Chariton Valley Biomass Project Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

Technical Report · Fri Jul 11 00:00:00 EDT 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/823420· OSTI ID:823420

Switchgrass is a warm-weather, native Iowa grass that grows well on marginal land. It has been identified and extensively studied for its potential as a biomass energy crop, especially its potential for use as co-fire feedstock in coal-burning plants. In this environmental assessment (EA), the term ''co-fire'' refers to the burning of switchgrass in the OGS boiler in conjunction with coal, with the goal of reducing the amount of coal used and reducing emissions of some objectionable air pollutants associated with coal combustion. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide partial funding for (1) the design and construction of a biomass (switchgrass [Panicum virgatum]) storage, handling, and conveying system into the boiler at the Ottumwa Generating Station (OGS) near Chillicothe, Iowa; (2) operational testing of switchgrass as a biomass co-fire feedstock at OGS; and (3) ancillary activities related to growing, harvesting, storing, and transporting switchgrass in areas of the Rathbun Lake watershed. Chillicothe is in Wapello County on the south side of the Des Moines River, approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) northwest of Ottumwa, Iowa, and 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Des Moines. The OGS is a 725-megawatt (MW) maximum output, low-sulfur, pulverized coal-burning plant jointly owned by several Iowa utilities and operated by Alliant Energy. The plant is located about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northwest of Chillicothe, Iowa, on the Des Moines River. The following three-phase switchgrass co-fire test campaign has been planned and partially implemented at OGS: During Phase 1, which occurred from November 2000 through January 2001, Alliant Energy conducted Co-fire Test 1 at OGS. Phase 2 testing, the Proposed Action, would consist of two additional co-fire tests. Co-fire Test 2, which would utilize some residual equipment from Co-fire Test 1 and also test some new equipment, is currently planned for September/October 2003. It would be designed to test and demonstrate the engineering and environmental feasibility of co-firing up to 11.3 tonnes (12.5 tons) of switchgrass per hour and would burn a maximum of 5,440 tonnes (6,000 tons) of switchgrass. Co-fire Test 3, which is tentatively planned for winter 2004/2005, would test the long-term (approximately 2,000 hours) sustainability of processing 11.3 tonnes (12.5 tons) per hour. Co-fire Test 3 would be conducted using a proposed new process building and storage barn that would be constructed at the OGS as part of the Proposed Action. Phase 3, commercial operations, may occur if Phase 2 indicated that commercial operations were technically, environmentally, and economically feasible. Continuous, full-scale commercial operations could process up to 23 tonnes (25 tons) of switchgrass per hour, generate 35 MW per year of OGS's annual output, and replace 5 percent of the coal burned at OGS with switchgrass. Chariton Valley Resource Conservation and Development Inc. (Chariton Valley RC&D), a rural-development-oriented, non-profit corporation (Chariton Valley RC&D 2003a) and Alliant Energy would implement Phase 3 at their discretion after the completion of the Phase 2 co-fire tests. DOE's Proposed Action would support only Phase 2 testing; that is, Co-fire Tests 2 and 3. DOE has no plans to provide financial support for the commercial operations that would be performed during Phase 3. The new construction that DOE proposes to partially fund would include a new switchgrass processing facility and equipment and a new storage barn that would be used for Co-fire Test 3. This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates the environmental impacts that could result from the Proposed Action. It also evaluates the impacts that could occur if DOE decided not to partially fund the Proposed Action (the No Action Alternative). No other action alternatives are analyzed because (1) no generating plants other than OGS have the installed infrastructure and operating experience necessary to conduct Phase 2 co-fire testing, and (2) the Rathbun Lake watershed is the only viable source of the supply of switchgrass necessary to conduct the testing at OGS. This EA has been prepared under DOE's regulations and guidelines for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. A draft version of this EA was distributed to interested members of the public and to Federal, state, and local agencies for review and comment prior to any final decisions by DOE on the Proposed Action.

• Research Organization: U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42) (US)
• OSTI ID: 823420
• Report Number(s): DOE/EA-1475; TRN: US200427%%616
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 11 Jul 2003
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
09 BIOMASS FUELS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
BIOMASS
BOILERS
COAL
COMBUSTION
COMPLIANCE
CONSTRUCTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GRAMINEAE
HARVESTING
POLLUTANTS
PROCESSING
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
STORAGE
TESTING
US NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT
WATERSHEDS
EA
FONSI
CO
BIOMASS PROJECT
SWITCHGRASS