1. The Truth about Ecological Revitalization - Case Studies and Tools to Improve your Cleanups Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Study Michele Mahoney Office of Superfund Remediation & Technology Innovation

2. 1 Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration  Purpose of Study  Three sites  Stafford Airport Site, Virginia  Sharon Steel Site, Pennsylvania  Leadville Site, Colorado Introduction

3. 2 Common practice to apply biosolids to lands began and continues until today Leadville, CO, starts restoration with soil amendments Stafford, VA restores land with soil amendments EPA TIFSD hosts a workshop on soil amendments EPA produces a white paper on soil amendments EPA, TIFSD produces a draft field protocol for sampling Sharon Steel field demonstration plots to evaluate soil amendments EPA, TIFSD conducts sampling at 3 field sites to evaluate Carbon seq potential EPA launches Ecotools website EPA, TIFSD analyzes soil carbon data from field sites EPA finalizes field sampling protocol Evaluate additional partners and field sites Create a database of info, range of C seq rates for various sites Timeline EPA published cross-program Ecological Revitalization paper

4. 3 O HORIZON A HORIZON B HORIZON C HORIZON Transformation of carbon in organic materials, such as soil amendments, into humus, a stable organic material that builds healthy soils. Soil organic matter and stable organo- mineral complexes form, which bind and store carbon. Downward movement of humus and stable aggregates making them more stable. Translocation R HORIZON Bedrock - Soil-forming parent material. CO 2 microbial respiration Uses CO 2 to store carbon in biomass What is terrestrial carbon sequestration?

5. 4 Field Guide for Sampling & Analysis  Consistent sampling approach  Drafted and tested at three sites  Living document  http://www.cluin.org/ecotools

6. 5 Data Collection Approach  Document Site-Specific Information  Plan for Data Collection  Collect and Analyze Data  Manage and Interpret Data

7. 6 Document Site Specifics  Required for carbon sequestration calculations  Used for calculating other aspects of carbon sequestration potential and results  Provides useful background information and data to compare results across sites over time  Suggested format in Appendix 1

8. 7 Plan for Data Collection  Input from all stakeholders  Identify data needs for accurate carbon accounting  Identify statistical data reduction methods  Identify carbon accounting tools  QAPP documentation

9. 8 Analytical Measurements for Soil Amendments, Cores, Gases and Plants MatrixAnalysesMethod(s) Amendments  Total Carbon  Inorganic/Organic Carbon Fractionation  Total Nitrogen  Organic Matter Content  Moisture Content  pH  Electrical Conductivity (EC)  Dry flash combustion  Acid vapor exposure  Dry flash combustion  Loss on ignition  Thermal-gravimetry  Paste-electrode Soil  Total Carbon  Inorganic/Organic Carbon Fractionation  Total Nitrogen  Organic Matter Content  Moisture Content  Particle Size Analysis (sand, silt, clay)  Bulk Density  pH  EC  Dry flash combustion  Acid vapor exposure  Dry flash combustion  Loss on ignition  Thermal-gravimetry  Sieving-gravimetry  Gravimetry  Paste-electrode Biomass/ Plants  Above and below ground biomass sampling and estimation (dry weight)  Thermal-gravimetry Gases  Nitrous oxide  Carbon dioxide  Methane  Static flux chamber: headspace gas chromatography (GC)

10. 9 Sampling Events Sampling EventMatricesPurpose Time 0 or before (pretreatment) Soil amendment; soilEstablish baseline carbon assessment for site Time 0 or before (pretreatment) Plant biomass (if present)Establish baseline Time 0 Amended soil, reference soilInitial carbon measurement Time 0 Plant biomass (if present)Initial biomass measurement Time 0 Gases in air Determine nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and methane emissions from amendment for a minimum of one month. Year 1 Amended soil, reference soilAssess one-year changes in terrestrial carbon Year 1 Plant biomass (if present)Assess one-year plant growth Year 3 Amended soil, reference soilAssess changes in terrestrial carbon Year 3 Plant biomass (if present)Assess changes in biomass Year 5 Amended soil, reference soil Assess longer-term changes in terrestrial carbon; determine need for further sampling times Year 5 Plant biomass (if present)Assess longer-term changes in biomass Year 10 Amended soil, reference soil Assess longer-term changes in terrestrial carbon; determine need for further sampling times Year 10 Plant biomass (if present)Assess longer-term changes in biomass

