Proposed Categorical Exclusions Supporting Documentation Amended TVA Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act Tennessee Valley Authority February 2020 Tennessee Valley Authority ii Proposed Categorical Exclusions Supporting Documentation (February 2020) CONTENTS Contents ........................................................................................................................................... i 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Purpose of Supporting Document .............................................................................. 1-2 1.2 TVA’s Review of Categorical Exclusions................................................................. 1-2 2 SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO TVA CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS ... 2-1 2.1 New Categorical Exclusions ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 New Spatial Limits .................................................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Other Limitations ....................................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Modifications to Existing Categorical Exclusions .................................................... 2-3 2.5 Existing Categorical Exclusions to be Eliminated .................................................... 2-3 3 SUBSTANTIATION OF NEW AND REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS ........ 3-1 3.1 CE 1 - Educational & Informational Activities ......................................................... 3-3 3.2 CE 2 - Technical & Planning Assistance................................................................... 3-7 3.3 CE 3 - Personnel Actions........................................................................................... 3-9 3.4 CE 4 - Procurement Activities ................................................................................. 3-10 3.5 CE 5 - Accounting ................................................................................................... 3-11 3.6 CE 6 - Electricity Contracts ..................................................................................... 3-12 3.7 CE 7 - Administrative Activities ............................................................................. 3-13 3.8 CE 8 - Office Services ............................................................................................. 3-14 3.9 CE 9 - Property Protection & Legal Activities ........................................................ 3-15 3.10 CE 10 - Emergency Preparedness ........................................................................... 3-16 3.11 CE 11 - Health & Safety .......................................................................................... 3-18 3.12 CE 12 - Data Collection, Inventory & Monitoring .................................................. 3-23 3.13 CE 13 - Preliminary Site Studies ............................................................................. 3-28 3.14 CE 14 - Research & Development .......................................................................... 3-36 3.15 CE 15 - Reserved ..................................................................................................... 3-38 3.16 CE 16 - New Transmission Infrastructure ............................................................... 3-39 3.17 CE 17 - Existing Transmission Infrastructure ......................................................... 3-54 3.18 CE 18 - Telecommunications & Smart Grid ........................................................... 3-62 3.19 CE 19 - Transmission Line Retirement & Rebuilding ............................................ 3-64 3.20 CE 20 - Transmission Transactions ......................................................................... 3-74 3.21 CE 21 - Power Plant Acquisition ............................................................................. 3-76 3.22 CE 22 - Dispersed Recreation ................................................................................. 3-82 i Tennessee Valley Authority 3.23 CE 23 - Public Use Areas ........................................................................................ 3-90 3.24 CE 24 - Use of TVA Property ................................................................................. 3-91 3.25 CE 25 - Property Transactions ................................................................................. 3-92 3.26 CE 26 - Section 26a Permitting Approvals ............................................................. 3-94 3.27 CE 27 - TVA Shoreline Actions .............................................................................. 3-96 3.28 CE 28 - Modifications to Land Use Allocations in TVA Plans ............................ 3-109 3.29 CE 29 - Wetlands, Riparian & Aquatic Ecosystem Improvements ....................... 3-118 3.30 CE 30 - Land Management & Stewardship ........................................................... 3-131 3.31 CE 31 - Forest Management .................................................................................. 3-145 3.32 CE 32 - Invasive Plant Management ..................................................................... 3-159 3.33 CE 33 - Cultural Resources Protection .................................................................. 3-167 3.34 CE 34 - Reburials of Remains & Objects .............................................................. 3-176 3.35 CE 35 - Wells ........................................................................................................ 3-180 3.36 CE 36 - Facilities-Based, Routine, In-Kind Activities .......................................... 3-188 3.37 CE 37 - Facilities-Based Upgrades & Modifications ............................................ 3-202 3.38 CE 38 - Siting, Construction & Operation of Buildings........................................ 3-215 3.39 CE 39 - Temporary Structures on Facility Sites .................................................... 3-225 3.40 CE 40 - Demolition & Disposal of Structures ....................................................... 3-234 3.41 CE 41 - Road Maintenance .................................................................................... 3-242 3.42 CE 42 - Road Improvements ................................................................................. 3-250 3.43 CE 43 - TVA Property Access .............................................................................. 3-260 3.44 CE 44 - Waste Management & Cleanup ............................................................... 3-270 3.45 CE 45 - Renewable Energy Sources At Existing Facilities ................................... 3-282 3.46 CE 46 – Methane Gas Electric Generating Systems ............................................. 3-291 3.47 CE 47 - Modifications to Rate Structure ............................................................... 3-298 3.48 CE 48 - Assistance For Energy & Water Programs .............................................. 3-307 3.49 CE 49 - Economic Development ........................................................................... 3-315 3.50 CE 50 - Economic Assistance ............................................................................... 3-327 4 RATIONALE FOR ELIMINATION OF EXISTING CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS .. 4-1 4.1 Existing CE 5.2.1 ....................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Existing CE 5.2.7 ....................................................................................................... 4-2 4.3 Existing CE 5.2.8 ....................................................................................................... 4-2 4.4 Existing CE 5.2.14 ..................................................................................................... 4-2 4.5 Existing CE 5.2.17 ..................................................................................................... 4-3 ii Proposed Categorical Exclusions Supporting Documentation (February 2020) 4.6 Existing CE 5.2.19 ..................................................................................................... 4-3 4.7 Existing CE 5.2.22 ..................................................................................................... 4-3 4.8 Existing CE 5.2.27 ..................................................................................................... 4-4 4.9 Existing CE 5.2.28 ..................................................................................................... 4-4 5 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 5-1 6 QUALIFICATIONS OF PREPARERS ............................................................................... 6-1 ATTACHMENT A: TVA CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION CHECKLIST ................................... 1 iii Tennessee Valley Authority Acronyms and Abbreviations AR Administrative Record ARC Appalachian Regional Commission BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs BLM Bureau of Land Management BMPs Best Management Practices BOR Bureau of Reclamation BTOP Broadband Technology Opportunities Program CC-CT Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbine CCP Coal Combustion Product CE Categorical Exclusion CEC Categorical Exclusion Checklist CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations CT Combustion Turbine CWI Clean Water Initiative DHS Department of Homeland Security DOC Department of Commerce DOE Department of Energy DOI