1996 Olympic Whitewater Slalom Venue Ocoee River, Polk County, Tennessee, Ocoee Ranger District, Cherokee National Forest

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

1996 Olympic Whitewater Slalom Venue Ocoee River, Polk County,

Tennessee, Ocoee Ranger District, Cherokee National Forest

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Issuance of the record of decision.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given in accordance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 5.4.9 of TVA's implementing

procedures, 45 FR 54,111-15 (1980), that as a cooperating agency, TVA

has decided to adopt the environmentally preferred alternative

identified in the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, Cherokee National Forest's final environmental impact

statement (EIS), ``1996 Olympic Whitewater Slalom Venue, Ocoee River,

Polk County, Tennessee, Ocoee Ranger District, Cherokee National

Forest.'' The final EIS was made available to the public on April 1,

1994. TVA has decided to: (1) Release water from Ocoee No. 3 Dam into

the main Ocoee River channel for required pre-Olympic training and pre-

Olympic competitive events during the summer of 1995 and for pre-

Olympic and Olympic competition in the summer of 1996, and (2) provide

Section 26a approval of proposed facilities. Water releases will be

limited to testing the design of the competitive channel and for

training and competitive events associated with the Olympics.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale V. Wilhelm, Manager, National

Environmental Policy Act Department, Environmental Management,

Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 8C,

Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499, telephone (615) 632-6693. Copies of

the final EIS may be obtained by writing to Keith Sandifer, Cherokee

National Forest, Planning Staff Officer, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box

2010, Cleveland, Tennessee 37320-2010, or by calling (615) 476-9700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In March 1992, TVA and the state of

Tennessee were invited by the Forest Service to participate as

cooperating agencies in an EIS on the development of the Upper Ocoee

River as the site for the 1996 Summer Olympic Whitewater Slalom Venue.

The proposal included hosting both pre-Olympic and Olympic canoe and

kayak events in the summers of 1995 and 1996. The proposed site is

located within the Cherokee National Forest, Ocoee Ranger District,

Polk County, Tennessee, about 28 miles east of Cleveland, Tennessee,

along U.S. Highway 64. Development of the site will include

construction of a permanent 400- to 600-meter-long slalom course and

both permanent and temporary facilities needed to support the event.

The course will be located in the Ocoee River between TVA's Ocoee No. 2

and No. 3 Dams near river mile 26.3, about 1.1 river miles upstream

from TVA's Ocoee No. 3 Powerhouse.

Construction of the course and associated facilities will begin in

1994 and conclude with post-Olympic removal of temporary facilities.

Most permanent facilities will be in place for pre-Olympic competitive

events in the summer of 1995. The Olympic competition is scheduled to

occur over a three-day period from July 26 through July 28, 1996.

TVA agreed to participate in the EIS because it controls water

flows within the Ocoee River and its approval is needed under Section

26a of the TVA Act for construction of water-use facilities included in

the proposal. TVA Section 26a approval includes rockfill to create the

competitive channel, abutments for a temporary bridge at the lower end

and a permanent bridge at the upper end of the venue, and other

facilities and structures to be located in the 100-year floodplain.

TVA's actions are limited to those described above. Any post-

Olympic applications for commercial uses of the site requiring water

releases will have to be further evaluated by TVA.

Based on the comments received during the scoping process, four

alternatives were developed and evaluated in the draft EIS. A Notice of

Availability was published in the Federal Register on December 10, 1993

(59 FR 64946), and copies of the draft EIS were sent to over 300

individuals, organizations, and agencies.

The public was invited to submit written comments on the draft EIS

or attend one of two meetings which were held in Ducktown and

Cleveland, Tennessee. Thirty individuals, groups, and organizations

responded. No new information or issues were raised in the process.

Alternatives Considered

The following four alternatives were considered by the Forest

Service and cooperating agencies and were evaluated in the final EIS.

These alternatives with the exception of the No Action alternative meet

the requirements set by the International Olympics Committee and the

Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. What would vary under

alternates 1, 2, and 3 is the extent to which the proposed facilities

are temporary or permanent in nature. All permanent facilities will be

owned and maintained by the Forest Service.

Alternative 1: All facilities and structures would be removed after

the Olympics. The site will be restored to pre-existing conditions.

