.
[cir] ETNG will install the natural gas pipeline lateral through
trenching or directional drilling, and any excess fill resulting from
this would be disposed of outside 100-year floodplains.
TVA has incorporated non-routine mitigation measures into
Alternative A such as solar and battery storage facilities and hydrogen
fuel blending capabilities. Once constructed and operational, the
renewable components will include the 3 to 4 MW solar facility and 100
MW lithium-ion BESS at the Kingston Reservation. Alternative A will be
designed to be initially capable of blending 5 percent hydrogen at the
time of construction, but would be capable of burning at least 30
percent hydrogen by volume with modification to the balance of the
plant once a reliable hydrogen source is identified. If a reliable
source of hydrogen is identified in the future, TVA would conduct
additional analyses of supply routes, costs, storage requirements, or
other needs to facilitate incorporation of hydrogen fuel and to
determine the site-specific impacts associated with any future
mitigation that is planned. These non-routine mitigation measures have
been incorporated into Alternative A to plan for future regulatory
requirements and operating conditions, which may necessitate the need
for future mitigation efforts.
Authority: 40 CFR 1505.2.
Dated: April 2, 2024.
Jeff Lyash,
President & Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Valley Authority.
[FR Doc. 2024-07411 Filed 4-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8120-08-P
