TVA Seeks Public Comment on Options for New Knoxville Headquarters

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking the public to weigh in on the potential environmental impacts of future plans for its downtown Knoxville headquarters.

TVA today released a draft Environmental Assessment that considers whether TVA should sell the Knoxville Office Complex and Summer Place Complex and construct a new administrative headquarters on the Summer Place site or build at another downtown Knoxville location. The report does not name a preferred option.

The draft report includes descriptions of the alternatives considered including the potential reuse or demolition and redevelopment of the two complexes and their respective impacts on air quality, cultural resources, land use, noise, transportation and traffic, surface water, hazardous waste and more.

“TVA is committed to maintaining our headquarters in downtown Knoxville,” said Bruce Schofield, TVA vice president of Infrastructure. “Selling the towers and Summer Place Complex makes good business sense for TVA and provides an economic development opportunity for downtown.”

The assessment is part of the process associated with the proposed sale and relocation as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

The draft EA is available on TVA’s website at www.tva.com/nepa. The public is invited to comment through October 28. TVA will collect comments and consider them in the creation of the final EA, due out next spring.

Members of the public can also get the EA in hard copy or on disc by contacting Ashley Pilakowski at 865-632-2256 or email at [email protected].

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving more than 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.