11. 10 Manage & Interpret Data %C x BD x AD x 10,000 m2 = Mg C per ha 100 ha Where: % C = Mean percent carbon content of amended soil BD = Mean bulk density (in Mg/m3) AD = Amended soil depth interval of interest (in m) m = meters Mg = megagrams (metric tons) ha = hectare Conversion to CO 2 equivalents in Mg (metric tons) per hectare: Mg C x 44 g/mole CO2 = Mg CO2 ha 12 g/mole C ha

12. 11 Field Guide Appendices 1.Suggested Format for Site Information 2.Example Sampling Approach 3.Standard Operating Procedure for Carbon/Nitrogen Elemental Analysis 4.Methods for Inorganic/Organic Carbon Fractionation 5.Method for Bulk Density Measurement 6.Standard Operating Procedures for Above and Below Grade Biomass Characterization 7.Protocol for Gas Flux Measurement

13. 12 Site Description  Located 35 miles from Washington D.C.  Site history: 1997 – Contraction began for an airport 2001 – Airport completed  550-acre facility with paved aircraft parking and a runway  Sandy loam soil  Rolling hills geography Photograph of Stafford Regional Airport provided by Lee Daniels, Virginia Tech Stafford

14. 13 Site Description Sharon Steel  Located Mercer County, Pennsylvania  Site history: 1900 – Steel product manufacturing facility 1992 – Sharon Steel declared bankruptcy Waste byproducts were disposed of on site 1998 – Sharon Steel was listed on the NPL  Topography consists of hilly uplands and broad deep valleys  Silty loam soil  Contamination in soil consists of metals, PAHs, PCBs, and pesticides Photograph courtesy of Libby Dayton, Ohio State University

15. 14 Site Description Leadville Leadville Site (Before and After)  Located 100 miles southwest of Denver, CO  Site History: 120 years – Mined and milled for silver, gold, lead and zinc 1983 – Leadville site listed on the NPL  Sandy loam soil  Elevation at site is 8,200 – 10,000 feet  Sulfide mine tailings washed down the Arkansas River impacting an 11-mile stretch of the river causing acidic conditions and metal contamination.

16. 15Results SiteSoil Type AmendmentsMg C/hametric tons CO 2 /acre metric tons CO 2 /acre year Leadville, Colorado Sandy loam Biosolids, compost, pellets, limestone, wood chips, manure 114-147169-2189.1 Stafford, Virginia Sandy Loam Biosolids, Straw Mulch16242.5 Sharon Steel, Pennsylvania Silty Loam Biosolids, Compost, pine bark 19-6745NA

17. 16 What do the results mean? What do the results mean? Stafford  Amended 275 acres with a gain of 15 metric tons of CO 2 per acre.  Equivalent to the amount of CO 2 emissions associated with 281 gallons of gasoline consumed per year.  Was carbon sequestered at this site - YES!

18. 17 What do the results mean? What do the results mean? Sharon Steel  57 – 99 metric tons of CO 2 per acre as compared to the control of 32 metric tons of CO 2 per acre.  Potential of 9,200 metric tons of CO 2 at the site.  Was carbon sequestered in the soil at this site – YES!

19. 18 What do the results mean? What do the results mean? Leadville  80 acres amended  146-218 metric tons of CO 2 per acre  87 metric tons of CO2 per acre more than the control over 10 years; or 9.1 metric tons of CO2/ acre year  Equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered annually by 134 acres of pine or fir forests, or the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by recycling 212 tons of waste per year instead of sending it to a landfill.  Was carbon sequestered in the soil at this site – YES!

