Pike County Airport Pike County - EMCILink to a 2008 FirstSearch Technology Corporation...

Pike County Airport

Pike County

ENERGY PROJECT SITE SUITABILITY

2009

Department of Energy Development and Independence

Energy and Environment Cabinet Commonwealth of Kentucky

FOREWORD

The Pike County Fiscal Court, with assistance from Summit Engineering, submitted this

site for evaluation for potential development as an alternative energy facility. The site

was evaluated against preliminary criteria which identifies characteristics beneficial for

development of a wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, or coal-to liquid (CTL)/coal-to-gas

(CTG) facility. This site benefits from a location in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Fields,

demonstrated interest by local government, and road access suitable for industrial

hauling.

Cover photo (2007) - Proposed development site

The Pike County government has a demonstrated interest in evaluating the Pike County

Airport property as a potential energy facility. The development of an energy facility,

whether for coal-to liquid (CTL)/coal-to-gas (CTG), wind, nuclear, solar or biomass,

must consider basic common factors which include access to transportation, general

topography, proximity to public access areas, and available utilities, among other

considerations.

GENERAL SITE CONSIDERATIONS

Ownership

The owners of the proposed site are Buffalo Development, Hatcher Trimble Trust, East

Kentucky Energy, Wayne W. Clark and Clinton Coleman. Mineral is owned by Buffalo

Development, Hatcher Trimble Trust, East Kentucky Energy and Elkhorn Coal

Corporation.

Size

The site consists of approximately 633 acres located northwest of the Pike County

Airport in Pike County, Kentucky (USGS Broad Bottom Topographic Quadrangle)

approximately 0.5 miles west of the intersection of US 23 and US 119.

Aerial photograph of development site

Airport - Pike County Page 1

Topography

The proposed site is flat land currently used for agricultural purposes, primarily grazing.

However, as seen in the aerial photo above, the surrounding area consists of steep hills

and valleys normally associated with the Appalachian Region. The site lies at

approximately 1,460’ Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL). The proposed site is a reclaimed

mining operation and mining activities continue near the perimeter of the identified

property.

Area of site used for cattle grazing

The appearance of the site suggests that minimal site preparation would be necessary

to develop the facility; however, an alternative energy facility will require a large portion

of the facility footprint to be founded on very solid ground. Observation of aerial

photographs suggests that the development site may be benched, with numerous small

fills extending off to either side of the property. The site should be investigated to

determine the depth of mine spoil, the amount of fill material present at the site and the

extent to which the fill has been compacted during placement. The impact that mine

spoil or fill may have on the facility foundation design is unknown.


View of the topography of the development site

Floodplain and Wetlands

According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate

Maps, the entirety of the site is outside the 100-year floodplain and lies over 800’ above

the valley floor. Mapping available from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service indicates a

small area of emergent freshwater wetlands. During the site visit, the area was wet due

to recent rain, but no large or obvious areas of potential wetlands were identified.

Site Hazards According to a 2008 FirstSearch Technology Corporation Environmental Database

Report, the Pike County Airport site is not identified on any environmental databases

searched, and no other sites were identified within the search radius. The database

search identified two water wells within one mile, but no other environmental aspects

were noted. The site sponsor has also stated they are unaware of any new site hazards

or environmental impacts at the site since the original evaluation of the property in 2007.


There are also no landfills on the site or adjacent to it. No identified state, county, or

municipal zoning restrictions apply to the area.

Oil and Gas Wells

The surrounding area is used for oil and gas exploration and mining with active and

reclaimed mines. A gas well was observed on the property; however, none appeared

on the oil and gas well search. The site developer may have to relocate some gathering

lines while developing an energy facility. No residential development was noted during

site observations.

Gas well observed on site

Sensitive Areas

The proximity of non-attainment areas and Class I Visibility Areas to the site was

examined for potential impacts to air quality or limitations on a required air permit for a

CTL/CTG or biomass facility. The nearest non-attainment area for air pollutants is the

Ashland-Huntington area located 50 miles to the north. The site is also approximately

115 miles northeast of Great Smoky Mountain National Park and approximately 200


miles east of Mammoth Cave National Park, the two Class I Visibility Areas closest to

the site.

