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EPA, DOE to Study Potential for Renewable Energy Possibilities on Municipal Farm Brownfields Site in Kansas City, Mo.

Release Date: 11/04/2011
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Nov. 4, 2011) - EPA and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory are collaborating on a project to evaluate the feasibility of siting renewable energy production on the Municipal Farm Site owned by the City of Kansas City, Mo. The study, valued up to $35,000, will explore the potential for solar or biopower generation on the site in southeastern Kansas City, Mo.

The Round Grove Creek Landfill portion of the Municipal Farm site offers 14.3 acres of clear, level land located less than 500 feet from a public utility substation and power lines, giving it strong potential for solar energy production.

The Western Portion of the site contains 19 acres of eligible brownfield sites and an additional 120 acres of vacant, level property within a quarter mile of power lines and railroad lines, potentially making the site suitable for biopower development.

“Renewable energy is a vital part of America’s energy future. By using wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources, we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions from other sources of energy production,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks.

EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative encourages renewable energy development on current and formerly contaminated land and mine sites when it is aligned with the community’s vision for the site. The collaboration pairs EPA’s expertise on contaminated sites with DOE’s expertise in renewable energy.

As part of the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative, EPA is investing approximately $1 million for projects across the United States aiming to decrease the amount of green space used for development while continuing to ensure the protection of people’s health, the environment and provide economic benefits to local communities, including job creation. EPA Region 7, which is comprised of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine tribal nations, is one of only three regions to have four sites selected, with one in each state of the region.