19750 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 75 / Thursday, April 19, 2007 / Notices

1. A final program and financial 08–01. Please read the complete Policy, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 report no more than 90 days after the announcement before sending inquiries West Summit Hill Drive WT 11B, expiration of the award. This report or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP Knoxville, Tennessee 37902–1401; must disclose cost sharing and be deadline has passed, Bureau staff may telephone (865) 632–3582 or e-mail certified by the award recipient’s chief not discuss this competition with [email protected]. financial officer or an officer of applicants until the proposal review SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: comparable rank. process has been completed. Nolichucky Dam was built by the 2. Quarterly financial reports within Tennessee Eastern Electric Company in thirty (30) days following the end of the VIII. Other Information 1913 at mile 46 on the Nolichucky calendar year quarter. These reports Notice: River, about 7.5 miles south of should itemize separately International The terms and conditions published Greeneville, Greene County, Tennessee. Visitor costs, Voluntary Visitor costs, in this RFGP are binding and may not Nolichucky Reservoir, also known as English Language Officer/Interpreter be modified by any Bureau Davy Crockett Lake, extends upstream costs for International Visitors, English representative. Explanatory information about 6 miles from the dam. TVA Language Officer/Interpreter costs for provided by the Bureau that contradicts acquired the project in 1945 and Voluntary Visitors, special project costs published language will not be binding. by projects, and administrative costs for Issuance of the RFGP does not operated it as a single-purpose power the previous quarter on a cash basis. constitute an award commitment on the production facility. By 1945, sand and These reports should also list separately part of the Government. The Bureau silt from mining in the upper the number of English Language reserves the right to reduce, revise, or Nolichucky watershed in western North Officers/Interpreters accompanying increase proposal budgets in accordance Carolina had begun to fill the reservoir. International Visitors, and the number with the needs of the program and the The sediment in the reservoir continued of English Language Officers/ availability of funds. Awards made will to accumulate to the point that TVA Interpreters accompanying Voluntary be subject to periodic reporting and removed the electric generators from Visitors for whom funds are expended. evaluation requirements per section VI.3 service between 1965 and 1972. Since Quarterly financial reports must be above. 1972, the project has been jointly managed by TVA, the Tennessee certified by the award recipient’s chief Dated: April 12, 2007. financial officer or an officer of Wildlife Resources Agency, and local C. Miller Crouch, organizations for wildlife management, comparable rank. For further Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau information, please refer to the 2008 environmental education, and of Educational and Cultural Affairs, recreation. Program Objectives, Goals, and Department of State. The Federal government owns Implementation (POGI) document. [FR Doc. E7–7463 Filed 4–18–07; 8:45 am] approximately 1,400 acres of land under 3. Such operating, statistical, and BILLING CODE 4710–05–P financial information relating to the and around Nolichucky Reservoir and program as may be requested by the DoS holds easements giving it the right to flood an additional 370 acres of land to meet its reporting requirements and TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY answer inquiries concerning the along this part of the river. At the time TVA acquired these landrights in 1945, operation of the IVL program, as Final Environmental Impact the landrights did not include all of the stipulated in the FY 2008 Program Statement—Nolichucky Reservoir area affected by Nolichucky Dam during Objectives, Goals, and Implementation. Flood Remediation Project 4. Reports analyzing evaluation flood events. Since then, the 100-year findings should be provided to the AGENCY: Tennessee Valley Authority flood elevation has increased up to 10 Bureau in award recipient’s regular (TVA). feet due to the accumulated sediment in program reports. (Please refer to IV. ACTION: Issuance of Record of Decision. the reservoir. The federal landrights Application and Submission include about 54 percent of the area SUMMARY: This notice is provided in Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program within the present 500-year floodplain accordance with the Council on Monitoring and Evaluation information. and about 63 percent of the area within Environmental Quality’s regulations (40 All data collected must be maintained the 100-year floodplain. CFR parts 1500 to 1508) and TVA’s for a minimum of three years and TVA published a Notice of Intent to procedures implementing the National provided to the Bureau upon request. prepare this EIS in the Federal Register All reports must be sent to the ECA Environmental Policy Act. TVA has on January 12, 2000. Public and agency Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer decided to adopt Alternative