RE-Power Military Bases

1. RE-Power Military Bases Deploy renewable energy on potentially contaminated or underutilized sites at operating and closed military bases RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative August 6, 2012 MICHAEL MONTGOMERY Assistant Director Superfund Federal Facility And Site Cleanup US Environmental Protection Agency Pacific Southwest Region

2. Agenda • RE-Powering Overview • Tools & Resources • Google Earth • Solar and Wind Decision Trees • EPA Guidance & Additional Tools • Siting Renewable Energy while Clean-Up is Ongoing • Best Practices for Siting Solar PV on Landfills • Acknowledgements

3. EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative encourages renewable energy development on current and formerly contaminated land and mine sites when aligned with the community's vision for the site. WIND SOLAR GEOTHERMAL BIOMASS

4. Benefits of Redeveloping Potentially Contaminated or Underutilized Sites

5. RE-Powering Tools & Resources

6. RE-Powering Google EarthEPA Tracked Sites: Nationwide RE-Powering Google Earth overlay showing 11,000 potentially contaminated sites pre-screened for renewable energy potential 141 DOD Superfund sites screened • Active bases • Former bases and installations • Munitions sites, depots & mfg facilities • Landfills & disposal sites • Training areas 137 sites with strong RE Potential • Solar: 70 sites - Good to Excellent • Wind: 8 sites - Good to Superior • Biomass: 134 sites - Good to Outstanding • Geothermal: • 12 sites - Power plant potential • 123 sites - Heat pump

7. RE-Powering Google EarthEPA Tracked Sites: Site-level informationFederal facilities filters

8. Designed to guide users through a three-phase process to assess sites for redevelopment with solar PV or wind energy Objective Empower stakeholders to build successful projects that return potentially contaminated sites to beneficial use or increase productivity of already developed, but underutilized sites Inputs Data readily available through (i) visual site inspection; (ii) GIS parcel maps or online databases; (iii) site owners or managers; (iv) economic and policy incentives Results Go/no go recommendation to pursue renewable energy development project Solar & Wind Decision TreesSite Screening Tool

9. Tools & Resources Fixed tilt system at landfill Handbook on Siting Renewable Energy Projects While Addressing Environmental Issues Massachusetts Best Practices for Siting Solar PV on Landfills • Current best practices associated with system design, construction, O&M • **Released for public comment. Feedback requested by August 30, 2012** Portion of 32 MW array installed on former jet propulsion testing site New York Solar array installed on Ft. Carson landfill cap Other tools & resources • EPA-NREL feasibility studies • Liability factsheets • Success stories & case studies • Quarterly webinars & newsletters • Stakeholder-focused workshops Colorado

10. Leases & Responsibility Not all leases trigger CERCLA liability for lessees. In some cases, lessees can obtain BFPP status to secure protections. Due Diligence Consult with legal counsel and the appropriate state, tribal or local environmental protection agency before taking any action to acquire, cleanup, or redevelop contaminated property EPA Liability Protections Support for RE on Contaminated Lands • To facilitate this beneficial reuse, EPA will work to address potential liability issues and to determine whether a property-specific document from EPA may be needed State vs. Federal Programs • Majority of contaminated properties requiring cleanup are addressed by state cleanup programs • Few sites require federal involvement Existing Liability Protections • CERCLA includes a number of liability protections and generally prohibits federal CERCLA enforcement against parties who are cleaning up lower risk properties in compliance with a state response program that specifically governs cleanups. • For a more comprehensive overview of liability considerations, please review EPA Report No. EPA-330-F-11-001, “Siting Renewable Energy on Contaminated Properties: Addressing Liability Concerns.”

11. Nellis AFBLas Vegas, NV Historical uses • Military base infrastructure/housing • Weapons testing • Landfill (PVC/TCE contaminates) PV System description • 140 acres // 33 acres landfill • 14 MW // 2 MW landfill (~2,350 homes) • Single-axis, tilted tracking system • 25% of base energy requirements • ~$1M in annual energy savings Deal structure • Privately financed for tax-credit benefits • 20-year power purchase agreement between utility and USAF • Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) go to utility to meet RPS This 14-MW solar facility is one of the largest solar installations on a U.S. military base.

12. RE-Powering Contacts & Resources EPA Region 9 Federal Facilities & DOD/Sustainability • Mike Montgomery: montgomery.michael@epa.gov, 415 972-3438 • Barbara Maco: maco.barbara@epa.gov, 415 972-3794 • Clare Mendelson (USAF): mendelsohn.clare@epa.gov 415 972-3512 EPA RE-Powering contacts • Shea Jones: jones.shea@epa.gov, 202 566-0450 • For regional contacts, go to: http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/contacts.htm AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow hosted by RE-Powering • Katie Brown: brown.katie@epa.gov, 202 566-1231 For additional resources, visit the EPA RE-Powering website: http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/