State water data was searched to determine if designated impaired streams in the area

might affect discharge requirements for an energy facility. Location of the proposed site

is 3.5 miles away from Levisa Fork which would ultimately be the receiving stream for

drainage from the site. Levisa Fork from mile point 116.0 to 124.4 is on the 2008

303(d) List of Surface Waters for impaired uses of aquatic life and primary contact

recreation because of sedimentation/siltation and pathogens. The use designations for

the Levisa Fork in accordance with 401 Kentucky Administrative Regulations (KAR)

10:026 are warm water aquatic habitat, primary contact recreation, secondary contact

recreation, and drinking water source. There are no public water intakes within 15 miles

downstream of the site.

Siting considerations for any energy facility include the presence of Threatened and

Endangered (T&E) species in the area, the presence of significant cultural or historical

resources in and around the project area, and proximity to public access areas and

airports. The nearest public access area is Fishtrap Lake located approximately 12

miles to the southeast of the site. No other public access areas, such as trails or nature

preserves were identified in the area. The site is adjacent to the existing Pike County

Airport, but the runway runs east-to-west and is not expected to interfere with site

development. However, the height and activity of required equipment for CTL/CTG or

an alternative energy facility can present a hazard to air traffic; thus, further

investigation may be required prior to development.

Listings for National Register Properties, National Register Districts, and Inventoried

(potentially eligible) Sites were reviewed and no historic, eligible or potentially eligible

sites were identified at or within 100 meters of the project area.

The Northern Harrier has been documented on the Broad Bottom topographic map and

is listed as threatened by Kentucky Fish & Wildlife (F&W). However, the preferred


habitat of the Northern Harrier includes bodies of water and wetlands which are not

likely to occur since the subject site is a high plateau created by mining reclamation.

Additional investigation may be required to characterize and determine or mitigate the

impact of development on sensitive areas near the site.

Geological Assets

Siting considerations for a biomass or CTL/CTG process must take into account

available geological assets for potential sequestration. The graphic below was

prepared by the Kentucky Geologic Survey (KGS) to illustrate the site’s assets with

regard to oil and gas production and surface faults. The site is identified as 2.1 on the

map. Geologic assets of the site are moderate to good.

The proximity of faults to a site may impact the development of a nuclear, biomass, or

CTL/CTG facility. Based on mapping from the KGS, the seismic risk at the proposed

site is quite low.


Utilities

Basic utilities, while not present, are available. Potable water is available on the east

side of the property although the extension of the water line would require a booster

station and pump, due to the site’s elevation. Although this is a possibility, it will be very

costly. No sewer line exists in the immediate area. No electrical service is available at

the site currently. Broadband access is available in the county. The nearest large


natural gas transmission line appear to be a Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation

(CGT-TCO) line, located within 15 miles.

Transportation

Road access is essential for any large industrial facility and particularly so for an energy

facility that brings in its fuel or trucks out its product. At the present time, coal haul

trucks use the unpaved road which traverses the property. This road will require

upgrade in order to service the transportation needs of the facility. Road access to the

site is from US 23 or US 119 to Caney Creek Road onto Airport Road which travels

around the west end of the airport runway and up the hill to the proposed site. Coal and

product will be limited to truck transport.

On-site road

Although transportation is not a significant siting consideration for a solar, nuclear or

wind facility, biomass and CTL/CTG facilities will require several transportation options

due to the substantial feedstock required for these technologies. Rail access is located

about one to two miles from the site and about 800’ lower in elevation than the site,


increasing the costs of transporting feed stock in to a facility and products out. Coal or

other materials would have to be belted or trucked from the track up to the development

site. No barge transport is available in the area as there are no navigable waters in this

part of Kentucky.

Transmission

Any energy facility will require access to electric transmission points. A 69kV line

should be an adequate capacity to carry generated power from a solar facility in

Kentucky. A nuclear, biomass, wind or CTL/CTG facility would require access to larger

electric transmission points. A 34kv line is located one mile east of the site and a 138kv

line is located 3 miles west of the site. No appropriate right of way to the site has been

identified. Consultation with American Electric Power (AEP), the utility supplying

service to this area, would be required to determine how the site will be able to access

high voltage lines.

