Keywords
Theme:
environment, energy
Theme:
Energy, Environment
Place:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexico, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Description
Abstract
Renewable energy production is expected to increase significantly in the next 25 years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) Center for Program Analysis (OCPA) has initiated the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative to demonstrate the enormous potential that contaminated land and mining sites provide for developing renewable energy in the U.S.
Purpose
EPA developed national level site screening criteria in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and landfill to gas energy facilities. While the screening criteria demonstrates the potential of reusing contaminated land for renewable energy facilities, the criteria and the maps are not designed to identify the best sites for developing renewable energy and are not all-inclusive. There are some sites shown on the maps that may not be suitable for siting renewable energy based on further site-specific analysis; in addition, some viable sites many not be included on these maps due to the screening criteria used. More detailed site-specific analysis is therefore necessary to identify or prioritize the best sites for developing renewable energy facilities based on technical and economic potential.
Supplementary Information
More information, including data guidelines, a Google Earth interactive map, static maps, and fact sheets on incentives can be found at http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/
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Status of the data
Complete
Data update frequency:
As needed
Time period for which the data is relevant
Date and time:
20091117
Description:
Current as of publication
Publication Information
Who created the data: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Center for Program Analysis
Date and time:
20091117
Publisher and place:
U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), Washington, DC
_________________
Data storage and access information
Type of data: vector digital data
Location of the data:
http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/maps/EPA_sites_renewable_energy_shapefile.zip
Data processing environment: Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.3000
Constraints on accessing and using the data
Access constraints:
None
Use constraints:
Please check sources, scale, accuracy, currentness and other available information. Please confirm that you are using the most recent copy of both data and metadata.
Details about this document
Contents last updated: 20091203
Contents to be reviewed: 20121120
Who completed this document
Lura Matthews
Center for Program Analysis, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
mailing address:
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
202-566-2539 (voice)
cleanenergy@epa.gov
Standards used to create this document
Horizontal coordinate system
Details
Geographic Coordinate System
Latitude Resolution: 0.000001
Longitude Resolution: 0.000001
Geographic Coordinate Units: Decimal degrees
Geodetic Model
Horizontal Datum Name: North American Datum of 1927
Ellipsoid Name: Clarke 1866
Semi-major Axis: 6378206.400000
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 294.978698
_________________
Bounding coordinates
Horizontal
In decimal degrees
West:
-176.652500
East:
-65.310600
North:
66.571111
South:
17.948333
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Lineage
FGDC lineage
Process step 1
Process description: Compiled data from EPA databases (CERCLIS, ACRES, RCRA 2020 Universe Inventory, and LMOP database) and state sources, plotted points and exported as EPA OCPA Renewable Energy Shapefile
Process date: 20080728
Process step 2
Process description: Joined EPA and state tracked sites to NREL Biomass, Solar (DNI and LATILT), and Wind Data to obtain resource information for the sites.
Process date: 20080708
Process step 3
Process description: Joined EPA and state tracked sites to NREL FEMA transmission line data and ESRI Highway and Railway data sets to obtain distance in miles from this infrastructure.
Process date: 20080708
Process step 4
Process description: Joined EPA and state tracked sites to Southern Methodist University geothermal data.
Process date: 20090701
Process step 5
Process description: Joined EPA and state tracked sites with renewable energy zone information (WREZ, CO GDA, CA REZ, and BLM Solar).
Process date: 20090801
Sources
Source 1:
Abandoned Mine Lands
(AML)
Media: Database
Contribution: Includes all abandoned hardrock mines and mineral processing sites listed in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) as well as many AMLs with emergency response actions that are not listed in CERCLIS. AML data includes information from the AML inventory dated 2/27/2008 and includes CERCLIS information current as of January 2008. Acreage from the AML Inventory was used in most cases. In cases where acreage was not provided in the AML Inventory, CERCLIS acreage was used.
Currentness of this source
Source 2:
ACRES
(Brownfields)
Media: Database
Contribution: Includes data in the Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange (ACRES) database, queried on 7/8/08. Data includes information on properties associated with Brownfields Grants awarded in fiscal year 2003 and beyond, where an assessment or cleanup activity has been completed and EPA Brownfields funding was expended. This includes: Assessment, Cleanup, Revolving Loan Fund, Section 128 and Targeted Brownfields Assessment grants.
