Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Renewable Energy on Contaminated Lands in California
Renewable Energy Siting Tool
Map of California and Nevada as seen in the
Google Earth Map (.kmz) (Directions Below)
Directions for using the
Google Earth Map
Ensure you have Google Earth loaded onto your computer. You can download Google Earth 
for free online.
- Open the Google Earth Map (KMZ) (1.8M) to launch the California Contaminated Lands Mapping Tool.
- In the navigation bar under "Renewable Energy Sites", sites are organized by those considered priority sites, those that are not considered priority sites, and those that do not have acreage information. In addition, the tool allows the viewer to turn various layers on and off to explore sites that are prime for specific technologies.
- For more information on Google Earth and how to use it see the Google Earth User Guide.
In partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), EPA has developed a Google Earth Map and data set that helps identify contaminated and degraded sites in California that are possible candidates for renewable energy development.
The map and data set identify and screen approximately 11,000 public and private sites in California to select the prime locations for utility scale renewable energy development, based on the various renewable energy technologies and associated screening criteria. The sites consist of former and current Superfund, Brownfield and mine sites, as well as various other cleanup opportunities. The tools are designed to be used by renewable energy developers, local government officials and others who are interested in siting renewable energy on non-pristine lands. This effort builds upon EPA's RE-Powering America's Lands Initiative by including additional California sites from state databases and uses a screening tool that filters and selects prime sites for utility-scale renewable energy development.
On This Page
Google Earth Map
The Google Earth Map file (.kmz) allows the viewer to see contaminated sites in California from an aerial perspective. In addition, it provides an easy way to see priority sites for utility scale renewable energy development, differentiated by technology type. Users are able to search for sites by geographic area or by preferred renewable energy technology. In addition, users can zoom into each site to get more detailed information, including but not limited to: acreage, slope, renewable energy potential, and latitude and longitude information. Although the tool screens for priority sites for utility scale projects, users are also able to see sites that could be ideal for smaller projects.
Disclaimer: The data presented here and the associated tools are not meant to endorse or favor specific sites of land. The suggested priority sites are sites that appear favorable for utility scale renewable energy through a screening process with various criteria. By labeling a site as ‘priority’, EPA is not suggesting that the site owners have been notified or are favorable to renewable energy development, but merely that the site fits numerous attributes required for renewable energy generation.
Data
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Adobe Reader.
This data spreadsheet (.xls) (4 tabs, 16.2M) has the site information and characteristics for the approximately 11,000 contaminated and degraded sites in California. The various tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet list the 75 top screened priority sites for utility scale projects, the complete data set of contaminated lands in California, closed landfills in California and the criteria that were used to screen sites as priority sites for utility scale renewable energy generation. In addition to site name, address and location, each site also has characteristics such as slope, renewable energy potential, distance to transmission lines and sub-stations and cleanup status. Users are easily able to sort and screen for specific characteristics or locations of interest.
Please see our brief guide on the analysis and priority ranking methodology (PDF) for additional details of screening criteria and how the database was developed.
Static Maps
The static maps included below give an overall snapshot of contaminated sites in California, and identify utility scale sites that are considered high priority for a specific renewable energy technology.
Success Stories
Aerojet General Corporation Superfund Site
The Aerojet General Corporation Superfund Site covers 5,900 acres near Sacramento, California and was formerly used to manufacture rocket engines and chemicals. In 2008, a public-private partnership between Aerojet, Solar Power, Inc. and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District led to the development of a remarkable 40-acre solar farm on the contaminated, Aerojet site. The solar farm is used to power the site's extensive groundwater remediation program, as well as to reduce the company's carbon footprint.
Frontier Fertilizer
The Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Site in Davis, California is an 18-acre former industrial site that is contaminated with pesticides and various other chemicals. In 2011, green remediation strategies were implemented that included installing a roof-top photovoltaic system to operate the existing groundwater pump-and-treat (P&T) system.
A total of 336 Evergreen 205-W PV panels were installed on ground mountings covering approximately half an acre adjacent to the groundwater treatment building.
Contact
For further information on the Renewable Energy Siting Tool or to submit suggestions for improvement, please contact Cara Gillen (gillen.cara@epa.gov)
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