Mid Coast Carbon Repository Proposal

Mid Coast Carbon Repository A Proposal for the conversion of Rockland’s Engine Quarry into a regional carbon sequestration project Presented By SENDERS

Science, Engineering & Construction

CRANESPORT, LLC © October 30, 2020

Table of Contents Title History Existing Conditions Topography

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The Case for a Carbon Repository

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A New Model Carboniferous Swamp Why it Works Avoiding Methanogenesis Subsidence and Future Storage Capacity

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Program Park Entrance & Scenic Vista Archipelago Swimming Hole

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Methodology Logistics Economics Timeline

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Firm Profile: Cranesport, LLC

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2

ROCKLAND’S

ENGINE QUARRY

224 Old County Road

3 Photo Credit: Jeff Senders

HISTORY Situated atop a vertical limerock formation running from Thomaston to Camden, The Engine Quarry is one of a series of quarries supplying the lime industry for which both Rockland and Rockport were named. The deepest Quarry in the formation is the Williams Quarry, which was more than 400 feet deep*.

In 1900* the Engine Quarry was absorbed in the Rockland & Rockport Lime Company, Inc (R&R).

In 1981, R&R sold the property to Maine Drilling & Blasting, Inc. The City of Rockland took the property in 1982 after Maine Drilling & Blasting failed to pay property taxes on the parcel 4 *https://bangordailynews.com/2018/12/09/news/a-look-backat-the-industry-that-left-big-holes-in-the-ground-and-gaverockland-its-name/

Limerock hauled out of Engine Quarry by horse cart in 1875 Photo courtesy of Rockland Historical Society via https://www.mainememory.net/artifact/87358

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Engine Quarry after mining operations ceased. Date unknown.

Source: Antique Postcard

LOCUS

Source: Google Maps 2020

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HISTORY CONTINUED u

Taken by the City of Rockland for non-payment of property taxes in 1982*.

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The city has marketed the parcel on two occasions in 2014** and 2017 receiving several bids, but the City Council has declined to convey the parcel.

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Not presently under consideration for proposals or future disposition.

*https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/sale-of-rocklands-massive-quarry-stalls** https://bangordailynews.com/2014/09/09/news/midcoast/rockland-holds-off-on-further-dog-restrictions/

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EXISTING CONDITIONS u

Approximately 14.0 acres and lays at the corner of Limerock Street and Old County Road.

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Working Pit has an area of approximately 2.75 acres.

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Remained of site consists of approximately 11.25 acres of open space.

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Vegetation consists of a second-growth trees and scrub brush.

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Presence of contamination, either solid waste or groundwater, has not been determined.

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Source: Google Maps 2020

TOPOGRAPHY Topographical imaging taken by aerial survey in 2020 by SENDERS and applied over USGS LIDAR data.

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TOPOGRAPHY Cross Sections 1 through 17 illustrate the variation in volume* along the length of the working pit.

*Actual depth and volume TBD using bathymetric survey methods.. Area estimates were obtained utilizing a 3D map and LiDAR data in AutoCAD Civil 3D with projected bathymetry.

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THE CASE FOR A CARBON REPOSITORY The current geological era is called the Holocene, sometimes referred to as the Anthropocene in recognition of the dominance of human civilization and the widespread effects of human activities on the planet across ecosystems.

It is a historically warm period following the retreat of the glaciers approximately 19,000 years ago. The era has seen continuous reductions in ice coverage, with a commensurate increase in sea levels, which have been rising at a fairly regular rate over the past 5,000 years, according to the Island Institute.

However, recent studies and expanded global temperature measurement suggest that portions of the planet’s surface and atmosphere are warming at a rate above what would be expected under normal [statistical] variation.

As our human civilization has grown, our activities have produced greater and greater quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

During the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide production grew exponentially as the western nations transitioned from renewable woodbased fuels to high-carbon ‘fossil’ fuels such as coal, oil (petroleum), and natural gas.