A—No scoping meetings were held on January listed in the final assistance award Action, the preferred alternative 20, 2000; 52 people attended the public document. identified in its Final Environmental scoping meeting. Scoping comments Impact Statement (EIS), Nolichucky were received from one Federal agency, VII. Agency Contacts Reservoir Flood Remediation Project. In one nongovernmental organization, and For questions about this implementing Alternative A, TVA seven individuals. Following a series of announcement, contact: Michelle would continue to provide updated agency and public workshops, the Draft Lampher, Office of International flood level information to local agencies EIS was released in January 2002 and Visitors, Community Relations Division, and individuals. This would not the Notice of Availability of the Draft Room 247, Reference Number ECA/PE/ preclude TVA working with individual EIS was published in the Federal V–08–01, U.S. Department of State, SA– landowners to address problems in the Register on February 8, 2002. TVA held 44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC future. TVA would take no other action a public meeting on the Draft EIS in on 20547, telephone 202–203–7193, fax to address the impacts of flooding of February 21, 2002 and accepted 202–453–8631, or e-mail private land and property around comments through March 29, 2002. [email protected]. Nolichucky Reservoir. Comments on the Draft EIS were All correspondence with the Bureau FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: received from 65 individuals. Two concerning this RFGP should reference Charles P. Nicholson, NEPA Program federal agencies and three state the above title and number ECA/PE/V– Manager, Environmental Stewardship & agencies. The Notice of Availability for

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the Final EIS was published in the much of it into a more riverine repeated this analysis for minority Federal Register on November 3, 2006. environment. All federal land around populations using data from smaller the reservoir would remain in public census blocks adjoining Nolichucky Alternatives Considered ownership and would continue to be Reservoir. Minority populations made TVA identified four alternatives in the used for wildlife management, up about 1.2 percent of the year 2000 EIS. environmental education, and public population of 578 persons in these Under Alternative A—No Action, parks. TVA would continue to maintain blocks. This proportion is well below TVA would provide updated flood level Nolichucky Dam and Powerhouse as the national, state, and county levels, information to local agencies and required by federal dam safety and below that of the larger census individuals but would not take any regulations and to preserve their historic tracts in which the blocks are located. other actions to address flood impacts value. This alternative would require 5 The population within this area is well on nonfederal lands. TVA would to 10 years to implement and cost dispersed and there are few continue to maintain Nolichucky Dam between $45 and $70 million. concentrations of residents within the and Powerhouse as required by federal Under Alternative D—Remove floodplain. Data on low-income dam safety regulations and to preserve Nolichucky Dam, TVA would address populations are not available for their historic value. TVA would flood impacts on nonfederal lands by individual census blocks. A small maintain the reservoir’s recreational removing all visible components of cluster of low-cost housing occurs in the uses through agreements with other Nolichucky Dam and Powerhouse and floodplain on the right bank of the agencies and organizations that provide removing or stabilizing sediment in the reservoir; housing on the left bank is for wildlife management, environmental reservoir. In accordance with historic widely dispersed with no similar education, and public parks. preservation requirements, TVA would clusters. Due to the low percentage of Under Alternative B—Acquire document the dam and powerhouse and minority populations, the low poverty Landrights, TVA would address flood preserve qualifying equipment. Up to level in much of the area, and the impacts on nonfederal lands by 19,000 acre-feet (30 million cubic yards) scattered location of housing in most of acquiring either fee title or easements would be removed from the reservoir the area, no disproportionate effect on with the right to flood all of the area and deposited on nearby lands. In minority or low-income populations is nonfederal land within the present 500- cooperation with appropriate state and anticipated. year floodplain around Nolichucky local agencies, TVA would determine Reservoir (about 1,060 acres). If TVA how the federal lands would be used, Decision acquired fee title, TVA would buy the probably as parts of modified versions TVA has decided to adopt Alternative affected land and all structures built on of the existing wildlife management, A—No Action. it and would hold all rights concerning environmental education, and public Alternative A—No Action was use of that land. If TVA acquired only park areas. This alternative would selected over the other alternatives a flowage easement, TVA would buy the require 10 to 12 years to implement and because it would result in few, if any, right