Economic Development Grant Proposal for the Athens McMinn Innovation Park

McMinn County, TN

On August 14, 2025, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) completed an environmental assessment (EA) and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for a proposed economic development grant through TVA InvestPrep funds to the McMinn County Economic Development Authority to assist with the development of a portion of the Athens McMinn Innovation Park in McMinn County, Tennessee. The area of TVA’s Proposed Action encompasses 78.3 acres of open grassy land and disjunct forested areas located adjacent to Interstate 75 (I-75), Denso Road, Lee Irwin Road (County Road 171), and Private Brand Way, in Athens, Tennessee (Figure 1 below and Attachment 1, Figure 1-A). TVA funds would be matched with non-TVA funds and used for tree clearing, grubbing, and grading, followed by paving of an industrial access road.