In the 20th century, the use of these fuels has grown geometrically as coal and natural gas as sources for electrification and petroleum-based transportation has expanded in the developing world.

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THE CASE FOR A CARBON REPOSITORY CONTINUED Research has now shown that these increased emissions of CO2 in the last century have substantially altered the composition of the atmosphere.

FIGURE 1: Monthly average CO2 molecules per million (ppm) as measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawai’i. Source: NOAA

Concerns over the effect of continued net emissions of CO2 include climate change, and in the long run, global warming as heat is projected to be retained by the atmosphere that would otherwise escape the planet.

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THE CASE FOR A CARBON REPOSITORY CONTINUED NOAA’s Climate.gov website reports, “The global annual temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.07°C (0.13°F) per decade since 1880 and over twice that rate (+0.18°C / +0.32°F) since 1981”* The cause? A growing body of evidence indicates that long-term warming and cooling trends over hundreds of thousands of years correlates with atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide.

FIGURE 2: Estimated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations from 800,000 BCE to the present.

Source: NOAA Climate.gov 14 *https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-globaltemperature#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20NOAA%202019,more%20than%20twice%20as%20great.

THE CASE FOR A CARBON REPOSITORY CONTINUED WHAT WE DON’T KNOW The uncertainly about the impacts of even increasing CO2 levels has led to debate over the severity several decades from today, referred to as climate skepticism.

This debate over future temperature increases (how much and by what year) can in large part be attributed to the impracticality of conducting large scale, replicable experiments using traditional methods involving control and experiment groups, and statistical analysis of the data.

Instead, scientists rely on computer models with key drivers established by actuarial assumptions and long-run temperature data.

While temperature data from recent decades is the result of ever-improving direct measurement from more and more points of measurement (weather stations, ship engine intake sensors, and satellites, temperature data from past centuries and past millennia are measured using inferential methods, such as the analysis of past tree growth rates or ice cores.

Additionally, the capacity of major systems like land vegetation and oceans to absorb carbon are not precisely known.

However our knowledge and understanding of climate science continue to improve every decade. And, as long as surface temperature measurements continue to correlate with ever increasing CO2 levels, pressure from all sides will mount to take action to avoid unintended consequences of of further global development using fossil fuels.

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THE CARBON CYCLE As new plants and trees grow, they sequester carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, converting it back into biomass. If left on the forest floor to decompose or harvested by man for fuel, this newly captured carbon will be released again. But if we bury it, we stop that from happening.

Today’s forests sequester enormous amounts of carbon dioxide. However once mature, they reach a practical maximum capacity. This is because when organic matter decomposes, CO2 is released into the atmosphere through microbial respiration. Much the same way we oxidize reduced carbon (a.k.a. food) to make energy, microbes do it and create soil.

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The Carbon Cycle. Source: https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/compostmulch/toolbox/carbonsequest

CARBON BALANCING Regardless of whether or not you believe that human carbon emission pose a serious threat to the environment, we can take action now and work to lessen our impact on the composition of the atmosphere under the principle of conservation.

Conservation means to ‘use wisely’, and as we use our planet’s resources to lift the world’s poor our of poverty, we can also take an active role in balancing the amount of carbon dioxide we emit with the amount sequestered by natural and man-made means. I call this Carbon Balancing.

Governments have taken the lead in offering incentives to use less fossil fuels, allowing the regrowth of vegetation, and increase the amount of avoided carbon dioxide emissions.

Approaches range from improved farming techniques, to energy efficiency improvements, to direct storage of CO2 underground, referred to as carbon sequestration.

The United States since 2008 has offered a carbon sequestration tax credit.

Enhanced in 2018, the 45Q tax credit will pay $35 per ton of avoided CO2 for gases stored underground in oil wells, known as EOR or Enhanced Oil Recovery, and $50 per ton for geologic storage of CO2.