to overflow and flood specific cost between $90 and $150 million. additional adverse environmental parts of the property on an intermittent TVA did not identify a preferred impacts, and could be implemented at and temporary basis. The owner could alternative in the Draft EIS. TVA little cost to TVA. As described in the continue to use the easement land in identified Alternative A—No Action as FEIS, TVA has determined that the rate many ways, but would relinquish the the preferred alternative in the Final of sediment inflow into Nolichucky right to build structures below a specific EIS. Reservoir has greatly decreased in elevation and would have to receive recent years, and the present sediment TVA approval prior to developing the Comments on the Final EIS inflow rate is likely close to the sand affected land. TVA would maintain the TVA received comments on the Final dredging removal rate of around 70,000 reservoir’s recreational uses through EIS from the Environmental Protection tons per year. Based on this sediment agreements with other agencies and Agency, the Tennessee Wildlife inflow rate, there is little potential for organizations that provide for wildlife Resources Agency, and one individual flood damage to lands and existing management, environmental education, affected by the flooding. The Tennessee structures within the floodplain to and public parks. Most new land Wildlife Resources Agency expressed a markedly increase in the future, even in acquired in fee would probably be preference for Alternative B. The the absence of sand dredging. TVA, added to the existing wildlife Environmental Protection Agency did however, would continue to permit management area. TVA would continue not express a preference for any qualified sand dredging operations to to maintain Nolichucky Dam and alternative and noted the positive and operate in the reservoir, further Powerhouse as required by federal dam negative aspects of each alternative. reducing the potential for increased safety regulations and to preserve their They did, however, suggest further future flood damages. While the risk of historic value. This alternative could be consideration of Alternative B. TVA has flooding would slowly decrease under implemented within 3 years and would carefully considered Alternative B and, this alternative assuming sand dredging cost between $15 and $20 million. as described below, decided to adopt continues, the risk of flooding non- Under Alternative C—Lower Alternative A. federal property would continue. Nolichucky Dam, TVA would address The Environmental Protection Agency Community awareness of flood risk, flood impacts on nonfederal lands by requested a more detailed analysis of however, has increased in part because lowering the Nolichucky Dam spillway the potential impacts of the preferred of this EIS process, and because TVA after removing or stabilizing sediment in No Action Alternative on minority and has provided updated flood level the reservoir. The spillway would be low-income populations. The information to the community. In the lowered by about 40 feet so that the 500- Environmental Justice analysis in the event that flooding of some property year flood elevation would only affect FEIS was based on relatively large occurs in the future, TVA would land already in federal ownership or census tracts and concluded that the address it on a case by case basis as it covered by flowage easement. This action alternatives would not result in has in the past. would reduce the reservoir pool area disproportionate impacts on minority In reaching this decision, TVA has from 455 to about 160 acres and convert and low-income populations. TVA has carefully considered both the comments

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and concerns voiced by the public and agencies and individuals so that they information about climate variability the results of the impact analyses. There are better aware of flooding risks. and change when making transportation was some support for each alternative. Dated: April 13, 2007. decisions. A sound transportation Based on the comments TVA received system is vital to the nation’s social and Kathryn J. Jackson, during the scoping and EIS review economic future. Investments in processes, there was strong public Executive Vice President, River System transportation are substantial, and result Operations & Environment. support for maintaining the reservoir in infrastructure that is designed to last and the existing recreational uses of the [FR Doc. E7–7439 Filed 4–18–07; 8:45 am] for decades. Transportation plans and reservoir and adjacent public lands; BILLING CODE 8120–08–P designs should therefore be carefully Alternative A does this. considered and well informed by a Alternatives C and D would eliminate range of factors, including consideration the dam-related flooding. In doing so, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION of climate variability and change. they would partially or fully eliminate Climate also affects the safety, the reservoir and many of its current Office of the Secretary operations, and maintenance of recreational uses. They would also [OST–2007–27909] transportation infrastructure and destroy the wetlands habitats around systems. This research will investigate the reservoir, and adversely affect the Advisory Committee