Monthly News and Updates 
About the Sonic Drilling Industry

Welcome to 2017!

Hello, and thank you for joining us for the first full year of the Terra Sonic Times. We got our enewsletter launched in April of 2016 and we have really appreciated your response! Going forward, if there is ever anything you would like us to explore more, just let us know.

This month, we have a look at Brownfields and Sonic Drilling, a feature on our TSi 150CC Compact Crawler-Mounted Sonic Drill Rig, and some information regarding where we'll be headed in February.

Brownfields Projects are the Trifecta of Drilling Opportunities

According to the USEPA, the primary goals of the Brownfield Redevelopment Act are to reduce public health and environmental hazards on existing commercial and industrial sites that are abandoned or underused due to these hazards. These goals include deriving cleanup target levels and a process for obtaining a "No Further Action" letter using Risk-Based Corrective Action principles, and providing the opportunity for Environmental Equity and Justice.

Belinda Richard, National Brownfields Manager for Terracon, says, "A Brownfield is a property that possesses either a real or perceived environmental condition to address prior to redevelopment. The EPA Brownfield program is often leveraged with State incentives to become the driving economic factor that enables projects to come to fruition. Redevelopment of a Brownfield property provides positive impacts to the economy by increasing the tax base for local governments, creating jobs, improving environmental conditions within the community, and providing the funding incentives for property developers who offset cleanup costs. This is a winning scenario for everyone involved."

Ms. Richard added that "working through the program to make positive impacts on a community is very rewarding." Her most memorable experience was when a man with diabetes saw his health improve because he was able to garden in a community garden at a local housing authority in the city of Bunnell that was created by leveraging incentives with the Brownfields program.

Some Brownfields sites result in major redevelopment efforts. Drilling contractors can benefit because Brownfields projects incorporate the trifecta of drilling opportunities. Soil borings, monitoring wells, and remediation wells/points are drilled to address environmental impacts from historical land usage. The very nature of these sites is redevelopment and, therefore, geotechnical data is necessary for the design stage of the project. Depending on site conditions and development plans, foundation drilling is often required, including the installation of micropiles, earth anchors, and slurry walls.

USEPA recently awarded $3.8M in Area-Wide Planning Grants to 19 communities across the country. The 19 communities will develop plans for the assessment, clean-up and revitalization of abandoned industrial and commercial properties that have contributed to area-wide environmental degradation, economic hardship, and social inequities. Area-wide plans typically help communities to leverage funding for transportation, housing, and other important neighborhood improvements. One of the recipients this year is The University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Christian Wells, PhD., Director of the Center for Brownfields Research at USF, says, "This grant is designed to build on existing redevelopment planning efforts and tie them together with an emphasis on the health of the environment. From some previous research, we've heard from community members that they don't want another gas station or dry cleaner in their neighborhoods." USF is targeting redevelopment of a large parcel near the northwest corner of the main campus in Tampa. 

The complete list of selected communities, along with more information about Federal Brownfields, can be obtained from the USEPA's Website


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The TSi 150CC is Perfect for Brownfields Projects

The TSi 150CC is the ideal sonic rig for working on Brownfields sites like the ones described above. The TSi 150CC uses the same unique Sonic Oscillator designed for the TSi 150T Truck-Mounted Sonic Drill Rig and the 150C Crawler-Mounted Sonic Drill Rig, but it offers the added
benefits of compactness and transportability. Measuring 19.9' L x 7.11' H x 7.25' W (5.85 m x 2.16 m x 2.21 m), the TSi 150CC fits inside a standard 20 cubic yard sea container and weighs just 22,400 lbs (10,160 kg). The 150CC can utilize up to 150 HP (111.85 kW) to generate powerful resonant Sonic energy in the drill string to a drilling depth of 1,000 feet (243.9 m), depending upon the lithology and casing design, and it can drill from vertical to nearly horizontal. The 150CC is driven via remote control with trekking speeds of up to 3.5 MPH (5.6 km/hr).

Learn more about the TSi 150CC Compact Crawler-Mounted Sonic Drill Rig here.


Where to see Terra Sonic in February 2017

Terra Sonic International is going to be attending the ADSC Annual Conference in La Quinta, California, from February 8-February 11. TSi is proud to be a gold sponsor at the conference.

We will be at the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Show in Denver from February 18-February 22. You'll be able to see us at booth #1640.

Speaking of the SME Show, we are able to order up to 20 passes that will allow you free access to the exhibit hall. The passes are first come, first served, so reply to this email as soon as possible if you are interested!

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Brownfields Projects are the Trifecta of Drilling Opportunities, cont.

The onslaught of Brownfields projects is just beginning. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) recently gave an update on a very successful 2016 at the Florida Brownfields Association (FBA) annual planning meeting. The year 2016 provided Florida with 35 new Brownfields Site Rehabilitation Agreements (BSRAs), 28 new Brownfields Designated Areas (BDAs), and 6 Site Rehabiitation Completion Orders (SRCOs). FDEP is working on a better tracking system for the long-term ROI of Brownfields funding. FDEP currently has a $5.8M backlog on Voluntary Clean-Up Tax Credits (VCTCs) and has already received 21 new applications totaling $3.7M with two weeks left before the application deadline. There is $5M allocated in the current State of Florida budget for VCTC payments. The FBA is working with the Florida legislature to provide an additional $5M in reoccurring funding each year for VCTC payments to continue to support these projects across the state.

Mike Scaringella | Terra Sonic International | 352.801.9016 |   www.TerraSonicInternational.com
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