Handbook On Siting Renewable Energy Projects While .
Handbook on Siting RenewableEnergy Projects While AddressingEnvironmental IssuesU.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste andEmergency Response’s Center for Program Analysis
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US EPA OSWER Center for Program AnalysisContents1.Introduction .11.1 Purpose .21.2 Organization of the Handbook .22. Renewable Energy Production While Addressing Environmental Issues: The Fundamentals .32.1 What are the Benefits of Reusing Contaminated Land? .32.2 EPA’s Land Cleanup Process.32.3 Renewable Energy Project Development and the Cleanup Process .42.4 Opportunities for Siting Renewable Energy Production While Addressing Environmental Site Issues.63. Evaluating the Renewable Energy Potential of Potentially Contaminated Sites .73.1 EPA’s Interactive Google Earth Mapping Tool.83.2 Solar PV and Wind Energy Decision Trees .93.3 Site-specific Assessment .93.4 Community Engagement .103.5 Working with Tribes .103.6 Treatment Technologies and Engineered Controls .103.7 Institutional Controls (ICs) .103.8 Addressing Liability .114. Considerations for Integrating Renewable Energy Development into the EPA Superfund, Brownfields,and RCRA Cleanup Processes .114.1 Integrating Renewable Energy Development at Superfund Sites .114.1.1 Potential Renewable Energy at Superfund Sites Decision Partners .164.1.2 Potential Challenges .164.1.3 Conclusions .164.2 Integrating Renewable Energy Development at Brownfields Properties.174.2.1 Potential Renewable Energy Decision Partners at EPA Brownfield Sites .214.2.2 Potential Challenges .214.2.3 Conclusions .214.3 Integrating Renewable Energy Development at RCRA Sites .214.3.1 Potential Renewable Energy at EPA RCRA Sites: Decision Partners.264.3.2 Potential Challenges .264.3.3 Conclusions .26Appendix A: Solar and Wind Screening Criteria Decision Trees. A-1Appendix B: Renewable Energy Technologies Evaluated by EPA. B-1Appendix C: EPA Tracked Sites with Renewable Energy Potential Mapped . C-1Appendix D: EPA RE-Powering Rapid Response Team . D-1Appendix E: Resources . E-1Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issuesi
US EPA OSWER Center for Program AnalysisList of Project ProfilesProject Profile: Casper Winds, Evansville, Wyoming . 6Project Profile: Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO), Pittsfield, Massachusetts . 17Project Profile: Bethlehem Steel RCRA Corrective Action Site . 22List of TablesTable 1-1: Number of Sites and Acres with Renewable Energy Potential Mapped by EPA . 2Table 3-1: Renewable Energy Technologies Analyzed by EPA . 7Table 4-1: Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues at Superfund Sites Checklist . 15Table 4-2: Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues at Brownfield Sites Checklist . 20Table 4-3: Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues at RCRA Corrective Action Sites Checklist . 25List of FiguresFigure 1-1: Potentially Contaminated Sites with Renewable Energy Potential . 1Figure 2-1: Typical Land Cleanup Process . 4Figure 2-2: Renewable Energy Project Development Process . 5Figure 3-1: Renewable Energy Interactive Mapping Tool . 8Figure 4-1: Integrating Renewable Energy Development into the EPA Superfund Process . 14Figure 4-2: Integrating Renewable Energy into the Brownfields Process . 19Figure 4-3: Integrating Renewable Energy into the RCRA Corrective Action Process . 24List of Text BoxesBox 3-1: Examples of Treatments and Engineered Controls . 9Box 3-2: Examples of Institutional Controls . 10Box 4-1: Community Engagement Tools in the Superfund Program . 13Box 4-2: Incorporating Renewable Energy Design Requirements into the Remedial Design . 11Box 4-3: Community Engagement Tools in the Brownfields Program . 18Box 4-4: Community Engagement Tools in the RCRA Program . 21Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issuesii
US EPA OSWER Center for Program Analysis1. IntroductionEPA is committed to empowering states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together in atimely manner to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated lands. In 2008, EPA’sOffice of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) launched the RE-Powering America’s Land:Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites Initiative (RE-PoweringInitiative) to facilitate the use of potentially contaminated sites for renewable energy generation when it isaligned with the community’s vision for the site. For this report, potentially contaminated land includessites where contamination is suspected but has not been confirmed and sites where contamination hasbeen identified.Through the RE-Powering Initiative, EPA identified and mapped more than 11,000 potentiallycontaminated sites—and nearly 15 million acres that have potential for developing solar, wind, biomassand geothermal facilities. Together, the sites contain an estimated one million megawatts (MW) ofrenewable energy generation potential1—enough to power 1.5 to 2.5 million homes annually2. Figure 1-1displays the locations of these sites. Table 1-1 summarizes the number of sites and acres mapped byprogram.Figure 1-1: Potentially Contaminated Sites with Renewable Energy Potential1Estimated potential that is technically possible without consideration of cost or practical feasibility.2Based on the assumption that one megawatt of electricity generated from renewables can power 150 to 250 homes.Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues1
