(a) The following actions in paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) normally will require an EIS:

(1) New large water resource development and water control projects such as construction and operation of new dams or navigation locks.

(2) The construction and operation of new major power generating facilities at sites not previously used for industrial purposes.

(3) The development of integrated resource plans for power generation.

(4) The development of system-wide reservoir operations plans.

(5) Any major action whose environmental impacts are expected to be highly controversial.

(b) If TVA determines that an EIS will not be prepared for an action falling within one of these categories, the basis for the decision must be discussed in the environmental assessment or in a document that is made available to the public.

(c) An EIS shall describe the proposed action and reasonable alternatives, including no action; analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, alternatives, and identify any mitigation measures; and include a list of the major preparers of the EIS.

(d) The scope and detail of the EIS shall be reasonably related to the scope and the probable environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternative actions (see 40 CFR 1502.10 through 1502.18).

(e) The no-action alternative in an EIS (or an EA) should represent the environmental status quo and should be formulated to provide the environmental baseline from which the proposed action and other alternatives can be assessed even when TVA is legally required to take action. For proposed changes to existing programs or plans, continuation of the existing program or plan and associated environmental impacts should be considered the no-action alternative.

(a) As soon as practicable after the decision is made to prepare an EIS (or EA), the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with the initiating TVA entity and TVA legal counsel, shall determine whether inviting other Federal, State, or local agencies to participate in the preparation of the EIS as lead, joint lead (40 CFR 1501.5), or cooperating agencies (40 CFR 1501.6) is necessary.

(b) If TVA is requested to participate in the preparation of an EIS (or EA) of another Federal agency, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with other interested TVA entities, will determine if TVA should become a cooperating agency.

(a) As soon as practicable after the decision to prepare an EIS is made, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with other TVA entities, will identify preliminary action alternatives, probable environmental issues, and necessary environmental permits, and a schedule for EIS preparation.

(b) The scoping process may include interagency scoping sessions to coordinate an action with and obtain inputs from other interested agencies (including local, State, and other Federal agencies, as well as Indian tribes).

(c) The NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with other TVA entities, will determine whether public scoping meetings should be held in addition to seeking comments by other means. Meeting types and formats should be selected to facilitate timely and meaningful public input into the EIS process.

(d) As soon as practicable in the scoping process, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with the initiating TVA entity and TVA legal counsel, will prepare and publish in the Federal Register a notice of intent to prepare an EIS. This notice will briefly describe the proposed action, possible alternatives, and potentially affected environmental resources. In addition, the notice will identify issues that TVA has tentatively determined to be insignificant and which will not be discussed in detail in the EIS. The scoping process will be described and, if a scoping meeting will be held, the notice should state where and when the meeting is to occur if that has been determined. The notice will identify the person in TVA who can supply additional information about the action and describe how to submit comments.

(e) There will be a minimum public comment period of 30 days from the date of publication of the notice of intent in the Federal Register to allow other interested agencies and the public an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed scope of the EIS.

(f) On the basis of input received, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with other TVA entities, will determine whether to modify the schedule or scope of the EIS.

(g) At the close of the scoping process, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with the other TVA entities, will identify the following components in paragraphs (g)(1) through (8) for use in preparing the DEIS:

(1) Purpose and need of the proposed action.

(2) Reasonable action alternatives.

(3) Environmental issues to be addressed in detail.

(4) Environmental issues that should be mentioned but not addressed in detail.

(5) Lead and cooperating agency roles and responsibilities.

(6) Related environmental documents.

(7) Other environmental review and consultation requirements.

(8) Delegation of DEIS work assignments to TVA entities and other agencies.

(h) If a scoping report summarizing the preceding EIS components is prepared, it must be made available to the public.

(a) Based on information obtained and decisions made during the scoping process, the NEPA compliance staff, in cooperation with the initiating TVA entity and other interested TVA entities, will prepare the preliminary DEIS using an appropriate format (see 40 CFR 1502.10).

(b) During preparation of the DEIS, the NEPA compliance staff will involve any cooperating agencies to obtain their input. If a cooperating agency's analysis of an environmental issue or impact differs from TVA's, those differences should be resolved before the DEIS is released for public comment or the cooperating agency's position should be set forth and addressed in the DEIS.

(c) After approval of the DEIS by the official responsible for NEPA compliance, the senior manager of the initiating TVA entity, and TVA legal counsel, the NEPA compliance staff will make the DEIS available to the public; other interested Federal, State, and local agencies; and other entities and individuals who have expressed an interest in the type of action or commented on the scope of the EIS. The NEPA compliance staff will then file the DEIS with EPA for publication of its notice of availability in the Federal Register.

(d) TVA will make the DEIS available on its public website and provide it by other means upon request.

