Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
We are grateful for the opportunity to work on PFAS remediation. Home Grown Fuels is a majority women-owned company, repurposing existing infrastructure at a closed paper mill in East Millinocket, Maine. Our near-net zero production facility will harvest carbon from woodchips and make a >90% BioCarbon. Our BioCarbon is known to attract PFAS chemicals and stimulate growth in plants that extract chemicals from the soil. We are working with farmers to create a roadmap to remediation. The road trip starts with identifying the PFAS through extensive testing of the farm soil. The next stop is determining the soil type. The third stop is to determine the right plant and soil amendment, for the soil type and climate. At this stop, the farmer takes over and does what farmers do best: plant, fertilize, grow, harvest, and bale. The plant has become the vehicle for PFAS uptake from the soil and once baled it is ready to roll to a destruction facility. The last stop is high-temperature destruction, which breaks the bonds of the forever chemicals. All along the journey, we test soil, air, plant matter, and ash. The roadmap to remediation has a starting point and an end with measurable results. Linking farmers to funding, for example, the settlements from liability lawsuits, and delivering payments through existing subsidy systems, creates an army of workers. Too many farmers are grappling with euthanizing their herds and building special containment areas for their toxic bodies. It is time to put PFAS in the rearview mirror.Maine's PFAS Fund Maine is one of the only states that has conducted widespread testing. Maine hasidentified50 farms impacted by PFAS contamination whichpromptedthe legislature to establish a $60 million remediation fund to support farmers. PFAS Fund and Assistance Programs: Maine has established a PFAS Fund to provide financial support for testing, water filtration systems, clean feed, infrastructure, and livestock indemnification. This fund aims to help farmers manage contamination and ensure safe agricultural practices.Water Treatment and Filtration Systems: The state offers a Farm Water Treatment Program to install and maintain water filtration systems on farms where well water exceeds the state's PFAS safety standards. This includes covering yearly maintenance and replacement costs for these systems??.Livestock Depopulation Funding: In cases where animals are heavily contaminated and cannot be decontaminated economically, Maine provides funding for humane euthanasia and compensation based on USDA rates.PFAS Navigator Program: This program provides one-on-one assistance to PFAS-impacted farmers, helping them navigate available resources and support systems, including technical, financial, and social assistance.Research and Testing: Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is expanding testing of water, soil, and agricultural products, particularly where biosolids might have been applied. This helps identify and prioritize remediation efforts. Additionally, Maine is conducting research to better understand PFAS contamination and its impacts.Legislation and Advocacy: The state supports legislation to address PFAS contamination, including funding for research and support for affected farmers. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) are involved in advocacy efforts to ensure farmer needs are addressed and to promote legislative measures to reduce PFAS impacts. These efforts demonstrate Maine's comprehensive approach to tackling PFAS contamination, focusing on immediate support for affected farmers and long-term strategies to manage and reduce environmental and health impacts.The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent actions The EPA is taking broader actions to address PFAS contamination, including:PFAS Strategic Roadmap: Outlining plans to address PFAS through regulatory measures, research, and enforcement.Proposed MCLs (Maximum Contaminant Levels): The EPA is working towards setting enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.Monitoring and Data Collection: Expanded monitoring requirements for PFAS in drinking water under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). EPA has identified several PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) as hazardous due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and adverse health effects. The following PFAS compounds have been the focus of regulatory actions and advisories:Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)Use: Formerly used in the manufacturing of non-stick coatings (like Teflon), waterproof textiles, and various industrial applications.Health Effects: Associated with kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, developmental effects, and immune system impacts.Regulatory Action: The EPA has set a health advisory level for PFOA in drinking water at 70 parts per trillion (ppt), either individually or combined with PFOS.Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)Use: Used in firefighting foams, stain repellents, and other industrial applications.Health Effects: Linked to liver damage, thyroid disease, developmental effects, immune system impacts, and cancer.Regulatory Action: The EPA has also set a health advisory level for PFOS in drinking water at 70 parts per trillion (ppt), either individually or combined with PFOA.Perfluorobutane Sulfonate (PFBS)Use: Used as a replacement for PFOS in various applications, including firefighting foams and textile treatments.Health Effects: Associated with thyroid and reproductive effects.Regulatory Action: The EPA has issued toxicity assessments for PFBS, highlighting potential health risks.GenX Chemicals (Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid and its Ammonium Salt)Use: Used as a replacement for PFOA in the manufacturing of fluoropolymers.Health Effects: Linked to liver and kidney effects, as well as potential cancer risk.Regulatory Action: The EPA has released toxicity assessments and is working towards establishing regulatory limits.Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA)Use: Used in the production of some high-performance polymers and surfactants.Health Effects: Associated with liver toxicity, developmental effects, and immune system impacts.Regulatory Action: Some states have established their drinking water standards for PFNA. The EPA has determined that certain PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, GenX chemicals, and PFNA, pose significant health risks and has taken regulatory actions to limit their presence in drinking water and other environmental media. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to address the widespread contamination and adverse effects associated with PFAS. Home Grown Fuels has a broad-based advisory team that comes to this problem from every angle. We have national leaders, globally known scientists, and PFAS experts. At the core of every step is testing and analysis.The University of Maine (UMaine) has established a significant PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) research lab to address the contamination issues in the state. This lab is part of the PFAS Center of Excellence, which aims to mitigate the harmful effects of these "forever chemicals" by testing water, soil, plant, and animal tissues. Funded by federal allocations, the center will provide critical resources to tackle PFAS contamination effectively. The lab, which benefits from an $8 million federal funding allocation, will help reduce reliance on out-of-state testing labs, speeding up the testing process and providing timely results for farmers and other stakeholders. The time is now. PFAS migrates via water. Every time it rains, the cancer spreads.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Home Grown Fuel's goal is to bring products,services, and resources to farmers to remediatePFAS from their contaminated soil. We will workwith farmers, using their labor and equipment, to returntheir farmland to active and healthy production.Goals andAlignment Home Grown Fuels' goalsalignwith USDA's Strategic Goals as follows:Combat Climate Change. HGF's Combined Heating and Power (CHP) production facility, constructed with repurposed buildings at a closed paper mill in Millinocket, Maine, will be powered by renewable energy made from biomass and hydropower. The facility is anticipated to be net zero or near net zero emissions. The facility will initially produce 2,000 tons of biochar per year of biochar, sequestering carbon, and be available for sale as carbon credits to help industry and others reduce their carbon footprint.Equitable, Resilient, Prosperous. Removing contamination from farm soil will return the land to production for farmers and landowners. It will also help rebuild the grand list for the community and the State. In the United States, 20 million acres of farmland have been identified as contaminated with PFAS (USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2024).Equitable and competitive marketplace. Nineteen billion pounds of septic sludge have been spread on 5% of America's farmland since 2016. PFAS from the sludge has been found in soil, water, plants, and wild and domestic animals, exposing farm workers and landowners to cancer-causing PFAS chemicals (Moran, 2023).Provide safe, and nutritious food. Successful phytoremediation of contaminated cropland will facilitate the return of these fields to produce fresh, locally sourced food. These phytoremediation steps will combat the annual loss of an estimated 1 million acres of land in farms in the U.S., especially small and mid-sized family-run farms (USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2024).Expand opportunities for economic development and improve the quality of life in rural and tribal areas. Known PFAS contamination is identified by red dots in Figure 1, and tribal lands are represented by the blue plots. Disadvantaged communities, particularly tribal lands have been disproportionately impacted by PFAS contamination. As background, by combining and studying soil types, soil amendments, plants' uptake, and thermal destruction we created the roadmap to PFAS remediation on America's farms. What science has already proven is that biochar stimulates growth in plants. Also known is that certain plants can phytoextract PFAS from the soil. HGF is combining this knowledge to maximize the extraction of PFAS from the soil into the plant. We are using the contaminated biomass as the vehicle to remove PFAS from the soil and the farm. This approach not only aids in removing PFAS from the soil but also unlocks the intrinsic value of biomass for energy production, such as generating power and syngas, including ethanol. Using biomass to create energy is done at temperatures known to break the bonds of "forever chemicals" that make up PFAS. Biochar stimulates growth in plants and sequesters carbon. Plants phytoextract PFAS from contaminated soils. From the Journal of Hazardous Materials, July 2023, scientists from Chongqing University in China and North Carolina State University show Phytoextraction of PFAS by weeds is cost-effective and up to 41.4%wt of PFAS can be removed from soil (He et al., 2023; Nason et al., 2024). Dr. Yanna Liang, Phase I STTR PI of UAlbany, designed our experiments and is providing the analysis of our findings. PFAS is broad a category and results vary