Natural gas is used as a feedstock and fuel in CTL/CTG and for some biomass facilities,

making access to a supply important. Additionally, if the facility makes synthetic natural

gas, access to a transmission pipeline will be important in getting products to market.

Location of the nearest large gas transmission line should be confirmed although it

appears that a CGT-TCO line is located within 15 miles.

Water Supply

Available water supply is a critical project component for the development of a

CTL/CTG, biomass or nuclear facility. The location of the proposed site is 3.5 miles

away from the Levisa Fork. The Levisa Fork is part of the Little and Big Sandy River

Basin and its HUC 11 listing is 05070203110. The nearest USGS station is station

03209500 at Pikeville, KY. The lowest mean annual flow at the station is 337 million

gallons per day (MGD) or 234,028 gallons per minute (gpm). The low-flow 7Q10 is 66

MGD (44,444 gpm) and the low-flow 7Q2 is 115 MGD (79,861 gpm) for the Levisa Fork

at station 03209500. The low-flow 7Q10 is the lowest mean flow during seven

consecutive days over a ten-year period. The low-flow 7Q2 is the lowest mean flow


during seven consecutive days over a two year period. There are no public water

intakes within 5 miles downstream of the site.

Typically, a CTL/CTG or biomass facility require a minimum of 2,500 gpm or 3.6 MGD

for process or cooling water needs, and a nuclear facility requires a minimum of 8,000

gpm or 11.5 MGD for cooling water needs. Although Levisa Fork would be an adequate

supply to support the cooling water needs for a biomass, CTL/CTG or nuclear facility,

due to distance and elevation, the cost of pumping and piping water to the site from the

stream, would require significant capital and be economically infeasible. No other

potentially viable water resources were reported in proximity to the site during this

evaluation.

Workforce Availability

Development of a CTL/CTG, biomass, or nuclear facility would require access to an

adequate supply of construction and skilled labor. The labor market is identified by the

Cabinet for Economic Development as consisting of the five Kentucky counties

surrounding Pike County and includes Mingo County in West Virginia. Total labor

available in this area is estimated to be about 76,000. In reality, the labor market

probably extends further into the next tier of counties and additional labor from these

counties could swell the labor market to in excess of 100,000.


Pike County labor market

Source: www.thinkkentucky.com

Civilian Labor Force

Pike County Labor Market Area 2007 Oct. 2008 2007 Oct. 2008

Civilian Labor Force 25,358 24,907 77,553 75,847 Employed 23,833 23,491 72,531 71,393

Unemployed 1,525 1,416 5,022 4,454 Unemployment Rate %) 6.0 5.7 6.5 5.9 Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau or Labor Statistics

Other General Characteristics The proximity to military sites was reviewed in order to consider the potential impact of

an energy facility to military training routes or long range radar. Based upon information

produced by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Department of Defense Screening

Tool, the proposed site is may impact long range radar. This aspect should be further

researched prior to site development.

Atmospheric extremes, such as tornadoes, are capable of structurally damaging a

facility and must be considered particularly during siting for a solar, nuclear, or wind

facility. Based upon Federal Emergency Management Agency mapping, the site is at a

low risk for tornado activity.


http://www.thinkkentucky.com/

TECHNOLOGY SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS CTL/CTG

In addition to the common factors described above for energy site development, unique

factors specific to a particular technology must be considered. For a CTL/CTG facility,

access to coal resources is important. For this proposed site, coal resources are

adequate, although transportation would be limited to road until rail access is developed

or cross-county conveyor belting is established. The eastern Kentucky coal field covers

approximately 10,500 square miles and contains approximately 51.9 billion tons of

remaining resources. Pike County has an annual production of approximately 26 million

tons per year. One hundred and fifty five (155) operators were licensed in Pike County

in 2006, making it one of the most productive markets in the state. The viability for

CTL/CTG on this site is limited due to the location adjacent to an airport. The height

and activity of the required equipment could present a hazard to low level flight paths for

landings and take offs.

