Southern Ohio PORTS Mega Site

A host of environmental studies have been completed to access a variety of environmental, historic, cultural, and related issues. These studies would be equivalent to a traditional Phase I/II Report. Examples include the 2017 Environmental Assessment specific to land transfer for future development of the Southern Ohio PORTS Mega Site (DOE 1856/EA), the FFE Future Vision report, the PORTS annual environmental reports, as generated by DOE, and a host of other studies performed by the Federal government, State, universities and private contractors. The PORTS Annual Site Environmental Report is prepared to summarize environmental activities and primarily environmental monitoring at the PORTS industrial park. The report fulfills a requirement of DOE Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting, to prepare an annual summary of environmental data to characterize environmental management performance.

1). Wetlands
2). Headwater Streams and Wetlands Mitigation Study
3). Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species
4). Archaeological Resources
5). Prehistoric Native American Mound Study
6). Habitat Report & Survey
7). Architectural Properties
Studies 1997 and 2010

PORTS is located in a very stable geologic area. The majority of the soils have already been graded for development, and the risks associated with development are low. (DOE 2016a). Soil Type, Soils Map and Seismic Risk Factors Studies have all been completed.

Pike County is located within an “Attainment Area”. The PORTS Mega Site is located in the Wilmington-Chillicothe-Logan Intrastate Air Quality Control Region, and is an attainment area for all criteria pollutants (40 CFR 81.336).

PORTS is in a rural setting and no residences or other sensitive receptor locations (e.g. schools, hospitals) exist in the immediate vicinity of any noisy on-site operations..

Four (4) existing on-site storm water outlets, with current NPDES discharge permits, have the potential to alleviate any concerns from end users about meeting the fairly new and stringent EPA runoff requirements. The end user would apply for an amended permit or a new permit, using the precedence of the existing permits.

The DOE, in partnership with the Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA, monitors ground water regularly. An Integrated Groundwater Monitoring Plan (IGWMP) has been developed for the site.

The entire PORTS Mega site is located outside the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) 100-year floodplain. (NFIP Flood Hazard Maps, FEMA)

The on-site rail connects to the Norfolk Southern (NS) Heartland Corridor Main Line, which, on average, carries 30 or more trains per week according to Norfolk Southern and can accommodate double-stacked intermodal trains throughout. Heartland Corridor overpass facility. In addition, CSX Transportation’s mainline and Norfolk Southern Heartland meet just north of Zhan’s Corner Industrial Park approximately 6 miles to the north

Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) in Columbus, Ohio is approximately 55 miles to the north. Rickenbacker Inland Port includes Air Freight, Intermodal Rail, Trucking & Logistics, and Warehousing & Distribution services.

Barge service is located approximately 25 miles to the south at Conley River Terminal. In addition, an intermodal rail/barge/highway port is located 51 miles south at the South Point Industrial Park.

Pike County Airport (4,899̍ runway) is approximately 13 miles from the site.

Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport (5,001̍ runway) is approximately 15 miles from the site.

Ashland Regional Airport (5,602̍ runway) is approximately 55 miles from the site.

With 141 direct flights to 34 destinations, John Glenn International Airport (CMH) in Columbus, Ohio is approximately 72 miles to the north. Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is approximately 102 miles to the west and hosts over 165 peak-day flights to 56 nonstop airport destinations.

The industrial park has four (4) public access points and is located at the intersection of two (2) major four-lane divided highways. U.S. 23, a north-south highway, connects Columbus, Ohio (where I-70 and I-71 intersect) and Ashville/Huntington, WV (I-64). To the north, Ohio State Route 32 connects Cincinnati, Ohio (I-75) and Parkersburg WV (I-77).

The PORTS site is also adjacent to the ultra-high capacity OARnet backbone, which is the most robust State-owned fiber backbone in the U.S. Construction of a Point of Presence (POP) on the OARnet possible if future end users require the ultra-high speeds.

Two (2) 48-strand backbone fiber bundles supply the site and are referred to as the west and south bundles. Frontier Communications owns the west bundle which enters the industrial park along the west access road. Currently, only six of the 48 fibers are being utilized. Columbus-based Horizon Corporation owns the south bundle and enters the industrial park along the southwest access road and splits on-site into two fiber bundles of 36 and 12 strands. In the former bundle, only 4 of the 36 fibers are being utilized; the 12 fiber bundle is being fully utilized.

Natural gas is supplied by Pike Natural Gas through a main line from Zahn’s Corners from a city gate located near Oak Hill, OH. The gas line enters the site at 100 psig through an 8” underground line.

The onsite fire water system consists of a 300,000 gallon elevated storage tank with 125 psi with diesel back up pumps.

Water distributed throughout the industrial park comes from an on-site water treatment plant. All water is lime softened to an approximate hardness of 100 ppm CaC03. The water can be used for cooling or drinking. Potable water is filtered, re-carbonized, and chlorinated for distribution. The on-site Water Treatment Plant can currently produce 4 mgd of potable water and has a total production capacity of 24 mgd. Produced potable water is pumped to an elevated 200̍’ water storage tank with a 250,000 gal capacity. Water pressure throughout the industrial park is approximately 85 psig. A 12̎ potable water line provides the PORTS Mega Site with an estimated maximum flow capability of 2500gpm. The water treatment plant and all distribution piping are in service, owned by the Department of Energy (DOE), and managed by an outside contractor.

One of the unique features of the PORTS Industrial Park is its onsite emergency and medical facility specializing in energy industry emergency treatment. This includes an onsite fire station, plus mutual aid agreements with area fire departments. In addition there is an onsite medical facility as well as an Emergency Operation Center which is able to provide integrated response to emergency situations by trained and certified personnel

The site has a 1.2 mgd on-site Waste Water Treatment Plant with 950,000 gpd in excess capacity; its currently used capacity is 250,000 gpd. Sanitary sewer lines of 8- (two) and 6-inches (one) terminate a few hundred feet west of the PORTS Mega site.

Five 345kV high-voltage transmission lines with an aggregate design capacity of 4860MW supply the site in utility company controlled easements that terminate at an on-site substation. The substation is arranged in a double bus breaker and a half scheme with four operating step-down transformers to 13.8kV. In addition, transmission lines of 765 kV/345kV/138kV are located at or adjacent to industrial park. Twenty-four 13.8kV overhead distribution feeders, each with an approximate capacity of 12MW, leave the on-site substation for distribution to the entire DOE campus.

The onsite Steam Plant consists of two (2) natural gas fired steam boilers, with fuel oil backups. Each boiler capable of producing 50,000 pounds of steam per hour at 125 psi.

The onsite Compressed Air Plant has four (4) electric driven compressors that are capable of producing ~15 million standard cubic feet (scf) of clean dry air at 110 psi and dried to 60 degrees Fahrenheit per day in a looped system.