⚡ 5868 MOUNT HOLLY RD

BESS SITE DILIGENCE ANALYSIS

Prepared for: Sunland America Corp. Development Committee
Prepared by: Senior BESS Site Evaluation Analyst
Date: October 26, 2023
Property: 5868 MOUNT HOLLY RD, Dorchester County, MD (APN: 2020866)
Project Target: ≤5MW Distribution-Scale BESS

1. Site Access & Topography

The subject property is a 33.19-acre parcel located on Mount Holly Road in a rural portion of Dorchester County. Initial evaluation of the site's access and topography indicates a generally favorable profile for BESS development, with some key areas requiring further diligence.

• Road Access Quality: The site has direct frontage on Mount Holly Road, which appears to be a two-lane, paved county road. Requires Verification: A site visit is necessary to confirm the road's condition, width, and suitability for heavy truck traffic. We must also investigate any weight-limited bridges or culverts on the likely delivery routes from major highways like US-50.
• Equipment Delivery Feasibility: The primary challenge will not be the public road but the on-site access. A new, robust access road will need to be constructed from Mount Holly Road to the project footprint. The large parcel size and ample road frontage provide significant flexibility for designing an access point with adequate turning radii for lowboy trailers carrying battery containers and the main power transformer. A traffic impact study will likely be required by the county during permitting.
• Terrain & Topography: Located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, the site is presumed to be exceptionally flat, consistent with the Atlantic Coastal Plain region. This is a significant construction advantage, as it will minimize the need for extensive civil work and grading, thereby reducing site preparation costs and timelines. The 31.8 buildable acres appear to be contiguous and largely clear of major topographical obstructions.
• Easement Concerns: No existing access or utility easements are noted in the preliminary data. However, a title search is required to confirm this. A new access easement will need to be created internally on the parcel for the project. We must also plan for a new utility easement for the 1.5-mile interconnection line to the substation.

2. Environmental Constraints

The environmental profile presents a mixed bag of significant advantages and critical, potentially fatal-flaw risks that must be prioritized in our due diligence.

• FEMA Flood Zone: (Critical Unknown) The FEMA flood zone designation is unknown. Given Dorchester County's low elevation and coastal proximity, there is a high risk the property lies within a Special Flood Hazard Area (e.g., Zone AE). Development within such zones requires equipment to be elevated above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), adding substantial cost and complexity. If the site is in a high-risk floodway, development may be prohibited entirely. This is the single most critical environmental data gap.
• Wetlands: (Critical Unknown) The presence and extent of wetlands are unknown. The region's hydrology makes it highly probable that jurisdictional wetlands are present. A formal wetlands delineation is mandatory. Significant wetlands could fragment the site, reduce the buildable area below what is required for an economically viable project, and impose prohibitive buffer requirements.
• Chesapeake Bay Critical Area: The property is confirmed to be outside the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. This is a major regulatory advantage, as it frees the project from the stringent development standards, buffer requirements, and extended permitting timelines associated with the Critical Area Commission.
• Habitats & Species: No critical habitats or protected areas are noted. This reduces the risk of significant endangered species constraints, though a desktop review and consultation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is still recommended to screen for any species of concern.
• Brownfield/Superfund Status: The site is not a brownfield. While this indicates a low risk of soil contamination, it also means the project is ineligible for the