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THE ORIGNAL CARBON RESPOSITORY Millions of years ago enormous carboniferous swamp forests covered much of the earth’s surface, inhabited by the dinosaurs’ ancestors and insects up to three feet long! As trees grew and died over millennia, they filled in these wetlands, forming biomass deposits over 300 feet deep.

Eventually, changes in the earth’s surface buried many of these deposits under soil and water, storing vast amounts of carbon permanently within the earth. Once buried, the biomass slowly compressed to form coal, oil, and natural gas deposits that we call fossil fuels.

Once burned, the stored carbon within the coal, oil and gas is released back into the atmosphere as Carbon Dioxide, changing the composition of the atmosphere.

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Artist’s conception of a carboniferous swamp. Credit: Christian Jegou

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A wide array of pre-dinosaurs and enormous insects (up to three feet long) thrived in the high-oxygen Carboniferous Swamps. Credit: Masato Hattori

A NEW MODEL CARBONIFEROUS

SWAMP

But what if we reversed the process, by burying biomass as nature has for millions of years to put more and more stored carbon dioxide back into the ground?

The Mid Coast Carbon Repository is a proposal for geologic storage of CO2, by means of direct burial of wood biomass. Under this proposal, 180,000 cubic yards of biomass would be placed in the bottom of the Engine Quarry, trapping 64,421 tons of CO2.

The biomass would be purchased from sustainably harvested forest products or from the waste stream of purchasers of forest products, such as paper mills, sawmills, and other industries like furniture manufacturing. This wood-based biomass would be placed at the bottom of the quarry in layers, compacted, and then capped. Atop the cap, we would build an ecological park consisting of man-made islands and open water.

Rainwater would fill the quarry, submersing the biomass and filling the waterways, and the park would be stocked with fish and amphibians along with indigenous plantings, creating a refuge for wildlife and a recreational and learning environment for people to visit.

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WHY IT WORKS If we take mature forest biomass and bury it in a repository, we can arrest the decomposition process. Then as the forest regrows, it will continue to capture more carbon. The result? Less CO2 in the atmosphere and more sequestered.

The decomposition of biomass can be arrested by storing it in a dry condition, or in a submersed condition. If you’ve ever seen the show Swamp Loggers, logs and trees submerged in water can be retrieved over a hundred years later with little show of decomposition.

Maintained in the right conditions, wood can be preserved nearly indefinitely. Recently, a well-preserved 40,000-year-old log was unearthed in New Zealand*.

22 * https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6836883/40-000-year-old-log-underneath-New-Zealand-swamp-explain-Earths-climate-mystery.html **https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/11/856/pdf#:~:text=Tannins%20may%20also%20play%20a,%2C%20subunit%2C%20MW%20and%20dose.

AVOIDING METHANOGENESIS The effectiveness of any biomass repository in mitigating the greenhouse effect relies upon avoiding methanogenesis, the process by which microbes known as archaea convert biological materials into methane*. Methane, sometimes referred to as swamp gas, is a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2.

Methanogenesis can be inhibited in several ways. One is the addition of compounds known as methane inhibitors**. Another is the use of probiotics that alter the ratio of archaea to other microbes. A third is oxygenation, as methanogenesis occurs in anaerobic environments*. Research also suggests that the presence of tannins**** inhibits methanogenesis.

Methane emissions can also be avoided by using biosolids as a cap material***, which allows other bacteria to convert methane into less harmful CO2. Or, methane can be captured and used for the production of energy*****, which nonetheless results in some level of CO2 emissions.

The solution to controlling methanogenesis and emissions at the Mid Coast Carbon Repository will likely involve using several of these methods, in concert. For example, the circulation of oxygenated water, or the addition of ozone, plus a careful measurement of water chemistry and selective use of methanogenesis inhibitors, as well as a capture system.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanogen 23 **https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019307135 *** https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4613-0405-0_9 ****https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/11/856/pdf#:~:text=Tannins%20may%20also%20play%20a,%2C%20subunit%2C%20MW%20and%20dose. ***** https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2014/04/16/88084/next-steps-to-reduce-methane-emissions-from-landfills/

AVOIDING METHANOGENESIS CONTINUED A due diligence period will be needed In order to experiment with the storage of wood biomass under various conditions to predict the performance of the repository.

