Event in Detail: 

Public Open House on Ocoee River Whitewater Rafting Agreement

Location: Cleveland State Community College

               George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center

Address:

3535 Adkisson Dr.

Cleveland TN 37312

Date/Time: Monday, Dec. 11, 5-7:30 pm

Important Info/Documents:

TVA Info Regarding Ocoee River Whitewater Agreements

Press Release from TVA:

The Tennessee Valley Authority is inviting the public to attend an open house to learn about the proposed partnership agreement between TVA, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the State of Tennessee (State) to manage recreation along the Ocoee River in Polk County, Tenn.

TVA is hosting the open house from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST Monday, Dec. 11, at Cleveland State Community College, George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center, in Cleveland, Tenn., for the public to learn more about the agreement and the related environmental analysis and to provide input.   

TVA released a draft environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed agreement on November 30, 2017. The draft EA is posted online at: www.tva.com/nepa and available for public review and comment until January 5, 2018. It evaluates the potential environmental, economic, recreational, and other impacts of the proposed agreement. Public input TVA received in June and July 2017 on the scope of this review was considered in preparation of the draft EA. The USFS is serving as cooperating agency for the EA.

Under the proposed agreement, TVA would provide water releases from Ocoee Dam No. 2 and No. 3 for a term of 15 years on the middle and upper sections of the Ocoee River beginning in 2019 on a schedule similar to the current water release agreements. TVA also would grant recreation easements to the State, and the USFS would continue to make tracts open to the State to improve recreational river access. The State would be responsible for  permitting, oversight of commercial rafting, emergency response, law enforcement, traffic management, and other tasks along the Ocoee River.

TVA is interested in receiving comments regarding the potential environmental impacts associated with this proposal. Comments on the draft EA must be received or postmarked by Jan. 5, 2018 and may be submitted by e-mail or mail to Matthew Higdon at the addresses below. Please note: all comments received, including names and addresses, become part of the project administrative record and will be available for public inspection.

For more information about the proposed agreement, contact the TVA Public Land Information Center by phone at 1-800-882-5263, or by mail to the following address:

Tennessee Valley Authority c/o Russell D. Smith
400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11D
Knoxville, TN 37902

PLIC@tva.gov

For more information about the environmental review, contact:

Matthew Higdon

mshigdon@tva.gov

(865) 632-8051

400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11D

Knoxville, TN 37902