Steel Winds (Brownfield Cleanup Program)
Site #C915205
The Steel Winds turbines
Site Description
This 29-acre site is located west of Route 5 in the City of Lackawanna, Erie County. The narrow parcel extends north-south along the shore of Lake Erie. The property was formerly used for the production of steel, coke and related products.
Cleanup
Remedial activities included excavation and removal or recycling of solid waste and grossly contaminated soils. The entire site was regraded, exclusive of roads, and a one-foot vegetated cover was placed over the entire site. Oxygen Release Compound (ORC) socks were installed in selected monitoring wells to passively enhance bio-degradation of naphthalene and benzene in the southern portion of the site.
Reuse
The site developer, Steel Winds Project LLC, entered into a long-term lease agreement with the site owner to construct and operate wind turbines and supporting power generation equipment and infrastructure on the Steel Winds site. The Steel Winds site now captures the constant breezes off of Lake Erie and generates enough clean energy to power 7,000 homes.
Highlights
This wind farm is one of the first of its kind in the country to be built on a former industrial site. The developer signed a Brownfield Cleanup Agreement with DEC in September 2006, and received a Certificate of Completion in December 2007.
Funding
Site developers can receive tax credits under the Brownfield Cleanup Program for costs associated with remediation and redevelopment.