from study to study as we search for an answer to remediate PFAS from soil. We learned that one size does not fit all. We remind ourselves that we must take the next step and the next and the next until the direction becomes clear. Moving to field trials will eliminate some of the unknowns of the grow house and give us space and time to have controls for each step. HGF gained many insights from the work Dr Liang published in February of this year;A Comprehensive Trial on PFAS Remediation: Hemp Phytoextraction and PFAS degradation in harvested plants (Nason et al., 2024). Dr. Liang directed a study of phytoremediation using hemp with the Mi'kmaq Nation, Upland Grasslands, and researchers from several institutions including UAlbany. The study was conducted with community members at the former Loring Air Force Base in northern Maine. Two key initiatives in the Loring study are (1) hemp was proven to uptake PFAS, and (2) lab-scale hydrothermal liquefaction equipment was used to degrade the grams of harvested hemp tissue. Building on Dr. Liang's work with the Mi'kmaw Nation, and her work with us in Phase I as reported in our Interim Report, HGF is adding two additional components to our Phase II scope of work: (1) we will further study the stimulation of plant growth with biochar and organic nutrients to increase yield and uptake, (2) thermal destruction will be tested on a commercial scale. The environmental significance of the Mi'kmaq study was 28 PFAS were identified in the soil and 10 PFAS were found in the hemp tissue Three kinds of hemp were studied. Fiber hemp is an annual crop that grows quickly, takes up large amounts of water, has limited grazing by animals, and does not shed leaf matter back into the soil. Some PFAS were found in the leaves and others in the stalks. The destruction of hemp at Loring was performed on tissues in 15mL reactors and run in triplicate. The hemp was heated in the reactor to 300°C for a residence time of 2 hours. Degradation of PFAS by HTL was nearly 100% for carboxylic acids, but a portion of sulfonic acids remained. The study concluded the project had positive impacts and lowered the overall presence of PFAS at a very contaminated site. Home Grown Fuels oversaw the destruction of the biomass grown in our grow house. The biomass was put through a pyrolysis unit in an oxygen-starved container and processed at 750 degrees centigrade for twenty minutes. The resulting ash/char showed a non-detect to 500 PPT.Technical ObjectivesTechnical Objective 1: Establish how to maximize phytoextraction from farmland soils. Questions to be answered:What PFAS exists on farmland sites?What is the soil type?What phytoextraction plants will respond to the soil type and climate?What soil amendments with maximize the growth and at what dose?How do both the roots and shoots perform in phytoextraction?Technical Objective 2: Determine how to support the farmer to grow the phytoextractions plants. Questions to be answered:What labor can the farmer provide?What equipment does the farmer have on-site?What is the best plan for the farmer to undertake on his or her own?What seeds and soil amendments will be needed?What is the agreed-upon statement of work?What licenses will be necessary, for example, hemp?Technical Objective 3: Establish safety protocols. Questions to be answered:What precautions does the farmer need to take for personal safety?How should the equipment be handled and cleaned?What does the logistics team need to be safe?How can biomass be safely handled at the thermal destruction site?How is sampling handled in the field, from the plants and the product being ash?Technical Objective 4: Demonstrate the PFAS bonds have been broken. Questions to be answered:What temperatures do the PFAS bonds in the biomass break down?What are the temperatures in the boiler or the gasification system?What does the emissions stack test show?Is there PFAS in the ash?If yes, should the ash be landfilled?Technical Objective 5: Model how payments for PFAS remediation can subsidize the work of farmers. Questions to be answered:Who are the likely payors to remediate PFAS?How will the subsidies be delivered?How much energy can biomass generate?
Project Methods
Task 1. Project kick-off meeting. Upon award, HGF's PI will lead a virtual meeting with all project participants, including consultants, field trial farm participants, subject matter experts, safety advisors, the logistics team, and others. In advance of this meeting, all participant stakeholders will update and reconfirm their scope of work, noting any changes since the proposal submission; review activity timelines, and agree to project timelines.Task 2. Scale up USDA I findings from bench scale to field trial. HGF will be comparing what we learned in the grow house to actual field trials. HGF will grow phytoextraction plants in three locations. There will be one field trial at Machias Airport, where the soil is contaminated by firefighter foam and septic sludge. These contaminants represent a broad spectrum of PFAS types and origins. Plants will be chosen that are known for extraction including grasses,fiber hemp, tall fescue, and Sunn hemp, as well as control beds.In preparation for the thermal destruction test, HGF will generate bailed biomass at the Stoneridge Farm in Arundel from existing plant species, Timothy grass, and several additional grasses. The former dairy farm has some of the highest levels of contamination in the country. The purpose of the "grow" in Arundel is to further study the existing grasses and generate biomass.In the second year, we will expand the field trials to specific acreage at the Stoneridge Farm in Arundel and an additional dairy farm in Unity, Maine. A specific