Environmental Impact Statement; Shoreline Management Initiative

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

Environmental Impact Statement; Shoreline Management Initiative

AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on alternatives for management of

TVA shoreline use associated with residential and other development

adjacent to TVA reservoirs. It is envisioned that the EIS will analyze

a range of alternatives for managing shoreline development, define a

system to categorize shorelines, and determine permissible uses of

shorelines. TVA reservoirs in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi,

North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are affected by this proposed

EIS.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS must be received on or before

August 31, 1994. Thirteen public meetings will be held across the

Tennessee Valley to obtain comments on the scope of the EIS. The

locations and times for these meetings are announced below. TVA

encourages those wishing to provide comments to do so as early as

possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Dale Wilhelm, Manager of

National Environmental Policy Act, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West

Summit Hill Drive, WT SC-K, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teresa C. McDonough or Robert L.

Curtis, Jr., Reservoir Land Management, Tennessee Valley Authority, 17

Ridgeway Road, NRB 1A-N, Norris, Tennessee 37828-2001, telephone (615)

632-1542; or (800) TVA-LAND, toll free.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 26a of the TVA Act, any

obstruction affecting navigation, flood control, or public lands on or

along the Tennessee River system requires review and approval by TVA.

In addition, TVA has a variety of landrights along TVA shorelines,

ranging from the right to flood the land to fee ownership of the land.

Requests to use public shoreline land typically require approval by

TVA. In a recent five-year period, TVA approved about 9,500 requests

for private docks, boathouses, retaining walls, riprap, landscaping,

etc. along TVA shorelines.

For the purposes of this EIS, the TVA reservoir shoreline is

defined as land lying below a contour elevation about 5 feet above the

top of the gates at TVA dams. Lands and water below this elevation are

generally subject to section 26a jurisdiction.

Currently, 15 percent of the shoreline on TVA's reservoirs is

developed for private use; however, some lakes such as Wilson, Fort

Loudoun, Chatuge, and Watts Bar, are much more highly developed. If

current development trends continue, it is estimated that these figures

could increase dramatically, especially on those lakes that are near

urban areas or that have become resort destinations. The EIS will

consider a variety of different approaches to shoreline management.

Proposed Issues To Be Addressed

The EIS will assess the consequences of establishing a system to

categorize all 11,000 miles of TVA shorelines based on environmental

resources, land rights, physical site features, and operational

characteristics of the reservoir such as navigation and flood control.

Permissible uses allowed in each shoreline category would be defined.

Issues to be addressed would include impacts of shoreline development

on floodplains, wetlands, cultural resources, aesthetics, riparian

shoreline ecology, endangered and threatened species and sensitive

habitat, water quality, aquatic resources, reservoir operations,

navigation, public use opportunities, and socioeconomic conditions.

Examples of actions potentially affected by this Initiative include:

--Floating and fixed docks.

--Storage lockers for water use equipment.

--Non-navigable houseboats.

--Floating and fixed boathouses.

--Mooring buoys or posts.

--Electric poles and overhead electric wires.

--Fences.

--Portable picnic tables, benches, and grills.

--Vegetation trimming, clearing, and landscaping.

--Boat launching ramps, marine railways, and associated driveways.

--Land-based shelters for storage of boats and accessories.

--Buried electrical and water lines.

--Rip-rap, retaining walls, and bioengineered shorelines stabilization.

--Terraces, patios, gazebos, steps, and walkways.

--Fills, grading, change of contours.

--Boat channels, harbors, recessed boat wells, and excavations.

Reservoirs Affected

Shoreline use on the following reservoirs will be addressed in the

EIS:

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Percent of total shoreline

Reservoir Total shoreline miles miles currently developed for

private residential use\1\

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Alabama:

Bear Creek Lakes............................ Data not available............ Data not available.