US EPA OSWER Center for Program AnalysisTable 1-1: As of 2012, Number of Sites and Acres with Renewable Energy Potential Mapped by EPA3ProgramSitesAcresAbandoned Mine Land450Brownfield4,099Federal Superfund170Non-Federal Superfund1,200740,472.26Landfill Methane Outreach Program1,691186,420Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (2020 Corrective 0.061,030,609.96Although some of these sites will undergo an environmental assessment and inevitably require little or nocleanup—others will require minimal to substantial cleanup before the sites can be returned to safe andproductive reuse. However, unlike some reuses for contaminated land, choosing renewable energygeneration for a site’s reuse often allows renewable energy development activities and facility operationsto occur prior to and even during cleanup activities (i.e. while addressing environmental issues).1.1 PurposeThis Handbook is intended for EPA, other federal, local, and state cleanup project managers;communities, property owners, developers, and others with an interest in reusing potentially contaminatedsites for renewable energy production. This Handbook provides tools to help interested parties determinethe overall feasibility of siting renewable energy production and some key considerations for integratingrenewable energy development during all phases of typical cleanup processes (e.g., during theenvironmental assessment, cleanup plan, or cleanup implementation) in the EPA Superfund, Brownfields,and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action programs.1.2 Organization of the HandbookSection 2 of the Handbook introduces EPA’s conventional cleanup and reuse process and the renewableenergy project development process including the unique siting opportunities and potential benefitsassociated with this reuse. Section 3 provides suggested steps and tools to help determine if a site is agood candidate for renewable energy production. Section 4 highlights considerations for integratingrenewable energy development into the Superfund, Brownfields and RCRA cleanup processes. Checklistsare included that provide step by step milestones for each stage in these cleanup processes that canfacilitate renewable energy development. Throughout the Handbook successful demonstration projectsare highlighted. The appendices include screening criteria decisions trees to help determine whether solaror wind development on a site is feasible, an overview of renewable energy technologies evaluated forsiting on potentially contaminated land, maps of potentially contaminated sites with renewable energypotential identified by EPA, contacts for more information, and other useful resources.3Data Guidelines for “Renewable Energy Generation Potential on EPA and State Tracked Sites” Maps. For more information on the EPA date sets inventoriedand mapped for renewable energy potential, please visit http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland or contact cleanenergy@epa.govSiting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues2
US EPA OSWER Center for Program Analysis2. Renewable Energy Production While Addressing EnvironmentalIssues: The FundamentalsEPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative is generating momentum for siting renewable energyproduction facilities on potentially contaminated land. These efforts are helping to restore hundreds ofacres of land to safe and productive use. Since launching the Initiative, multiple renewable energygeneration facilities have been sited on potentially contaminated land and mine sites across the U.S.;including several constructed on sites while cleanup efforts were ongoing. Some of those projects arehighlighted in this Handbook.2.1 What are the Benefits of Reusing Contaminated Land?The cleanup and reuse of potentially contaminated properties provides many benefits, including:Preserving greenfields;Reducing blight and improving the appearance of a community;Raising property values, creating jobs;Allowing for access to existing infrastructure including electric transmission lines and roads; andEnabling potentially contaminated property to return to a productive and sustainable use.In addition, renewable energy may provide a long-term source of energy at a stable cost. Developingrenewable energy while environmental issues are being addressed at a site may also provide revenue tohelp cover cleanup costs or help offset costs of long-term operation and maintenance of the cleanupremedy.2.2 EPA’s Land Cleanup ProcessAccidents, spills, leaks, past improper disposal and handling of hazardous materials and wastes haveresulted in tens of thousands of contaminated lands in the United States. Contaminated lands can threatenhuman health and the environment and potentially hamper economic growth and the vitality of localcommunities. While OSWER is not involved in all contaminated areas, it tracks over 500,000 sites and 22million acres across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. In addition, there aremany sites that are tracked only at the state and local level. OSWER and its partners work to addresscontamination at these sites and restore them as useable parts of communities. It is OSWER’s goal towork with communities to ensure that they can meaningfully participate in EPA’s decision-makingprocess and how contaminated areas should be reused. Environmental cleanup is the process used torespond to a hazardous material release or threat of a release that could adversely affect human healthand/or the environment. EPA’s land cleanup programs have different cleanup processes and requirements;however, the basic steps of each program’s process are similar. Figure 2.1 displays the typical steps in theland cleanup process.Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues3
