QUICK FACTS: Success Stories - Siting Renewable Energy on Contaminated Land Frontier Fertilizer - Davis, CA Photovoltaic Panels Power a Ground Water Treatment System Site Description Located near the eastern border of Davis, California, the Frontier Fertilizer Superfund site encompasses nearly 18 acres of land. Since 1995, EPA has been operating a ground-water extraction and treatment system on the property. The Agency's remediation efforts also include the use of electrical energy to heat the most contaminated areas to reduce the toxicity of the ground water. The site has a triangular shape with its southern border parallel to Interstate 80. There are two development projects just north of the site; one adjacent field is being redeveloped as a light industrial/business park, while residential units were recently constructed approximately 600 feet north of the Frontier site's boundary. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Oversight Group provide oversight. Property History Until 1948 the site was farmland, at which point it was sold to the C. Bruce Mace Ranch Company to be developed as a farming operation's headquarters. In 1970, Anderson Farms, Inc. bought the property. Two firms used the site for fertilizer and pesticide storage, sales, and application from 1972 to 1987: the Barber and Rowland Company from 1972 to 1982, and the Frontier Fertilizer Company from 1982 to 1987. These companies disposed of unused pesticides and fertilizer in a 4,000-cubic-foot basin in the site's northwest corner. Soil and ground water became contaminated when rinse water from tanks and containers was dumped into the basin and on the surrounding ground. Major contaminants confirmed on the site include the pesticides. To address these issues, Frontier Fertilizer excavated about 1,100 cubic yards of contaminated soil in 1985. The underground and above-ground tanks, as well as most of the site's structures, were removed in 2000. The only remaining building is a warehouse that contains the ground water treatment system. Renewable Energy Development To offset the energy consumed by ongoing ground water treatment, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system was installed on the roof of the site's remaining building. This 5.7 kilowatt PV system was designed and installed by CH2MHill and Roseville Solar Electric (RSE) on December 2007 and consists of 30 Evergreen ES-190-RL and 190 Watt solar modules arranged into ten three-module panels. Over the course of a year, the PV system is expected to produce approximately 8,500 to 9,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity— offsetting up to 5% of the site's annual electricity use for Pump & Treat system operations, and saving energy costs of approximately $1,500 per year. The State of California has a 10% cost share for the installation of the solar panels. EPA plans to add additional panels to the roof in FY 2009. Location: Property Size: Site Ownership: Former Use: Contaminants: Project Type: Type of RE: Project Cost: Key Partners: Current Status: EPA Region 9, Yolo County, CA 18 acres 8 acres owned by a developer; 10 acres privately owned but under U.S. EPA Superfund Program oversight Farmland, fertilizer and pesticide storage and sales Pesticides, VOCs Superfund Solar $35,000 California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Oversight Group Installation complete PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: Surrounding properties are being developed for residential and commercial uses. The 5.7 kW PV system will produce 8,500 to 9,000 kWh of electricity annually. PV system saves about $1,500 per year in energy costs CONTACT: President, Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Oversight Group, Pam Nieberg: (530) 756-6856 EPA Site Manager, Bonnie Arthur: (415) 972-3030; Arthur.bonnie@epa.gov To learn more siting renewable energy on contaminated land, visit: www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland ------- |