20. 19 Carbon Accounting at Soil Amendment Sites Carbon Sinks (i.e. storage) GHG Emission Sources (i.e. CO 2, CH 4, NO x ) Vegetation: living biomass (above/below ground), non-living biomass Transportation of materials to site Soil: organic soil matter. inorganic soil matter Stationary machinery and other equipment not covered under transportation Carbon-rich soil amendments Biomass burning for site preparation and management Fertilizer use Soil off-gassing

21. 20Conclusions  Benefits of Soil amendments Remediation & revitalization More cost-effective cleanups Recycling by-products Jump-starts ecosystem Terrestrial carbon sequestration Recycling of industrial by- products Reduces exposure of contaminant Restores soil quality SOIL AMENDMENTS

22. 21 Next Steps  Build database of carbon sequestration rates  More field studies  Scope carbon accounting with OAR  Collaboration with other researchers  Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration on EcoTools web site www.cluin.org/ecotools/seq.cfm

23. Michele Mahoney US EPA OSWER Technology Innovation & Field Services Division Phone: (703) 603-9057 Email: Mahoney.Michele@epamail.epa.gov

24. 23 Results - Stafford Table 6. Stafford Sampling Results, Fall 2008, 6 years after amendment application SamplepHEC%C%NBulk density (g/cm3) C:N ratioMg of Carbon/ha metric tons CO2/ acre Optimum for soils5.5 -8< 2-- 0.5 – 1.420 – 40:1-- Pre-amendment2.34-- 0.370.03-- Piscataway soil amendment11.9--260.7 g/kg 0.4 g/kg--13.23-- Biosolids 0 -15 cm (SH) 3.961.0031.150.120.95961624 Biosolids 15 – 30 cm (SH) 3.411.6180.470.061.1978812 Control 0 – 15 cm (SC) 3.241.5170.30.041.287.569 Control 15 – 30 cm (SC) 3.071.650.270.041.87.25711

25. 24 Results – Sharon Steel C-lock modeling predicted 1.3 metric tons of CO2 e/ acre per year Table 8. Sharon Steel Sampling Results, Fall 2008, Year 0 SamplepHEC%C%NBulk density (g/cm3) for top 6 “ C:N ratioMg of Carbon/ha metric tons CO2/ acre Optimum for soils5.5 -8< 2-- 0.5 – 1.420 – 40:1-- Control124.920.89ND1.63NA2232 10% Biosolids11.94.610.76ND1.64NA1928 10% Biosolids + pine barks 11.84.191.65ND1.58NA3958 15% Biosolids + compost 9.82.532.270.51.1227.33857 15% Biosolids + compost + pine bark 9.92.283.120.4971.4319.56799 20% biosolids124.991.40.3311.5216.03247 20% Biosolids + pine bark 124.981.540.2961.5321.83552

26. 25 Results - Leadville Table 5. Leadville Sampling Results from Fall 2008, 10 years after amendment application SamplepHEC%C%NBulk density (g/cm3) C:N ratioMg of C/hametric tons CO2/ acre Optimum for soils5.5 -8< 2-- 0.5 – 1.420 – 40:1-- Biosolids 0 -15 cm (LB) 5.232.6645.880.361.2911 114169 Biosolids 15 -30 cm (LB) 5.592.744.810.321.4113 102151 Pellets 0 -15 cm (LP) 5.892.536.370.521.5410 147218 Pellets 15 - 30 cm (LP) 5.832.766.250.511.6111 151224 Compost 0 -15 cm (LC) 1 5.73.085.450.291.215 98146 Compost 15 -30 cm (LC) 1 5.461.784.380.291.2214 80119 Untreated 0 – 15 cm (LU) 3.723.133.750.241.0917 6191 Untreated 15 – 30 cm (LU) 3.672.094.160.260.9716 6190 Reference 0 – 15 cm (LR) 5.670.485.220.30.7910 6292 Reference 15 – 30 cm (LR) 5.740.222.90.141.2210 5379