Bull Run Ash Impoundment Closure

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), TVA has released a Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Bull Run Fossil Plant (BRF) Ash Impoundment Closure project. The purpose of the proposed action is to support the implementation of TVA’s stated goal to transition from wet to dry storage of CCR at its coal plants by closing the Main Ash Impoundment and Stilling Pond at BRF and assisting TVA in complying with state and federal requirements such as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) CCR Rule. This project would support a long-term need for wastewater treatment at BRF by providing a facility for processing non-CCR wastewater in the near term and stormwater in the long term.

TVA’s preferred alternative is Alternative C, under which the Main Ash Impoundment would be Closed-in-Place with an interim cover, and a portion (approximately 13 acres) would be repurposed for use as an interim process water basin. The Stilling Pond would be Closed-by-Removal and would also be repurposed for use as a process water basin. The interim solution for the Main Ash Impoundment would be implemented until a decision on a permanent solution for a disposition of the underlying CCR is made through the 2015 TDEC Commissioner’s Order process.

The alternatives presented in the Supplemental EA are as follows:

• Alternative A – No Action
• Alternative B – Closure-in-Place of a Portion of the Main Ash Impoundment, Closure-by-Removal of the Remaining Portion of the Main Ash Impoundment and Repurposing into a Process Water Basin, Closure-by-Removal of the Stilling Pond and Repurposing into a Process Water Basin, and Development of a Process Water Basin Emergency Spillway
• Alternative C (Preferred Alternative) – Interim Cover of the Main Ash Impoundment and Repurposing of a Portion for an Interim Process Water Basin, Closure-by-Removal of the Stilling Pond and Repurposing into a Process Water Basin, and Development of a Process Water Basin Emergency Spillway

Subsequent to the public review period for the Draft  SEA, TVA received results of additional studies of the composition of the materials in the Stilling Pond and Main Ash Impoundment that initiated the development of a new alternative for consideration in this SEA. Therefore, TVA posted a revised Draft SEA for a 20-day public review period on April 22, 2019. TVA concluded that implementing Alternative C would not be a major federal action significantly affecting the environment. Copies of the 2019 Final SEA and Finding of No Significant Impact are posted below.

Finding of No Significant Impact

Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (2019)

Draft Supplemental Assessment (2019)

History

2016

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in July 2016, TVA issued a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and Record of Decision that considered alternatives and related environmental impacts associated with the closure of ash impoundments containing CCR at fossil fuel plants across the Valley. In Part II of the PEIS, TVA considered the closure of the Bull Run Fossil Plant (BRF) Sluice Channel and Fly Ash Impoundment, which are part of BRF’s wet CCR disposal area. This document can be viewed here.

2017

In October 2017, TVA released a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).  
Subsequent to the completion of the 2016 Programmatic EIS, TVA determined that there is a long-term need for wastewater treatment at BRF and revised the closure plan to support the wastewater treatment system at BRF. This supplemental document studied the expansion of the 2016 original proposed impoundment closure area and the repurposing of the Stilling Impoundment. The preferred closure method was closure in place.  
The 2017 Supplemental EA evaluated three alternatives:

• Alternative A – No Action
• Alternative B (preferred alternative) – Fly Ash Impoundment Closure-in-Place and Repurposing of the Stilling Pond and a Portion of the Fly Ash Impoundment
• Alternative C – Fly Ash Impoundment Closure-in-Place and Repurposing of the Stilling Pond.

A draft of the SEA was released for public review and a 10-day comment period on June 5, 2017. TVA concluded that implementing Alternative B or Alternative C would not be a major federal action significantly affecting the environment. Copies of the 2017 Final SEA and Finding of No Significant Impact are posted below.

2017 Related Documents

2017 BRF Ash Impoundment Closure Finding of No Significant Impact (PDF, 0mb)

2017 BRF Ash Impoundment Closure Final Supplemental EA (PDF, 1.2mb)

2018

In August 2018, TVA released a second Supplemental EA for public review and comment. This document included revisions to the alternatives studied for the BRF impoundment closures.

The 2018 Supplemental EA evaluated two alternatives:

• Alternative A – The No-Action Alternative
• Alternative B (preferred alternative) – Temporarily Cover a Portion of the Fly Ash Impoundment, Closure-by-Removal of the Remaining Portion of the Fly Ash Impoundment and Repurposing into a Process Water Basin, Closure-by-Removal of the Stilling Pond and Repurposing into a Process Water Basin, and Development of a Process Water Basin Emergency Spillway

The Supplemental EA was released for public review and a 22-day comment period which concluded on September 20, 2018. Copies of the 2018 Draft Supplemental EA are posted below.