Draft Environmental Assessment

Flue Gas Desulfurization System

Paradise Fossil Plant Unit 3, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky

TVA has prepared a draft environmental assessment of a proposal to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from Unit 3 at Paradise Fossil Plant by installing flue gas desulfurization equipment that employs the wet limestone forced oxidation technology. TVA needs to reduce SO2 emissions at Paradise to meet requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments.

Issues identified in the scoping of potential environmental impacts and subsequently analyzed in the EA were: air quality; vegetation, wildlife, and natural areas; protected and sensitive species; wetlands and floodplains; land use, visual aesthetics, and noise; cultural resources; coal combustion by-product generation, handling, and disposal; surface water and wastewater; groundwater quality; aquatic ecology; socioeconomics; and transportation.

The impacts of the proposed action are insignificant with incorporation of the following commitments. Operational and technological controls to meet the limits of the plant’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit would avoid aquatic toxicity in discharges from the plant. The selection of a supplier for delivery of limestone for the Unit 3 scrubber in about 2005 or 2006 may result in a need for consultation with the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Officer at that time. The use of best management and engineering practices, the elevation or floodproofing of critical system components, and the provision of portable toilets for project construction personnel will ensure that construction-related discharges comply with applicable regulations and executive orders.

Draft Environmental Assessment

This is the complete text of the DEA, divided into sections for faster downloading (PDF files, require Adobe Acrobat Reader):

Title Page and Table of Contents (20 kb)
List of chapters, sections, list of tables and figures, acronyms, symbols, and units of measure.

Chapter 1: Purpose, Need, Background, and Scoping (21 kb)
The purpose of the proposed action, background on air pollution and SO2 control technology, description of Paradise Fossil Plant, related NEPA documents, the scooping process, and public/agency involvement.

Chapter 2: Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action (1.38 mb)
The proposed action and alternatives; comparison of environmental impacts of alternatives; summary of environmental commitments, permits, and applicable regulations. The following figures have been extracted from Chapter 2 and can be downloaded separately:
Figure 2-2: Gypsum sluice lines near plant, page 10 (21 kb)
Figure 2-3: Gypsum sluice lines to Pond A, page 11 (34 kb)

Chapter 3: Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences (867 kb)
The scope of environmental issues and description of impacts to various resource areas.

Chapter 4: List of Preparers (12 kb)
Preparers of various sections of the document and their contributions.

Chapter 5: List of Agencies and Persons Consulted (8 kb)
Federal and state agencies consulted or to whom copies of the EA were mailed for review.

Chapter 6: Supporting Information (22 kb)
Literature cited and acronyms, symbols and abbreviations.

Appendix A
Agency correspondence and comments are not available here but will be included in the final EA.

Appendix B (396 kb)
Flue gas desulfurization components: process flow diagram and preliminary layout.

Appendix C (15 kb)
Matrix of operational flows and DBA/AA toxicity testing.

Appendix D (15 kb)
Noise modeling approach.

For more information

Printed copies of this EA are available for viewing at the Muhlenberg County Public Library, Bowling Green Public Library, Nashville Public Library, Louisville Free Public Library, and the TVA Corporate Library. For more information contact Bruce L. Yeager at the number or address below. For e-mail, please type in the subject line “Paradise Fossil Unit 3 Scrubber Addition” and include your postal mailing address.

Closing date for comments

TVA encourages your comments, which must be received by January 10, 2003, to ensure consideration. These comments will be used in the preparation of the final environmental assessment and should be directed to:

Bruce L. Yeager, Senior NEPA Specialist
Environmental Policy and Planning
TVA WT 8C
400 West Summit Hill Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37902
865-632-8051
Fax: 865-632-6855

E-mail: tvainfo@tva.gov (Attn.: Bruce L. Yeager)