Solar Panels Possible For Former Contamination Site In Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — A piece of property in Moorestown that was the site of groundwater contamination for several years may soon be converted to a solar field that could be a two-fold income generator for the township.

Representatives from Sustainable Moorestown made the pitch to council at its Feb. 10 meeting to foreclose on a Brownfield site on New Albany Road and develop it as a solar farm.

Ken Elwell, the retired deputy Attorney General for the state who worked primarily on cases with the Department of Environmental Protection, joined Sustainable Moorestown Chair Wolf Skacel to make the presentation.

The site was owned by Pulverizing Services PPG, and was used for pulverizing services from 1935 to 1979. During this time, the soil became contaminated by inorganic and organic pesticides. In 2007, more than 113,000 cubic yards of contaminated soils were removed.

A 2013 Remedial Investigation Report concluded that there is no unacceptable risk related to the inhalation of volatile contaminants from sediment or surface water.

However, it remains restricted to commercial or recreational use due to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, according to Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie. Homes are not permitted to be built on the properties.

The township has not collected taxes on the properties for a long time. The township can foreclose on the site as the first step toward the township taking ownership, Gillespie said. It could then lease the property to a developer, who could transform the land into a solar field.

In that case, the property would become a tax ratable for the township, and the township would be able to collect income on the energy generated by the solar panels, Gillespie said.

The township could lease the property for $200,000 a year, and could collect as much as $32,000 in property taxes annually, according to the presentation. The township could expect to collect between $450,000 and $500,000 annually, and up to $10 million in the first 25 years.
Elwell projects that the township could save residents about $250,000 a year.

“The lease is typically fixed,” Elwell said. “It’s guaranteed money, regardless of what’s happening in the energy markets.”

The lessee would be responsible for all development costs, Elwell said.The previous owner would be responsible for correcting any existing issues on the property after the township purchases it. Elwell said.

The property owner would be all maintenance of the site, and monitoring of the wells can still be maintained. The town wouldn’t be held responsible financially if the deal doesn’t come to fruition. Elwell believes his plan can only help the township in the long run on a property it would probably foreclose on regardless.

“It was an excellent presentation,” Gillespie said. “There’s not a lot we can do with the site because of EPA restrictions.”

The presentation was made during the workshop portion of the Feb. 10 council meeting, and no official action has been taken.