Environmental

TVA releases updated natural resource plan

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TVA releases updated natural resource plan

The Tennessee Valley Authority has released its updated Natural Resource Plan and associated final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.

This plan, released last week, guides how TVA manages public lands and waters in its seven-state service area and the Tennessee River watershed. The previous plan was published in 2011.

In the updated Natural Resource Plan, TVA proposes 10 focus areas to encompass its natural resource functions. These focus areas are:

  • Reservoir lands planning
  • Section 26a and land use agreements
  • Public land protection
  • Land and habitat stewardship
  • Nuisance and invasive species management
  • Cultural resource management
  • Water resources stewardship
  • Recreation
  • Ecotourism
  • Public outreach and information.

The update features more clearly defined strategies, including objectives and programs for each focus area and a flexible approach for long-term planning, which will help TVA prioritize funding and support its mission of environmental stewardship. The final supplemental EIS prepared by TVA analyzes the potential effects of these changes.

The plan and supplemental EIS will be presented to the TVA Board of Directors in May.

TVA is a corporate agency of the U.S. that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. Of the 73 generating sites TVA owns, 29 are conventional hydroelectric plants and one is a pumped storage facility. In Fiscal Year 2020, hydro accounted for 10% of TVA’s overall electricity generation.