My plan would be to conduct a series of tests at a nearby quarry at 194 Maverick Street. A series of experimental storage ponds and concrete vaults would be constructed to simulate the water chemistry and storage conditions under various scenarios to determine the effectiveness of various mitigation methods. A gas collection system would be used to provide hard data on the methane emissions.

Once suitable methods for reducing and controlling methane emissions have been determined, accurate calculations can be made about the projected performance of the repository, including estimated net greenhouse gas emissions – both methane and CO2.

Even with some expected production of methane and CO2, the project is expected to be strongly carbon negative over the life of the ecological park.

This is in large part because through subsidence and the addition of new biomass the park will continue to sequester additional CO2 every year.

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SUBSIDENCE AND FUTURE STORAGE CAPACITY When the biomass is added to the repository, it will be compressed using mechanical equipment. Nonetheless, the weight of additional layers of biomass, plus the cap material and park features will compress it further over time.

This compression of the deposit will cause subsidence of the park’s islands and the bottom of the pond.

The plan is for new materials to be added, building up the land area to compensate for the loss in elevation. In addition, harvested logs or other biomass will be added to the pond in stages. New biomass will be added in whatever quantities the repository will accept.

This will be a beautiful evolution of the ecological park as mature trees are inundated, leaving their dead exposed trunks, a familiar sight around beaver ponds. These will support more biodiversity within the park and enhance the stunning landscape.

As more fill and biomass is added, the park will reshape over time, an ever-evolving landscape and a fascinating study for those interested in geology and ecology.

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PROGRAM

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PARK ENTRANCE & SCENIC VISTA A parking area at the site’s entrance on Limerock Street provides safe access by car or bicycle.

Sign boards telling the story of the site welcome visitors to the park Islands linked by footbridges provide an opportunity for exploration on foot, and an Instagram-worthy photo opportunity

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PARK ENTRANCE & SCENIC VISTA

ARCHIPELAGO

The center portion of the park consists of a deep pool and beyond, a series of islands that can be visited by kayak. Deep water supports a range of aquatic species. Birds nest in this area away from most human activity.

A perimeter footpath around the rim of the park serves as a hiking trail for the sure-footed.

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ARCHIPELAGO

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SWIMMING HOLE

At the North end of the park, a quiet swimming hole with a a sandy beach provides a respite for hikers and a destination for adventurers.

South-facing and warmed by the sun, the shallow water here is several degrees warmer than elsewhere in the park, extending the swimming ‘season’ in this protected corner.

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SWIMMING HOLE

ENVIRONMENTAL NET BENEFIT The implementation of this plan represents a clear Environmental Net Benefit to this region, the State of Maine, and beyond.

This first of its kind project leverages one of Maine’s strategic advantages our sustainable timber industry, which could make Maine a national leader in carbon sequestration.

This carbon repository can be a model for economical carbon balancing, replicable across the Unites States and abroad.

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Figure 1.1 Cross Section XS-14 Detail Illustration

THEORETICAL CAPACITY Theoretical storage capacity was determined by establishing a mean surface water depth of 15 feet above a permeable barrier capping the biomass deposit.

Over the course of 10 years, the Engine Quarry could store over 36,000 tons of biomass and sequester over 64,000 tons of CO2. This is enough to effectively offset the CO2 emissions of 1,400 cars every year.

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Figure 1.1 Cross Section XS-14 Wide View Illustration

Engine Quarry Ecological Park Carbon Repository

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METHODOLOGY

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LOGISTICS With an estimated biomass storage capacity of 180,000 cubic yards, the repository would accept 18,000 cubic yards of biomass per year over a 10-year period.

