TVA Releases Final Natural Resource Plan

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Jul 12, 2011, 02:46 ET

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Tennessee Valley Authority has completed and released its proposed Natural Resource Plan, designed to enhance stewardship of public recreation facilities, water resources, wildlife and plants, and historic and cultural sites on TVA-managed reservoir lands.

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The plan will help guide TVA management and public use policy for about 293,000 acres of public lands and 11,000 miles of shoreline across 46 reservoirs in seven states within TVA's service territory over the next 20 years. TVA is entrusted to obtain the greatest public benefit from these natural resources.

"If you look at a scenic shoreline along a TVA-managed reservoir, you can quickly see the need to balance and integrate its management," said Anda Ray, senior vice president of Environment and Technology at TVA.

"People want to hike, camp, fish or bird-watch in an area because it is picturesque," she said. "But, as more people venture into a public area, we also have to preserve the condition of the land and the habitat so future generations can enjoy its beauty."

The Natural Resource Plan addresses six stewardship areas:

Biological resources, such as endangered or threatened wildlife, native and non-native plants, and habitat lands that can be accessed for individual recreation;
Irreplaceable cultural resources, including archeological sites, historic structures and artifacts that tell the story of Tennessee Valley settlement;
TVA -managed public recreation facilities, such as campgrounds, day-use areas and boat launches;
Resources to promote the improvement of regional water quality, health of aquatic species and stability of shorelines;
Reservoir land planning to balance demands for conservation, recreation, shoreline access and economic development;
Public engagement to educate and involve people and organizations in the shared stewardship responsibility for protecting and enhancing public lands.

"It became evident during the development of the plan that TVA cannot accomplish all its stewardship goals without the help of the public and our partners," Ray said. "So a special emphasis is placed on partnerships and developing opportunities for the public to volunteer or otherwise contribute across all the resource areas in the plan."

The Natural Resource Plan will help TVA set a course that best meets public stewardship objectives while responding to the needs of the region's communities and residents. The Natural Resource Plan and an accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are available online at www.tva.com/nrp. Program implementation plans will be developed after the proposed acceptance of the document by the TVA board of directors in August.

The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.

SOURCE Tennessee Valley Authority