Volunteer-East Knox Bulk Transmission Project

Knox County, Tennessee

On December 4, 2012, TVA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment (EA) for its Volunteer-East Knox Bulk Transmission Project.

The proposed project consists of the construction and operation of a new 13.4 mile 161-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, a new 1-mile 161-kV loop transmission line, and a new 161-kV switching station. The new transmission lines would utilize both new right-of-way (ROW) and existing, vacant ROW already owned by TVA. The ROWs would be 100-feet-wide and would occupy a total of about 115 acres of new ROW and 55 acres of existing ROW. The new switching station and KUB’s substation would occupy a 35-acre site in the Thorn Grove area.

TVA held the open house for the proposal on July 10, 2008 to seek public and agency comment. Additional information was received by TVA following the open house and following public announcements in November 2008 and February 2011. The comments resulted in changes to the substation location and numerous changes to the proposed line route including changes to avoid adverse impacts to a historic property. A draft EA was available for public and agency comment from July 17, 2012 through August 17, 2012.

Additional information on the project is available including background information, maps, and a project schedule.

Documents

PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Finding of No Significant Impact (PDF, 51 kb)

Final Environmental Assessment (PDF, 3.6 mb)

Appendices

Appendix A - Correspondence (PDF, 3.4 mb)

Appendices B through L (PDF, 832 kb)

Appendix B – Tennessee Valley Authority Substation Lighting Guidelines

Appendix C – Tennessee Valley Authority Environmental Quality Protection Specifications for Transmission Substation or Communications Construction

Appendix D – Tennessee Valley Authority Categorical Exclusion Checklist 23534

Appendix E – Tennessee Valley Authority Right-of-Way Clearing Specifications

Appendix F – Tennessee Valley Authority Environmental Quality Protection Specifications for Transmission Line Construction

Appendix G – Tennessee Valley Authority Transmission Construction Guidelines Near Streams

Appendix H – Tennessee Valley Authority Environmental Protection Procedures Right- of-Way Vegetation Management Guidelines

Appendix I – Stream Crossings Along the Proposed Volunteer–East Knox Transmission Line Route and Substation Site Located in Knox County, Tennessee

Appendix J – Results of the June 2012 Indiana Bat Acoustic Survey for TVA’s Volunteer- East Knox Bulk Transmission Project in Knox County, Tennessee

Appendix K – Farmland Classification of the Proposed East Knox 161-kV Substation Site Located in Knox County, Tennessee

Appendix L- Tennessee Valley Authority Visual Resources - Scenic Value Criteria for Scenery Inventory and Management

Contact

To request further information or an electronic or printed copy of these documents, contact:

Anita E. Masters
Tennessee Valley Authority
1101 Market Street, BR 4A
Chattanooga, TN 37402
aemasters@tva.gov