(e) A minimum of 45 days from the date of publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register must be provided for public comment. TVA may extend the public comment period in its discretion.

(f) Materials to be made available to the public should be provided to the public without charge to the extent practicable.

(a) At the close of the DEIS public comment period, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with the initiating TVA entity and other interested TVA entities, will determine what is needed for the preparation of an FEIS.

(b) If changes to the DEIS in response to comments are minor and confined to factual corrections or explanations of why the comments do not warrant additional TVA response, TVA may issue errata sheets instead of rewriting the DEIS. In such cases, only the comments, the responses (including explanations why the comments do not warrant changes to the DEIS), and the changes need be circulated. The entire document with a new cover sheet shall be filed as the FEIS (40 CFR 1506.9). If other more extensive changes are required, the NEPA compliance staff, in cooperation with other interested TVA entities, will prepare an FEIS utilizing an appropriate format (see 40 CFR 1502.10).

(c) The FEIS should address all substantive comments on the DEIS that TVA receives before the close of the public comment period by responding specifically to the comments and/or by revising the text of the DEIS. Comments that are substantively similar should be summarized and addressed together.

(d) After approval of the FEIS by the official responsible for NEPA compliance, the senior manager of the initiating TVA entity, and TVA legal counsel, the NEPA compliance staff will make the FEIS available to the public; other interested Federal, State, and local agencies; and other entities and individuals who have expressed an interest in the type of action or commented on the DEIS. The NEPA compliance staff will then file the FEIS with EPA for publication of its notice of availability in the Federal Register.

(e) TVA will make the FEIS available on its public website and provide it by other means upon request.

(a) TVA shall not make a decision regarding a proposed action for which an EIS has been issued until 30 days after a notice of availability of the FEIS has been published in the Federal Register or 90 days after a notice of availability of the DEIS has been published in the Federal Register, whichever is later.

(b) After release of the FEIS and after TVA makes a decision about the proposed action, a ROD must be prepared by the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with TVA legal counsel and the initiating TVA entity (see 40 CFR 1505.2). The ROD will normally include the items in the following paragraphs (b)(1) through (6):

(1) The decision;

(2) The basis for the decision and preferences among alternatives;

(3) The alternative(s) considered to be environmentally preferable;

(4) A summary of important environmental impacts;

(5) The monitoring, reporting, and administrative arrangements that have been made; and

(6) The measures that would mitigate or minimize adverse environmental impacts to which TVA commits to implement (see 40 CFR 1505.2(c)).

(c) A ROD will be made available to the public.

(d) Until a ROD is made available to the public, no action should be taken to implement an alternative that would have adverse environmental impacts or limit the choice of reasonable alternatives.

If TVA makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns or there is significant new information relevant to environmental concerns, and important components of the proposed action remain to be implemented, the NEPA compliance staff and TVA legal counsel, in consultation with the initiating TVA entity, will determine how the FEIS should be supplemented. The NEPA compliance staff will be responsible for preparing a supplement to an EIS.

(a) TVA may adopt another agency's EIS, or a portion thereof, provided that the NEPA compliance staff determines that the EIS or portion thereof meets the standards for an adequate EIS.

(b) If the NEPA compliance staff determines that the actions covered by the other agency's EIS and TVA's proposed action are substantially the same, TVA may adopt the other agency's EIS as TVA's FEIS (§ 1318.404). In making this determination, the NEPA compliance staff, in consultation with other interested TVA entities, will consider whether the scope and analyses in the other agency's EIS adequately address the TVA action. TVA will also review to ensure the scientific accuracy of the analysis and conclusions drawn. TVA must make this determination and the adopted EIS available on its public website.

(c) If the NEPA compliance staff determines that the actions covered by the other agency's EIS and TVA's proposed action are not substantially the same, TVA will supplement the other agency's EIS and treat it as TVA's DEIS, including circulating it for comment (§ 1318.403).

(d) If TVA cooperated in the preparation of an EIS that TVA determines adequately addresses its proposed action, TVA may make a decision about its proposed action no sooner than 30 days after notice of availability of the FEIS was published in the Federal Register. A record of that decision should be prepared consistent with § 1318.405.

(e) If TVA did not cooperate in the preparation of an EIS that TVA determines adequately addresses its proposed action and that it proposes to adopt, NEPA compliance staff will transmit notice of its adoption to EPA for publication of a notice of availability and circulate the FEIS for public comment as to its assessment of impacts as they relate to TVA's proposed action. TVA may make a decision about its proposed action no sooner than 30 days after notice of availability of the FEIS is published in the Federal Register. A record of decision will be prepared consistent with § 1318.405.

(f) TVA will provide notice of its adoption to other interested Federal, State, and local agencies, other entities, and individuals.