Guntersville................................ 949........................... 9

Pickwick Landing............................ 496........................... 13

Wilson...................................... 154........................... 73

Wheeler..................................... 1063.......................... 4

Georgia:

Blue Ridge.................................. 65............................ 12

Chatuge..................................... 132........................... 26

Nottely..................................... 106........................... 17

Kentucky:

Kentucky.................................... 2380.......................... 12

Mississippi:

Pickwick Landing (see listing under Alabama)

North Carolina:

Chatuge (see listing under Georgia)

Fontana..................................... 248........................... 1

Hiwassee.................................... 163........................... 3

Tennessee:

Beech River Lakes........................... Data not available............ Data not available.

Boone....................................... 118........................... 39

Cherokee.................................... 386........................... 11

Chickamauga................................. 810........................... 18

Douglas..................................... 500........................... 12

Fort Loudoun................................ 311........................... 27

Fort Patrick Henry.......................... 28............................ 25

Guntersville (see listing under Alabama)

Kentucky (see listing under Kentucky)

Melton Hill................................. 173........................... 11

Nickajack................................... 192........................... 13

Nolichucky.................................. Data not available............ Data not available.

Normandy.................................... Data not available............ Data not available.

Norris...................................... 661........................... 9

Ocoee No. 3................................. 24............................ 0

Pickwick Landing (see listing under Alabama)

South Holston............................... 152........................... 5

Tellico..................................... 373........................... 3

Tims Ford................................... 246........................... 12

Watauga..................................... 97............................ 7

Watts Bar................................... 783........................... 25

Virginia:

South Holston (see above under Tennessee)

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\1\Source: Final Environmental Impact Statement: Tennessee River and Reservoir System Operation and Planning

Review, TVA/RDG/EQS-91/1, Tennessee Valley Authority, December 1990. Some reservoirs may have experienced an

increase in development since this data was compiled.

Scoping Process

TVA is interested in receiving comments on the issues to be

addressed above. TVA specifically requests comments on:

1. What is most important to you about TVA lakeshores?

2. What environmental issues or other aspects of shoreline use

associated with residential development should TVA include in this

policy analysis?

3. What changes should be made in the way shorelines are

protected, used, or developed?

4. Alternatives for shoreline management.

The EIS will address environmental issues and impacts raised in

public scoping. Scoping meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at

the following dates and locations:

Shoreline Management Initiative Public Meetings

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City, state Location Date

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Blountville, TN........ Central High School............. June 20.

Dandridge, TN.......... Jefferson County High School.... June 21.

Clinton, TN............ Anderson County High School..... June 23.

Muscle Shoals, AL...... Muscle Shoals High School....... June 27.

Dacatur, AL............ Oak Park Middle School.......... June 28.

Iuka, MS............... Burnsville Middle School........ June 30.

Knoxville, TN.......... Farragut High School............ July 11.

Sweetwater, TN......... Sweetwater Jr. High School...... July 12.

Murphy, NC............. Murphy High School.............. July 14.

Murray, KY............. Murray High School.............. July 18.

Parsons, TN............ Parsons Riverside High School... July 19.

Guntersville, AL....... Guntersville High School........ July 25.

Harrison, TN........... Central High School............. July 26.

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Persons interested in attending or receiving more information

should call 1-800-TVA-LAND prior to the meeting to confirm the time and

location.

Based on the scoping comments, TVA will develop a range of

alternatives for shoreline management to be assessed in the EIS. A

decision analysis process will be used to further refine and analyze

the alternatives as part of the EIS process. Following analysis of the

environmental consequences of each alternative, TVA will prepare a

Draft EIS for public review and comment. Notice of the availability of

this draft will be announced, comments on the draft solicited, and

information about additional public meetings/hearings will be published

at a future date. TVA contemplates releasing a final EIS in late 1995.

Dated: May 17, 1994.

Ronald L. Ritschard,

Vice President/Senior Scientist.

[FR Doc. 94-13009 Filed 5-26-94; 8:45 am]

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