The Tennessee Valley Authority has released the final Environmental Impact Statement for reservoir land management plans for eight TVA reservoirs in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee: Chickamauga, Fort Loudoun, Great Falls, Kentucky, Nickajack, Normandy, Wheeler, and Wilson.
"The plans are an important part of how TVA manages its public lands, and will help ensure a long-term, balanced approach to the overall process. During this review, TVA considered alternative plans for management of over 138,000 acres of lands surrounding the eight reservoirs. The RLMPs contain detailed descriptions of the environment around each reservoir and descriptions of each parcel of land addressed in the plans, as well as the parcel’s land use," officials said.
The environmental review was initiated in February 2016. In December 2016, TVA published a draft EIS and gathered input from stakeholders during a public review period and at numerous public meetings. TVA considered these comments when completing the final EIS and RLMPs. Responses to the comments are included in the final EIS.
The TVA board of directors is expected to consider the approval of the RLMPs at their Aug. 23 meeting in Knoxville. For more information about the lands planning process or to view the final EIS and RLMPs, visit www.tva.gov/Environment/Environmental-Stewardship/Land-Management/Updates-to-8-Reservoir-Land-Management-Plans-and-the-Comprehensive-Valleywide-Land-Plan.