URGENT CALL TO ACTION ON ASIAN S

The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking for public input on the potential environmental and economic impacts of installing Asian carp barriers at 10 lock and dam sites along the Tennessee River. Documents related to this proposal can be found at www.tva.com/nepa

TVA is hosting a virtual public information session on Thursday, July 15, starting at 6 p.m. ET, to discuss the scope of the proposed project. Register for the virtual live event at https://www.tva.com/about-tva/get-involved-stay-involved. A recording of the event will be available to view after it ends.

[NOTE: THIS VIRTUAL MEETING IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS NEEDED ON THE DRAFT Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA). Your written comments are needed on the draft PEA by AUG. 5. Please email them to: nepa@tva.gov OR mail them (postmarked by Aug 5) to: Elizabeth Smith, NEPA Specialist, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11B, Knoxville, TN 37902.

[URGENT! Please ask TVA to REVERSE their proposed priority order of the barriers. They propose to start DOWNSTREAM barriers first by Kentucky Lake and then work their way upstream. Please ask them to build the first barriers upstream in front of the carp at Watts Bar Lock and Ft. Loudon Lock and then work their way downstream building the barriers. They propose a Bio-acoustic fish fence at Watts Bar Lock but show it as their Lowest Priority barrier. We need a Bio- Acoustic fish fence at Ft. Loudon Lock, too. TVA wants our public comments. It is critical that we have as many people as possible make public comments. Send yours by email to: nepa@tva.gov by Aug.5]

The WATTS BAR ECOLOGY AND FISHERY COUNCIL has serious issues with the timing/priority for the silver carp barrier construction locations TVA is recommending in the draft TVA Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA.

TVA’s priority starts way downstream: FIRST-- at Kentucky Lake, then Wilson, Pickwick, Guntersville, Nickajack, Chickamauga, and lastly Watts Bar. This priority MUST be reversed.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) 30-member panel of the most qualified Asian carp professionals in the U.S. developed the comprehensive guidance for dealing with the Asian carp invasion. Their Number-1 goal is: “Prevent the spread of Asian carp into uninvaded waters.” The FWS stated firmly that the Nation’s FIRST priority must be to “Prevent” them from entering new ecosystems.

TVA is NOT better qualified than the FWS regarding the silver carp (nor is the TWRA). They must NOT ignore the FWS. TVA wants to build DOWNSTREAM barriers behind the fish first; and, then move UPSTREAM which puts Watts Bar Lock as the LOWEST PRIORITY barrier. And, TVA did not include Ft. Loudon Lock for a barrier. TVA cannot “ignore” the FWS, let alone common sense and simple fisheries biology.

TVA has NO credible science (including the flawed USGS decision analysis report) that can support their priority. Therefore, they are “Speculating,” while ignoring 45-years of Asian carp history which PROVES they are wrong. This is irresponsible.

TVA must follow the priority guidance of the FWS. Watts Bar and Ft. Loudon lakes must be FIRST, then Chickamauga, Nickajack, Guntersville, Pickwick, Wilson and Kentucky Lake. The way it stands, TVA (and TWRA) will share a legacy of allowing the devastation of Watts Bar, Melton Hill, Fort Loudon, and Tellico Lakes, unless they FOLLOW the FWS guidance and put the barriers IN FRONT OF THE INVASION. Their legacy could be saving the only silver carp free lakes left in the Upper TN River Basin.

TVA WANTS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THEIR DRAFT PEA. To make them listen, they need to see “Hundreds” of us telling them to reverse the priority. Please comment, and PLEASE forward this to friends and neighbors and everybody who loves our lakes.

You MUST submit your comments by August 5th. Please make the following comment: “Watts Bar Lock and Ft. Loudon Lock must be the first priorities for BAFF barriers. Please, tell the TVA the “First” barriers MUST be “IN FRONT” of the carp invasion, following the FWS guidance to “Prevent” the carp from reaching the four Upper TN River lakes. If they do not, they will be responsible for a $1-billion annual loss to the regional economy, a destroyed ecosystem of our four lakes, and the serious negative impact to recreation and game fishing, just as is taking place today at The Land Between the Lakes. If TVA and TWRA continue their path forward, you WILL see commercial fishing on our lakes. In 2020, 7.66 million pounds of Asian carp were removed from Kentucky Lake by commercial fishermen. Unless you speak out, I “guarantee” this will happen here.

45 years of silver carp history “PROVES” this to be true. Not a single lake has ever been saved by slowing down the invasion, as is being recommended by TVA and TWRA. The invasion MUST BE STOPPED.

Or postal mail to: Elizabeth Smith, NEPA Specialist, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11B Knoxville, TN 37902. Your comments must be postmarked by Aug 5^th.

CRITICAL: The WBEFC needs ALL OF YOU to comment if we are to save our four magnificent lakes. We are “Counting on YOU.” PLEASE do this NOW. Please forward my email to all who love our lakes and ask them to please send their comments to TVA.