Currentness of this source
Source 3:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA)
Media: Database
Contribution: Includes all sites from the RCRA 2020 Universe Inventory from July 2007. Acreage information was only provided for the 2008 Baseline Inventory sites, but site latitude and longitude information was provided for all sites.
Currentness of this source
Source 4:
CERCLIS
(Superfund)
Media: Database
Contribution: Includes Superfund sites included in the EPA OSWER Cross-Program Revitalization Measure (CPRM) universe, with information provided by the Superfund Office on 7/24/08. Superfund site-specific information in available in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (CERCLIS).
Currentness of this source
Source 5:
NREL High Resolution Wind Data
(Wind HR)
Media: Shapefile
Scale denominator: 200 meter to 1000 meter
Contribution: Wind power class (high resolution data)
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/data_analysis.html
Currentness of this source
Source 6:
NREL Low Resolution Wind Data
(Wind LR)
Media: Shapefile
Scale denominator: 1000 meter
Contribution: Wind power class for states without high resolution data (low resolution data)
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/data_analysis.html
Currentness of this source
Source 7:
NREL National Solar Photovoltaics
(PV)
Media: Shapefile
Scale denominator: 10 kilometers
Contribution: Annual average daily total solar resource LA Tilt
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/data_analysis.html
Currentness of this source
Source 8:
NREL National Concentrating Solar Power
(CSP)
Media: Shapefile
Scale denominator: 10 kilometers
Contribution: Annual average daily total solar resource, direct normal irradiance (DNI)
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/data_analysis.html
Currentness of this source
Source 9:
NREL National Biomass Resource Assessment
(Biomass)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: An estimate of the biomass resources available by county for the following feedstock categories: crop residues, methane emissions from manure management, methane emissions from landfills and wastewater treatment facilities, forest residues, primary and secondary mill residues, urban wood waste, and dedicated energy crops.
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/data_analysis.html
Currentness of this source
Source 10:
NREL Transmission Lines for Conterminous United States
(FEMA)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: Provides kilovolt value and distances to the nearest transmission line. Data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) circa 1993.
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/data_analysis.html
Currentness of this source
Source 11:
ESRI U.S. Highways
(Highway)
Media: CD-ROM
Contribution: Distance to nearest highway
Currentness of this source
Source 12:
ESRI U.S. National Transportation Atlas Railroads
(Rail)
Media: CD-ROM
Contribution: Used to calculate the approximate distance to the nearest railway.
Currentness of this source
Source 13:
3 km to 10 km temperature at depth
(3 km to 10 km)
Media: Raster
Contribution: Temperatures at depth in Celsius for 3 to 10 km in 0.5 km increments
Currentness of this source
Source 14:
Heat Flow
(Heatflow)
Media: Raster
Contribution: Heat flow data for the US
Currentness of this source
Source 15:
Near Surface Temperatures
(Surface Temperatures)
Media: Raster
Contribution: Near surface temperatures
Currentness of this source
Source 16:
West Virginia AML
(West Virginia AML)
Media: electronic bulletin board
Contribution: West Virginia AML - Used to map West Virginia AML sites. The dataset containing the West Virginia AML polygons was taken from the West Virginia GIS Technical Center web site (http://wvgis.wvu.edu/data/dataset.php?action=search&ID=150) and was downloaded on July 10, 208. Coal AML features were digitized from Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation source materials by the West Virginia University (WVU) Department of Geology & Geography and the WVU Natural Resource Analysis Center. This polygon dataset was published in 1996. A description of the dataset indicates that typical AML features include highwalls, portals, refuse piles, and mining structures such as tipples. Acreage values should be considered as approximate estimations for the features and may not represent actual site conditions. The dataset does not include ownership or parcel information. For additional information on West Virginia's AML Program or the dataset contact the West Virginia Office of Abandoned Mine Lands & Reclamation at http://www.wvdep.org/item.cfm?ssid=12.