Alternative 2: A mix of temporary and permanent facilities and

structures would be constructed. Temporary structures consist of fabric

or tent-like structures to protect, contain, and screen certain

functions required only for the Olympic events and bleachers to provide

for spectator seating. Permanent facilities include the competitive

channel, an upper pedestrian/light vehicle bridge to the left bank,

utilities, a small parking area adjacent to Highway 64, and a day-use

building.

Alternative 3: A mix of temporary and permanent facilities would be

constructed, similar to Alternative 2, but with additional permanent

facilities to provide for increased post-Olympic recreational

opportunity in the upper Ocoee area. Permanent structures and

facilities include upper and lower bridges to the left bank, utilities

for future whitewater activities, a small parking area adjacent to U.S.

Highway 64 where an existing pull off occurs, and an expanded day-use

building with a septic and water supply system. Permanent terraces

would be constructed adjacent to the competitive channel.

Alternative 4: No action. The Olympic event would not be held on

the Ocoee River. No development would occur and conditions would not be

changed.

TVA concurs with the determination of the Forest Service and the

state of Tennessee that alternative 3 is the environmentally preferred

alternative. This determination is based in part on the deteriorating

nature of the site due to increasing recreational use. The proposed

improvements will remedy many of the existing problems (e.g., trash and

unsanitary conditions) and better enable the area to handle the

recreational demands being placed upon it. TVA is issuing this separate

Record of Decision to document its decision relative to water release

for Olympic events and construction of proposed facilities requiring

26a approval. This decision is made regarding the Olympic events and

associated activities only and in no way infers a commitment of future

releases.

A tentative water release schedule for Alternatives 1, 2, and 3 of

up to 147 eight-hour days has been set for required pre-Olympic

training and competitive events during the summer of 1995 and for pre-

Olympic and Olympic competition in the summer of 1996. The schedule is

based on operations of the whitewater canoe and kayak pre-events and

competitive events at the Barcelona, Spain, Olympics in 1992. In

meeting the proposed water release schedule, TVA operations at Blue

Ridge Lake and Ocoee No. 2 and Ocoee No. 3 powerhouses will be

carefully coordinated to ensure that sufficient water is available at

the scheduled times, and to avoid flow conditions adverse to

recreational whitewater activities associated with Ocoee No. 2;

however, because of the limited storage capability of the Ocoee No.

Lake, TVA cannot control high flows from the local drainage area

between Blue Ridge Dam and Ocoee No. 3 Dam during heavy rainfall

events. If drought conditions occur during this period, TVA will use

water from Blue Ridge to supply the competitive channel. Use of water

stored in Blue Ridge lake could potentially lower the lake level;

however, this effect would be negligible, unless drought conditions are

experienced in 1995-1996.

Basis for Decision

Alternative 3 is chosen because it would produce the most

recreation and economic development benefits without significantly

reducing water quality. Economic development benefits include an

estimated additional $70 million added to the regional economy with a

$4 million increase in local sales and over 200 additional jobs.

Implementation of alternative 3 is also expected to increase recreation

opportunities and the quality of the recreation experience, increase

national recognition of the recreational resources of the southeast

provide river terraces and other physical improvements to the site,

prevent water quality degradation, and increase efforts to protect the

area.

Environmental Consequences and Commitments

The principal effect of water release decision is to provide

increased flows from Ocoee No. 3 Dam for pre-Olympic and Olympic

events. Operational studies by TVA showed that for maximum 147 eight-

hour day release schedule about 48 million kWh of hydroelectric energy

would be lost. In addition, some energy would be shifted from peak

periods to off-peak periods at Blue Ridge, Ocoee No. 2 and No. 3

powerhouses. The amount would depend on the hours during the day

releases are actually scheduled. These changes in the operation of

these hydroelectric plants would potentially increase TVA's power costs

by about $1.5 million.

Because of the nature of the proposal, there is no practicable

alternative to siting in the 100-year floodplain. TVA will condition

its 26a approval on the right to review and approve final design of

instream structures associated with the Olympics. As part of the 26a

approval, TVA will require best management practices to control erosion

and sedimentation, as necessary, to prevent adverse aquatic impacts.

Dated: May 11, 1994.

Ralph H. Brooks,

Acting Senior Vice President, Resource Group, Tennessee Valley

Authority.

[FR Doc. 94-12023 Filed 5-17-94; 8:45 am]

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