testing plan, including crop types, biochar dosage, and nutrient amendments, will be determined.Task 3. Expand the use of soil amendments to stimulate growth and uptake. Adding organic nutrients, calcium, and seaweed to the biochar which provides minerals will stimulate growth in the roots where uptake begins. By combining inorganic and organic amendments, plants will seek the nutrients they need from the soil to grow. HGF is working with Sustane Natural Fertilizers, which is one of the largest organic fertilizer companies in the U.S. with a global reach. PFAS is a global problem. Combining various amendments will provide additional options for soil types, plants, and climates. Sixteen combinations and controls will be established on a one-acre plot at the Machias Airport under the direction of Ben Edwards,and Andrew Carpenter of Northern Tilth, LLC. The Machias Airport implementation plan includes the following activities:Purchase and apply lime to the field area with a fertilizer spreaderCalibrate and spread the limeWeigh out and mix biochar and organic fertilizer into appropriate bags.Layout field and sample soil - 10 cores per sample / 16 samplesExperimental layout and hemp sowingSoil sample plots - postproductionTask 4. Develop safety protocols for planting and fertilizing. Handling, loading, unloading, and storage will be analyzed, and safety measures developed. All involved will have safety protocols and instructions.Task 5. PFAS destruction through high-temperature destruction. Fifteen acres of biomass will be grown on the Stoneridge Farm in Arundel, Maine, in Year 1. Existing grasses known to have PFAS contamination grow each year and are cut and left in the field, returning the contaminated plant tissues to the soil. These grasses will be cut, baled, wrapped, and moved to a biomass power plant or biomass pyrolysis biochar production facility. Phytoextraction has occurred, the PFAS is in the plant, and the biomass is being removed. The anticipated yield of the grasses in Arundel by the farmer, Fred Stone, is 100 large bales weighing an average of 800 pounds each. The power plant is a 50 MW plant that accepts construction and demolition waste streams, has a four-acre lined feedstock storage area, burns 70 tons per hour of biomass, and reaches temperatures in the middle and upper furnace before the superheater of 1800-2000°F. The pyrolysis biochar production facility makes biochar in reactors that heat to >1000°C and is a minor emitter. In both facilities, the temperature meets and exceeds the levels where PFAS bonds are broken. A pilot permit will be secured from the State of Maine to conduct emissions tests. This work will be in the direction of Mainely Environmental. Additionally, the ash and biochar will be tested for any evidence of PFAS. Positive outcomes will create revenue streams for farmers to work in their fields with existing equipment and the result of making renewable energy and biochar. Ethanol is made from biomass using similar systems.Task 6. PFAS sampling, testing, and reporting. Northern Tilth, LLC will conduct soil sampling, plant biomass sample collection, and data evaluation. Growing areas will be divided into acres and quadrants. Multiple samples will be taken from each quadrant at a depth of 0 - 12 inches, using a soil auger. Samples will be placed in a clean 5-gallon bucket and homogenized to create a composite sample per plot to establish the level of PFAS contamination in that plot. Soil samples will be collected before planting and after harvest. Plant stalks, leaves, roots, and shoots will also be collected to determine the specific locations of PFAS within the plant. An overall mass balance will be determined to show the shift from the soil to the plant per quadrant. Northern Tilth will assist in finalizing the experimental design, work on-site to lay out the plot, collect soil samples, and apply biochar and fertilizers. They will review PFAS data and do statistical analysis. Through existing relationships with labs, soil will be sampled for soil health before and after the field test. The soil fertility will be determined for each plot. Tissue matter will be sampled, and Interim and Final Reports will be prepared.Task 7. Reporting and farm payments. In Phase II, we are setting up protocols to pay farmers to return to the land to work on remediation in partnership with our efforts. Testing at the end of the remediation season will indicate how much PFAS was removed, and what levels might still be found in the soil, and then a determination will be made to further remediation. Employing farmers to do the work, on their contaminated land with existing equipment, safely and efficiently, while removing contaminated biomass and creating value in power generation of renewable energy.Broad Stakeholder Evaluation Team On our team of advisors, we have farmers, former congressmen and public servants, formerregulators, the University of Maine's PFAS Center's leadership team, additional soil scientistsfrom the University of Missouri's research farm, the CEOof the Largest Organic Fertilizer company in the US,the CEO of the largest producer of organic bottled orange juice, hunters and fisherpeople, executives from the national farm cooperative, a scientist from Cargill,journalists who currently cover PFAS and a national and international beat, and litigation lawyers to help us understand how settlements for PFAS are being distributed. Various advisory groups will be established to, evaluate the short and long-chainPFAS to capture, the top plants for phytoextraction, the right product to stimulate growth and PFAS uptake, the value of the biomass, the reduction of PFAS in the soil, and the plan for further remediation.