Allen Fossil Plant Emission Control Project

On August 19, 2014, TVA issued a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at its Allen Fossil Plant (ALF) in Shelby County, Tennessee.

In April 2011, TVA entered into agreements ("EPA Agreements") with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and three environmental advocacy groups. The agreements require TVA to reduce emissions across its coal-fired generating system and take other actions at its coal plants, including retiring some of the units. TVA agreed to reduce emissions at ALF by either installing flue gas desulfurization systems (FGDs or “scrubbers”) or retiring the coal units by December 2018. The existing three coal-fired units at ALF provide both real and reactive power for the Memphis area. To continue to reliably serve the area, generation resources must be located at or near ALF.

To comply with the EPA Agreements and continue to provide reliable and affordable power, TVA proposes to replace the existing coal-fired plant by constructing and operating a new natural-gas fired plant. As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), TVA developed an EA for this action. Based on evaluations in the Final EA, TVA determined that the proposed action would not result in significant impacts on the environment and has therefore issued the FONSI. This EA tiers from TVA’s 2011 Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

A Draft EA and Draft FONSI were released for comment on July 2 and July 18, 2014, respectively. The comment period for both closed on August 8, 2014. The Draft EA was transmitted to state, federal, and local agencies and federally recognized tribes. It was also posted on TVA’s public NEPA review website. A notice of availability including a request for comments for the Draft EA was published in newspapers serving the Memphis area. Comments were accepted at a public open house held at Memphis’ Amtrak Central Station Boardroom on July 8, 2014. Comments were also accepted through August 8, 2014, via TVA’s website, mail and e-mail. Approximately 1,500 people provided comments. Of these, approximately 1,300 were form letters that were created and submitted by the Sierra Club. TVA carefully reviewed all of the substantive comments that it received. Comments were categorized by topic and in some cases summarized to avoid repetition in the responses. The comments and TVA’s responses are provided in Appendix E of the Final EA.