Commercial Greenhouse Development And Irrigation Pond

SME assisted Estabrook Farms and Greenhouses in the multi-phased development of a 4.7-acre commercial greenhouse space and outdoor agricultural growing area at the former Pownal Airport, in Pownal, Maine.

Environmental Cleanup and Preparation:
For reuse of the previously developed site, SME provided preparation and oversight of remedial cleanup and the facility’s Voluntary Response Action Program (VRAP) through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management.

SME navigated the complex permitting process through MEDEP’s Site Location of Development (SLODA) and Natural Resource Protection Act to address potential impacts on freshwater wetlands and in-stream construction. These essential steps paved the way for construction to begin on the new greenhouse and site improvements.

Innovative Water Management:
The greenhouse’s substantial need for irrigated water required a two-pronged approach to providing irrigation water to the greenhouses. SME designed and oversaw the construction of a lined, 2-million-gallon storage pond filled with water from nearby Chandler Brook and stormwater runoff from the greenhouse roofs. By filling from both the brook and stormwater, the withdrawal from the brook can be minimized to less than 20,000 gallons per day.

Rerouting the stormwater runoff from the greenhouse roofs to the irrigation pond also protects the water quality of surrounding wetlands and Chandler Brook. Additionally, two underdrain soil filters and a subsurface sand filter treatment system were installed to effectively treat the stormwater runoff from paved and gravel areas.

Comprehensive Planning and Coordination:
The project required thorough site plan reviews by the Town of Pownal Planning Board, wetlands permitting by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and detailed planning for on-site power generation and backup systems should the facility lose power from the grid.

The irrigation system and pond were completed in 2024, and Phase I construction of the greenhouse building was completed in early 2025.