on Impacts of the potential impacts of climate Nolichucky River downstream of the Climate Variability and Change on variability and change on transportation dam. While Alternative B would not Transportation Systems and infrastructure and its operation, and have the adverse impacts of Alternatives Infrastructure—Gulf Coast Case Study provide guidance as to how C and D, it would cost $15 to $20 transportation planners and decision AGENCY: million to implement and could result Federal Highway makers may incorporate this in the relocation of many homeowners Administration (FHWA), DOT. information into transportation or restrictions on use of their property. ACTION: Notice of meeting of advisory planning decisions to ensure a reliable None of the alternatives would restore committee. and robust future transportation the recreational benefits that once network. existed at Nolichucky Reservoir and SUMMARY: This document announces the The Gulf Coast Study was selected by have since been lost due to the second meeting of the Advisory DOT as the first of a series of research accumulation of sediment. Committee on Impacts of Climate activities that the Center will pursue to TVA has determined that the Variability and Change on address these research priorities. This implementation of Alternative A would Transportation Systems and initial product will focus on the low- not affect historic properties and has Infrastructure—Gulf Coast Case Study to lying Gulf of Mexico coastal region, consulted with the Tennessee State the U.S. Department of Transportation which has little topographic relief but it Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) in (the ‘‘Advisory Committee’’). The is heavily populated. In addition, the accordance with Section 106 of the purpose of this meeting is to advise the area’s transportation modes are both National Historic Preservation Act. The Secretary of Transportation on the unique and economically significant. SHPO concurred with TVA’s design, implementation and final report For example, the Ports of New Orleans determination on April 28, 2005. The of Synthesis and Assessment Product and Houston are the top two ranking U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 4.7, which examines how a changing U.S. ports in tonnage. Roughly two also concurred that implementation of climate might affect transportation thirds of all U.S. oil imports are Alternative A would not adversely affect infrastructure and services in the Gulf transported through this region. federally listed or proposed endangered Coast. This research is being conducted Pipelines traversing the region transport or threatened species. under the Climate Change Science over 90 percent of domestic Outer Program. Continental Shelf oil and gas. Almost Environmentally Preferred Alternative DATES: The second meeting of the half of the Nation’s repetitive flood Alternative B is the environmentally Advisory Committee is scheduled for damage claims are paid to homeowners preferred alternative because it would May 16–17, 2007, from 8 a.m. until 5 and businesses in this region, and the accomplish the project purpose of p.m. each day. efficacy of evacuation during storms is alleviating the flood impacts on private an important determinant of the safety ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at land and property, would not involve and well-being of the region’s the Tremont House, 2300 Ship’s any adverse impacts on the surrounding population. This region is subject to the Mechanic Row, Galveston, Texas 77550. natural and human environment, would direct effects of hurricanes and tropical Phone: 409–763–0300. increase the land area available for storms. Given its low elevation, the area public recreation, and would enhance FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. is also particularly vulnerable to the conservation of many resources. Michael Savonis, the Designated Federal flooding and storm surges that Even though Alternative B is the Official, Office of Natural and Human accompany hurricanes and tropical environmentally preferred alternative, Environment, 202–366–2080, storms. These effects may be Alternative A also would not have ([email protected]), Federal exacerbated by global sea level rise and adverse environmental impacts. Highway Administration, 400 Seventh local land subsidence. Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. To carry out this study, the U.S. DOT Mitigation SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: published a notice of intent to form an Alternative A—No Action that TVA Advisory Committee in the Federal has selected is not anticipated to Background Register on June 22, 2006 (71 FR 35986). adversely affect natural or human Through consultation with That notice, consistent with the resources, and consequently TVA has transportation professionals, requirements of the Federal Advisory determined that no associated researchers, and partners, the U.S. Committee Act (FACA), announced the mitigation measures are necessary. TVA Department of Transportation (DOT) has establishment of the Committee and does commit, however, to providing identified a need within the invited comments on the nominations updated flood level information to local transportation community for improved for membership.

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