Currentness of this source
Source 17:
Pennsylvania AML
(Pennsylvania AML)
Media: electronic bulletin board
Contribution: Pennsylvania AML - Used to map Pennsylvania Coal AML sites. The dataset containing the Pennsylvania AML polygons was taken from the Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access Clearinghouse web site and was downloaded July 10, 2008 (http://www.pasda.psu.edu/uci/MetadataDisplay.aspx?entry=PASDA&file=AMLInventorySites2008_07.xml&dataset=460). This dataset portrays the approximate location of Abandoned Mine Land Problem Areas containing public health, safety, and public welfare problems created by past coal mining. The data represents the AML Inventory Sites, which are the boundary of an entire problem area and may contain multiple actual mining features. The dataset does not include ownership or parcel information. Most sites are privately owned. When needed, ownership information must be researched through other means, typically county real estate records. For additional information on Pennsylvania's AML Program or contacting the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, please visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Abandoned Mines.
Currentness of this source
Source 18:
Virginia AML
(Virginia AML)
Media: CD-ROM
Contribution: Virginia AML - Used to map Virginia Coal AML sites. The dataset containing the Virginia AML polygons was obtained from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy's Division of Mined Land Reclamation on January 21, 2008. The dataset represents polygons of mines extracted from USGS topographic maps, last photo revised in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some of these areas may represent sites that have been re-mined. For more information contact the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy's Title IV AML program at dmlrinfo@dmme.virginia.gov or visit http://www.mme.state.va.us/.
Currentness of this source
Source 19:
Virginia Orphaned Mineral Mines
(Virginia Orphaned Mineral Mines)
Media: CD-ROM
Contribution: Virginia Orphaned Mineral Mines - Used to map Virginia Orphaned Mineral Mines. The dataset containing the Virginia Orphaned Mineral Mine point data was obtained from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy's Division of Mineral Mining and was downloaded August 29, 2008. This dataset represents orphaned mineral mining sites in Virginia operated prior to 1968. For additional information on Virginia's Orphaned Mineral Mines program or contacting the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, please visit http://www.mme.state.va.us/DMM/orphaned%20land.shtml.
Currentness of this source
Source 20:
Western Governors Association (WGA) and Department of Energy Western Renewable Energy Zones
(WREZ)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: Western Governors Association (WGA) and Department of Energy jointly produced the Western REZ. This dataset was provided by the Western Governors Association on July 14, 2009.
Currentness of this source
Source 21:
Bureau of Land Management (BLM ) Solar Zones
(BLM Solar)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: Bureau of Land Management (BLM ) provided the BLM Solar Zones, these files were downloaded from http://solareis.anl.gov/eis/maps/index.cfm on July 14, 2009.
Currentness of this source
Source 22:
Colorado Resource Generation Development Areas (GDA)
(CO GDA)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: Colorado State Wind and Solar Generation Development Areas (CO GDA) were obtained from the Governor's Energy Office on July 14, 2009.
Currentness of this source
Source 23:
California Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CA CREZ)
(CA REZ)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: California Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CA REZ) were downloaded on July 19, 2009 from http://www.energy.ca.gov/reti/documents/index.html.
Currentness of this source
Source 24:
U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) Database
(LMOP)
Media: Database
Contribution: Includes data from LMOP, which is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of landfill gas as a renewable, green energy resource. LMOP screens landfills to determine if they are candidates for landfill gas energy projects or have potential for landfill gas energy projects. In addition, it tracks landfills that have operational, under construction or shutdown landfill gas energy projects (see the Attribute Table for the definition of project types). Visit EPA’s LMOP Web site at www.epa.gov/lmop/ for more information on landfill gas energy projects. This data were provided by LMOP on March 20, 2009.
Currentness of this source
Source 25:
Puerto Rico Transmission Line Data
(PR Transmission)
Media: Shapefile
Contribution: Used to determine the distance to transmission lines, this information was digitized by NREL from paper maps obtained from an unreferenced source in 2000.
Currentness of this source
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Spatial data quality
Horizontal positional accuracy
This data concerns the location of facilities and sites that are regulated by, or of interest to, the EPA in conducting its regulatory mission. The information on the facilities and sites, including the locations, has been gathered from a number of sources. While EPA subjects the data to Quality Assurance (QA) procedures, the Agency cannot vouch for the reliability of all the data. Users of the data (or any portion thereof) may wish to verify its accuracy before use. Data were collected using methods that have unknown accuracy (EPA National Geospatial Data Policy [NGDP] Accuracy Tier 10). For more information, please see EPA's NGDP at http://epa.gov/geospatial/policies.html)
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Spatial data description
Vector data information
SDTS description
Feature class: SDTS feature type, feature count
Feature class:
Entity point, 24459