US EPA OSWER Center for Program AnalysisFigure 2-1: Typical Land Cleanup Process*Some sites may not require cleanup.Site Identification – Thecontaminated site is characterized interms of location, types of structures,and potential contamination.Environmental Assessment –The siteis investigated to determine the natureand extent of contamination. Ifpossible, future reuse of the siteshould be determined at this stagesince it could significantly impact thecleanup process.Cleanup Plan – If the site was foundto have contamination in thepreceding step, a cleanup plan isdesigned based on informationgathered during the environmentalassessment. However, not allpotentially contaminated sites willrequire cleanup.Cleanup – The cleanup plan isimplemented. Cleanup technologiessuch as groundwater pump-and-treatcan take several years but oftenrequire little of a site’s useableacreage.Post-cleanup –Some sites may require monitoring and institutional controls (ICs) to ensure protection ofhuman health and the environment.2.3 Renewable Energy Project Development and the Cleanup ProcessSimilar to EPA’s various cleanup programs, the different types of renewable energy projects (e.g., solar,wind, etc.) have unique siting requirements. However, the basic phases across the different types ofrenewable energy projects are similar. Thus, the process allows for tailoring and adaptation to addressunique or special-case needs inherent in site cleanup and reuse. In some instances, multiple phases can becombined or accelerated without compromising cleanup quality or development success— making itpotentially possible to design and site a renewable energy facility, at any ―step‖ in the land cleanupprocess. (See Figure 2-2.)Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues4
US EPA OSWER Center for Program AnalysisFigure 2-2: Renewable Energy Project Development Process*Phases in the renewable energy project development process often overlap and are not necessarilycompleted in the order listed in Figure 2-2.Pre-screening Analysis/SiteSelection – Screen sites to identifyand prioritize locations for furtherstudy. Preliminary screenings areoften based on maps of renewableenergy resources, prevailing utilityrates, and incentives to determine ifthe project merits a more seriousinvestment of the time and resourcesrequired by a feasibility analysis.Renewable Energy FeasibilityAnalysis (Site-specific assessment) –A detailed analysis of the project isdesigned to provide technology andfinancing recommendations; identifyall physical issues, including space forthe systems; determine technicalperformance potential and economicviability; and identify environmental,social or other constraints that mayimpede project execution.Design and Development – Designand planning of the physical aspectsof the project, including documentingthe intent of the design and creatingthe protocol by which the systemperformance will be evaluated. Thisstep also covers any requiredinstrumentation; and the arrangementand negotiation of financial,regulatory, contractual, and other nonphysical aspects.Construction and Commissioning – Construction or installation of the renewable energy facility, andassessment of the degree to which the system fulfills the intent of the design.Performance Period – Operations and maintenance activities performed throughout the operating periodof the facility, including regular confirmation that the facility is working accordi
2. Renewable Energy Production While Addressing Environmental Issues: The Fundamentals . EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative is generating momentum for siting renewable energy production facilities on potentially contaminated land. These efforts are helping to restore hundreds of acres of land to safe and productive use.
Mass Medi-Spa, Inc. Siting Profile (Application 2 of2). 3. It is unclear whether Nantucket has adopted local siting requirements for registered marijuana dispensaries. Please submit additional information as to whether Nantucket has adopted local siting requirements. If it has not established local siting requirements, please submit a list of
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renewable resources (renewable energy) and sets the FiT rate. The DLs will pay for renewable energy supplied to the electricity grid for a specific duration. By guaranteeing access to the grid and setting a favourable price per unit of renewable energy, the FiT mechanism would ensure that renewable energy becomes a viable and sound long-term
4.0 Renewable Energy Market 4.1 Policy Framework for renewable energy 4.1.1 Policies and Strategies for Renewable Energy Promotion 4.1.2 Main actors 4.1.3 Regulatory Framework 4.1.4 Licensing Procedures for Renewable Energy 4.1.5 Feed-in-Tariff 4.2 Business Opportunities and Potentials of Renewable Energy Sources 4.2.1 Bioenergy 4.2.2 Solar energy
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(a) the purpose of this part is to establish procedural and substantive requirements for permit applications for major renewable energy facilities (as defined in section 900-1.2(af) of this part) reviewed by the office of renewable energy siting and applies to applications for permits for the siting, design, construction, operation, compliance,
The EU's renewable energy policy framework 5 - 9 Renewable energy support schemes 10 - 12 Renewable energy within the EU's rural development policy framework 13 - 17 Audit scope and approach 18 - 22 Observations 23 - 82 The EU's renewable energy policy framework could better exploit the opportunities of renewable energy deployment in .
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