Wind Fences, Domes, and Tree Barriers

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Coal dust can be effectively mitigated with infrastructure, especially wind fences and domes. Wind fences and domes are used in hundreds of locations across the U.S. and around the world. They cost a fraction of a percent of the profits of the companies that operate the coal terminals in Hampton Roads.[1]

Wind Fences

Wind fences reduce windblown dust, also known as fugitive dust, by acting as a windbreak.[2][3][4] A wind fence is constructed upwind of the source, slowing winds as they pass over the coal storage piles (or similar materials). This causes less dust to be uplifted to the atmosphere and, therefore, carried by winds into adjacent neighborhoods. Wind fences are made of fabric panels affixed to steel or aluminum posts. If the storage yard is large, a dust collection mechanism may also be required on the downwind side.[5]

Wind fences are effective: Wind fences have been shown to reduce dust emissions by 70–86% on average.[1][6][7][8][9][10]

Wind fences are widely used technology: Wind fences are a common industry technology to mitigate dust around the world. The Repair Lab compiled data on global wind fence use, finding more than 70 locations were using wind fences to reduce dust specifically for coal or petcoke in the U.S. and globally.[1] There are also more than 100 additional locations using wind fences for dust mitigation from the storage of grain, dry clay, clinker, paper, gypsum, limestone, construction, copper, nickel, nitrate, soda ash, bauxite, gold, solar, and steel.[1]

Costs are negligible compared to company profits: Wind fences are commercially available and can be constructed while the terminals continue to operate normally.[11] Wind fence cost estimates of $4–30 million.[12]

Put into context, Dominion Terminal Associates is a subsidiary of Alpha Metallurgical Resources, which reported $4.1 billion in revenue and $1.45 billion in profits in 2022.[13] Kinder Morgan reported $19.2 billion in revenue and $9.95 billion in profits in 2022.[14] A $4–30 million wind fence is <1% (0.04–0.26%) of their combined 2022 profits and 0.02–0.13% of their combined 2022 revenue.

For a person making $50,000 per year, this is equivalent to $9–64 from one year's wages to protect their community.

Domes

A dome is a fully enclosed structure over the terminal, including the coal storage piles and transloading equipment. A dome can be made of aluminum panels and galvanized steel.

Domes are effective: Because domes enclose terminal storage areas, they contain most if not all coal dust produced through terminal activities.

Domes are widely-used: Domes are a common technology for industrial bulk storage. Domes are used specifically for coal or petcoke storage in at least 19 locations in the U.S. and globally. Domes are also used in over 100 locations that include power plants, grain dealers, mines, cement plants, ports, and other industries which stock large quantities of dry bulk materials.

Costs are negligible compared to company profits: Domes costs range $200–500 (Geometrica), $330–370 (LF-BJMB), and $70–120 (SAFS Steel Structure) per square meter covered. Domes can be constructed while terminals operate regularly.

Tree Barriers

Vegetative barriers, which are rows of trees and bushes, have been used to reduce dust downwind of coal mines and other sources.[15] Tree barriers are more effective when trees are fully grown, with a barrier of fully-grown trees in one location measured to lowered PM10 concentrations by 36%.[16] Multiple rows of trees are more effective than one or two rows, with the type of tree species planted also having an influence.[15] It stands to reason that vegetative barriers are more effective during seasons when there are leaves than in winter.

Funds and labor are required not only for tree planting but also for tree maintenance.

Documents

Wind Fences

Domes

Tree Barriers

  • U.S. EPA, Fugitive Dust Background Document and Technical Information Document for Best Available Control Measures, September 1992

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Repair Lab, Coal Dust in Southeast Newport News Is a Nuisance and There Are Solutions, August 2024.
  2. ↑ WeatherSolve, Wind Fence Types and Effects.
  3. ↑ Dust Solutions Inc., Wind Fence Dusttamer™ Systems.
  4. ↑ City of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Minutes from the Plan Commission Meeting, February 12, 2019.
  5. ↑ Email Correspondence between Mike Robinson of WeatherSolve and Repair Lab Team Member, 2023.
  6. ↑ Cong et al., Impact of the installation scenario of porous fences on wind-blown particle emission in open coal yards, Atmospheric Environment, 45, 30, 2011.
  7. ↑ Cong et al., Field measurements of shelter efficacy for installed wind fences in the open coal yard, Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 117, 2013.
  8. ↑ Park et al., Verification of the shelter effect of a windbreak on coal piles in the POSCO open storage yards at the Kwang-Yang works, Atmospheric Environment, 36, 13, 2002.
  9. ↑ Stunder et al., Windbreak Effectiveness for Storage Pile Fugitive Dust Control: A wind Tunnel Study, JAPCA, 38, 2, 1988.
  10. ↑ Torno et al., Experimental and numerical study of fence effects on dust emission into atmosphere from open storage piles, Journal of Central South University, 18, 2011.
  11. ↑ Email correspondence with Richard Posner, President of Dust Solutions Inc., 2023.
  12. ↑ Email correspondence between Mike Robinson of WeatherSolve and Repair Lab team member, 2023.
  13. ↑ United States Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Inc., December 31, 2022.
  14. ↑ Kinder Morgan Revenue 2010–2025 | KMI.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Korean Air Grows Forest in Mongolia, The Korea Herald, September 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ Přikryl, Estimate of vegetation efficiency on reducing dust concentration produced by a surface coal mine. In: Programs and Algorithms of Numerical Mathematics, Proceedings of Seminar. Hejnice, June 24-29, 2018. Institute of Mathematics CAS, Prague, 132–139, 2019.
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