A cord is 4.75 cubic yards and weighs approximately one metric ton depending on the type of wood (softwood) and the moisture content*.

Each live bottom truck load would carry in 11.5 tons of biomass, equivalent to 5.75 tons of carbon by weight*.

According to American Forests, each ton of wood equates to 1.7 metric tons of avoided CO2.

A single live-bottom bulk trailer can carry 54.5 yards per truck load. It would require 331 truck loads per year, just 6.6 deliveries on average per week.

* https://futuremetrics.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CO2-from-Wood-and-Coal-Combustion.pdf 39 ** https://www.greenbiz.com/sites/default/files/document/EIARVol28Issue2-3pgs106-115.pdf, https://www.americanforests.org/

ECONOMICS The economics of the Mid Coast Carbon Repository is driven by the IRS 45Q carbon sequestration tax credit.

Enacted in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, an extension of the 45Q tax credit increases the value of geological sequestration to $50 per ton by 2026*.

Underwritten at this price point, the annual revenue per ton at a stabilized sales price of 90 cents on the dollar x $50 is $45 per ton of CO2.

At a ration of 1:1.7 of biomass : CO2, the credit would yield 3,789 x 1.7 = 6,442 x $45 = $289,895 per year over a 10-year period.

In addition, the private market price for carbon offsets is $8-$11 per metric ton**, or 6,442 * $9.5 = $61,200 per year.

Combined, that’s $351,094 / $3789 = $92.70 per ton, well above the market price of biomass feedstock of $30-$35 per ton***.

This analysis suggests that the project is economically viable. *https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/10/f67/Internal%20Revenue%20Code%20Tax%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf **https://www.cooleffect.org/content/travel-offset, https://www.terrapass.com/product/business-carbon-offsets ***https://www.eia.gov/biofuels/biomass/#table_data

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TIMELINE u

Year 0 to 01

Testing, Planning and permitting

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Year 01 to 10

Sequestration operations

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Year 11 to 12

Placement of barrier and site work

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Year 12 to 14

Filling of park basin (with rain) and aquatic vegetation; Introduction of Fish and Amphibians

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Year 15

Ecological Park Completed

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Year 20 +

Addition of biomass and cap material as subsidence occurs 41

CRANESPORT,

LLC

FIRM PROFILE Cranesport, LLC is a Camden, Maine based commercial real estate company. Cranesport is the owner of 100 Mt. Battie Street, a former MBNA garage and small business incubator.

Michael Mullins, Manager

The beneficial owner of Cranesport, LLC is Michael Mullins of 215 Cedar Street in Rockland, Maine. Michael was formerly President of Mullins Management Company, Inc., and a Director of CMJ, Inc, both firms are owner and operators of affordable (mixed-income) rental housing. In the case of Mullins Management, that firm has developed and manages over 800 units of housing and two town center style developments that are in the permitting process.

CMJ, Inc. has a portfolio of approximately 4,800 units of mixed income rental projects in Massachusetts and California Michael is the owner of Tennyson Quarry in Rockland, the former Crockett’s Quarry. From 2016 to 2017, Michael performed a restoration of the 19.5-acre quarry property, including a partial dewatering of the working pit and the installation of approximately 800 feet of erosion control measures and the construction of a man-made wetland to improve water quality.

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Mid Coast Carbon Repository DISCLAIMER: Neither Cranesport, LLC nor Senders Engineering own any interest in the Engine Quarry. This proposal is offered for purpose of public discussion only and should not be considered a private business initiative, nor an official expression of interest in acquiring or developing the property.

All photographs, renderings, and figures include photo credit or source citations where applicable. Topographical survey and volume calculations by Senders, LLC. Narrative, pro forma, and methodology

by Cranesport, LLC. Ecological Park visualizations by Ferdinand Ladera. The proposal was created using Microsoft PowerPoint 2020.

SENDERS

Science, Engineering & Construction

CRANESPORT, LLC Š October 30, 2020

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