TVA BOARD COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
400 W. Summit Hill Dr.,WT 11 A
Knoxville,Tn. 37902
Subject:Comments for Aug. 16 meeting
Dear TVA BOARD, Community Relations Committee and CRRSC Members,
I recently read where Chairman Sansom thinks TVA land should be treated
like national park land. I am pleased to see someone at TVA finally
sees this land as a national treasure and when it is sold, leased or
developed it is gone forever. I hope the Council and Board members take
a long, hard look at what is already destroyed enviromentally due
to these new gated communties and stop this nonsense. I am glad
TVA has imposed a moratorium on further sales and leases and I think
this should be a permanent moratorium.
A recent article in the Times Daily stated 5 tons of dead mussels was
harvested on Pickwick Lake and they don't know what is killing them. I
would think the water quality and pollution has something to do with
it. Everthing flows downstream. The natural habitat of all creatures is
being destroyed.
TVA is leasing or selling my land(public) and land they took from
others to private individuals for personal profit. It has got to stop!
It is very disturbing to see how much land TVA has already let be
developed from Norris Lake all the way to Pickwick Lake for Private
Developement.
I have enjoyed the beauty and wildlife from Clinch River in upper E.
Tn. to Shoals Creek all of my life. I request TVA take another look at
their natural resources and environmental impacts on all reservoirs. It
is time for new and updated Land Management Plans especially on Wheeler
Reservoir.The present one is outdated due to all the growth in the area
since 1995. Any decisions made based on the Plan are not in the best
interest of the people or the environment. I have
lived on Elk River in Al. for 18 years.
One project TVA is considering is the ELK RIVER RESORT and Marina
project # 2005-122. In the FEA there was No Significant Impacts to Elk
River for this project, yet the Corp.Of Eng. rejected this proposal at
this time. Suddenly it appears TVA has had a change of heart
(significant impact?)and found there was erosion problems around the
island at the mouth of Elk River and put rip-rap 1/2 way around the
island. This is a big significant impact in my eyes. It is due to
new developement and increase of boat traffic in the area without the
marina. Joe Wheeler State Park had a marina for purchasing fuel
next to Hy 72 for years and shut down due to poor business. No marina
is needed in this area with Bayhill and Joe Wheeler State Park already
here.
It appears TVA has made some poor decisions in the past like putting
gators in the TN. River which are showing up on Elk River this year,
The Grainary on Elk River which is a big eye sore now.
Please consider saving some of our natural habitats from
overdevelopments and commerial recreation. Not everything is
about money, somethings need to be left alone for our future
generations to see and enjoy.
Sincerely,
Robin Burchfield (A VERY CONCERNED CITIZEN)
1194 Barnett Rd.
Rogersville, Al. 35652
rockinrob35652@yahoo.com
Paul Hargrove
24353 Pepper Road
Athens, Alabama
August 4, 2006
rolltidedado@aol.com
TVA Board
Community Relations Committee
Land Policy Hearing
400 West Summit Hill Drive
Knoxville, TN 37902-1499
Attention: Kathryn J. Jackson,
Executive Vice President
TVA River System Operations and Environment
Dear Ms. Jackson and Committee Members:
Respectfully submitted, below are reasons that I feel TVA should place
a permanent moratorium on the sale, trade or transfer of recreation,
natural resources or other conservation sensitive land it currently
owns and has designated for public use to private developers.
Included in this moratorium would be the 90 acres in Lauderdale County
that is currently being considered for development as Elk River
Marina. While this land has a moratorium placed on it now, it
does not have a permanent moratorium which would ensure protection of
the land for public use, wildlife, and wild land conservation.
This marina is to be located on 90 acres close to the mouth of Elk and
Tennessee Rivers. As you can see from the attached photograph,
this is a narrow lake and small river channel. The proposed
harbor limits will extend 550 feet from shoreline. None of the
existing marinas extend out into any part of the main river. They
are recessed into a cove. Additionally, almost directly across
the river is a new development called The Pointe. This
development is to include 147 boat slips, condos, and many homes.
Our main concern here is the overcrowding of recreational vehicles in
this area. Also, safety, reclaiming of shoreline, large wakes,
and noise level are other major concerns. The Tennessee River has
rough water for boating most of the time. This means, as we have
already witnessed, that most people will boat on the Elk for smoother
water sports, contributing to the overcrowding.
Next, is the actual need of a marina in this area. The proposed
site is located near Joe Wheeler State Park (six miles), Bay Hill
Marina (one mile), and The Pointe (less than one-half mile).
Combined total of slips for these marinas is approximately 500.
Considering their location, a need for another marina in this area is
not clear.
Finally, there is the concern about TVA land being practically
“given” away. The proposal on this 90 acres is for a
30-year lease, with TVA only getting five percent of total profits
annually. It is very frustrating to see the best public land
being given to private developers for profit. In the past several
years, TVA’s public lakeshore land has been marketed to these
public developers and developed for the economically elite.
Therefore, this public land which was taken through eminent domain, or
the threat of eminent domain, is no longer available for use by the
public.
Please, please consider saving the remainder of TVA land that is left
in the Valley. Vote to put a permanent moratorium on the 293,000
acres that are left. This land belongs to the people and should
be left for them to enjoy!
A response to this letter is requested. Please have someone
contact me as to the results of your August 16 and 17 meetings. I
realize how busy this committee may be; but we have a large group of
concerned citizens awaiting action to save this land and prevent our
quiet, serene lake from being ruined.
Sincerely,
Paul Hargrove
Victor P. Dura
Shoals Environmental Alliance
Rogersville Special Interest Group
P.O. Box 509
Rogersville, AL 35652
vpdura@hiwaay.net
August 4, 2006
TVA Board
Community Relations Committee,
Land Policy Hearing,
400 West Summit Hill Drive,
Knoxville, TN 37902-1499
Via fax to (865) 632-3146
Dear Community Relations Committee:
In accordance with the notice published in the Federal Register [August
1, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 147), Notices, Page 43555] regarding meeting
of the TVA Regional Resource Stewardship Council, the Rogersville
Special Interest Group of Shoals Environmental Alliance would like to
submit the following comments.
1. Wheeler Reservoir Land Management Plan is outdated. This plan
was completed in December 1995. TVA practice normally advises that
these plans be updated on a ten year cycle. This plan is already
past-due for revision. Additionally, the area covered by this
plan has experienced phenomenal unexpected residential growth during
the past six years. Many stretches of shoreline previously undeveloped
now have a large number of single-family residential dwellings. The
character and nature of the area is significantly different from when
the plan was originally devised. As such, conclusions contained
in the plan as to appropriate development, are no longer valid. We
would like to request that the TVA-wide moratorium on significant land
transfers be extended on the Wheeler-Reservoir until at least such time
as the 1995 Plan is updated and revised.
2. What is the Fair Value? Inextricably entwined with questions
of land use are the economic terms under with public land is
transferred from the public to private for-profit entities. When public
land is transferred to private developers does the public, as
represented by TVA, receive fair value for it? In the past, questions
and requests to TVA regarding compensation to be received by TVA for
public land have been turned aside as being "private
information". We submit that such reluctance to provide
information is neither in the public interest, nor in TVA's best
long-term interest.
We thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments and invite
you to contact us if you have any questions or would like additional
information.
