⚡ 11339 TOWER HILL LN

TO: Sunland America Corp. Development Committee

FROM: Senior BESS Site Evaluation Analyst

DATE: October 26, 2023

SUBJECT: Comprehensive Site Diligence Analysis for "Project Sharptown" (APN: 2310001021)

This report provides a comprehensive due diligence analysis for the property located at 11339 Tower Hill Lane in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland. The 8.54-acre parcel has been evaluated for its suitability for a distribution-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) of up to 5MW.

1. Site Access & Topography

The subject property exhibits promising characteristics for physical development. Access is provided directly from Tower Hill Lane, a two-lane, paved local road which appears to be in good condition. This road provides a direct connection to State Highway 313 (Sharptown Rd), a major local artery, facilitating straightforward transit from regional highways. The terrain, consistent with Maryland's Eastern Shore, is exceptionally flat and appears to be cleared agricultural land, which will significantly minimize civil engineering and site preparation costs. The 5.3 buildable acres suggest an efficient site layout is achievable.

However, several points require verification:

• Heavy Equipment Access: While standard truck access seems feasible, a detailed logistics review is required to confirm that a low-boy trailer carrying a multi-ton transformer or a 40-foot battery container can navigate the turn from SH 313 onto Tower Hill Lane and the final ingress point onto the property. An existing farm access point may be suitable but requires a physical site visit to confirm its width and stability.
• Road Limitations: We must verify road weight limits and the absence of low-clearance obstacles on the delivery route with Wicomico County's Department of Public Works.
• Access Easement: A title report is necessary to confirm that no access easements are required to reach the optimal buildable area from the public right-of-way. The current configuration appears to have direct frontage, which is a positive.

2. Environmental Constraints

The environmental profile presents both significant advantages and critical data gaps that must be addressed immediately. The site's location outside of the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area is a major benefit, as it removes a substantial and complex layer of state-level environmental regulation and permitting that often hinders development in this region. The absence of known brownfields, superfund sites, critical habitats, or nearby pipelines further de-risks the site from a safety and liability perspective.

The primary risks are two major unknowns:

• FEMA Flood Zone: Requires Verification. The flood zone designation is unknown. A review of FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) is the highest priority. If the buildable area is located within a 100-year floodplain (Zone AE) or a 500-year floodplain (Zone X-shaded), it could render the site undevelopable or require cost-prohibitive mitigation, such as elevating all equipment pads and control houses several feet above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE).
• Wetlands: Requires Verification. The presence of wetlands is unknown. The 3.2-acre difference between total and buildable acreage strongly suggests the presence of environmental constraints, which could be wetlands. A desktop screening using the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is an immediate next step, to be followed by a formal wetland delineation by a certified consultant if the screening indicates potential. Any delineated wetlands will require significant setbacks (typically 50-100 feet in Maryland), which could constrain the site layout and available capacity.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

The site's proximity to grid infrastructure is its most compelling feature. The Sharptown substation is only 1.39 miles away, an excellent distance for a distribution-scale project. This 69