Solar

Adequate solar radiation is critical to the successful generation of solar power. A

successful site should be relatively free from land cover, and not within a mile of a

corporate city boundary. The Pike County Airport has an average direct normal solar

radiation of 3.67 KWh/m2/day and an annual solar radiation for two-axis flat plates of

5.96 KWh/m2/day. Based upon this average solar radiation, too much cloud cover and

haze is present to be effective as a large scale facility. Due to former coal mining

operations on the property, the site is free of trees or other land cover that could impact

a solar facility. Solar installations in large mass can be a visual distraction to local

communities; however, this site is greater than a mile from an urban community. The

potential interference with aviation caused by solar reflection should be investigated

prior to a decision to proceed with a solar facility at this site.


Solar insolation map

Wind The most critical component for a successful wind facility is adequate and consistent

wind speed. In order to generate enough power to be a utility class facility, a mean

average wind speed at 60 meters of 5.6 meters per second (m/s) or greater is required.

Information obtained from AWS Truewind indicates that the average wind speed at 60

meters for the site is 4.05 m/s. Without adequate wind speed, other factors, such as

foundational concerns, potential visual impacts, telecommunication interference,

impacts to birds and bats, as well as operational concerns such as ice shedding, noise,

blade drop and throw, and flicker are moot. Wind speed measurements to accurately

assess the available resource at any potential development site would be required prior

to final planning.


Mean Wind Speed – 4.05 m/s

Biomass An adequate feedstock supply environment includes available crop residues, animal

manure, forest residues from former silviculture or clearing, primary and secondary mill

residues, urban residues (i.e., wood scraps from local business such as lumberyards),

landfill gas, domestic wastewater, or switchgrass. Information obtained from the

National Renewable Energy Laboratory indicates that the total biomass available within

Pike County is 72,671 tonnes/year. Biomass in Pike and its surrounding Counties is

276,394 tonnes/year. Due to limited feedstock variability, depending on the type of

feedstock utilized, these supplies (< 500,000 tonnes/year) may not provide adequate

feedstock; further investigation would be required. Pike County has lower biomass

availability in comparison to other locations throughout Kentucky. Analysis of the

potential in the area to grow feedstock specifically for a biomass facility should also be

part of the planning process.



Nuclear

A limiting factor to the development of a nuclear facility is an available water supply.

There are no water resources on the site that are sufficient for supplying the minimal

11.5 MGD of water required to meet basic cooling water needs for a nuclear facility.

Although the nearest considerable water resource, Levisa Fork, would be an adequate

supply of water for nuclear operations, distance and elevation from the site to the

stream make this an economically infeasible supply. Due to this infeasibility, other

factors, such as safety issues, proximity to population centers and atmospheric

conditions are moot.

SUITABILITY

In summary, the Pike County Airport site, located within the Eastern Kentucky Coal

Fields, has very limited viability for the energy technologies reviewed. The proposed

site suffers from its lack of utilities and resources including transportation options,

electricity, and labor force

The forms of alternative energy evaluated in this report have limited potential for the

Pike County Airport site. Due to a low average mean wind speed, this location is not a

viable location for a utility scale wind facility. Available solar radiation at the site is too

low to produce a significant source of energy for a utility solar facility alone, with a site

score of 391 points, representing 42% of the total available points. Reflection from the

solar panels could interfere with takeoff and landing patterns of aircraft at the adjacent

airport. Additionally, this site would also not be suitable for a nuclear, CTL/CTG, or

biomass facility due to the cost of pumping and piping water to the site. The percentage

of total available points scored for nuclear, CTL/CTG, and biomass are 0%, 61%, and

62%, respectively.

Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence http://www.energy.ky.gov/

500 Metro Street 12th Floor, Capital Plaza Tower

Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 564-7192 or (800) 282-0868

Smith Management Group www.smithmanage.com

1405 Mercer Road Lexington, KY 40511

(859) 213-8936

Pike County Fiscal Court c/o Roger Ford 146 Main Street

Pikeville, KY 41501

http://www.energy.ky.gov/

Date post:	02-May-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	vuongdiep
View:	221 times
Download:	6 times

Pike County Airport Pike County - EMCILink to a 2008 FirstSearch Technology Corporation...

Documents