NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 1, 2023) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is holding a public meeting 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, at the Smith County Agricultural Center in Carthage, Tennessee, to discuss a draft Environmental Assessment and unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact for the revision of the 1998 Center Hill Dam and Reservoir Water Control Manual.
The Environmental Assessment evaluates proposed operational changes, resource categories, and alternatives to assess potential effects of proposed water control manual updates.
In addition to the public meeting, there is a 30-day comment period ending on Sept. 1, 2023. The Nashville District is soliciting feedback on proposed changes to hydropower ramp rates, sluice gate operations, and minimum flow requirements at Center Hill Dam. Comments may be sent via email to CorpsLRNPlanningPublicCom@usace.army.mil.
“This comment period and public meeting are an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to provide feedback on the agency’s tentatively selected plan,” said Patrick Garner, project planning branch environmental section biologist.
The Draft Environmental Assessment is prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4370h), Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 C.F.R. §§ 1500-1508), and the Corps’ implementing regulation, ER 200-2-2, 1988 (33 C.F.R. § 230), The Draft Finding of No Significant Impact can be viewed at https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll7/id/24361.
The Draft Environmental Assessment 1998 Water Control Manual Revision can be viewed at https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll7/id/24362.
The Smith County Agricultural Center is located at 159 Agricultural Center Lane in Carthage, Tennessee.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow Center Hill Lake updates at www.facebook.com/centerhilllake.)