5 o T> Brownfields 2006 Grant Fact Sheet West Virginia Region I Planning and Development Council, Southern West Virginia EPA Brownfields Program EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu- nities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. Abrownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under the Brownfields Law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through four competitive grant programs: assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup grants, and job training grants. Addi- tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism. Community Description The West Virginia Region I Planning and Develop- ment Council was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant. The target community of McDowell County (population 27,329), a federally designated rural Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community, is located in what was once a prosperous coal mining Assessment Grant $200,000 for hazardous substances EPA has selected the West Virginia Region I Planning and Development Council for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub- stances grant funds will be used to inventory potential brownfields sites, conduct community outreach activities, perform up to ten Phase I and three to five Phase II environmental site assess- ments, and prepare cleanup plans for three to five sites throughout McDowell County. Contacts For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/ brownfields. EPA Region 3 Brownfields Team 215-814-3129 http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bfs/index.htm Grant Recipient: West Virginia Region I Planning and Development Council, WV 304-431-7225 The cooperative agreement for this grant has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change. region of West Virginia. The decline in coal mining and other related industries has led to a severe economic downturn in the region. Flooding and other natural disasters have compounded the economic devastation. The population of the county is less than 28 percent of what it was 50 years ago. The poverty rate is almost 38 percent, and the average income is 57 percent of that of the state. The lack of employment opportunities has resulted in a large drop in the number of county resi- dents under the age of 45. Although redevelopment is a priority for the county, the region's steep hills and extensive flooding issues leave few areas that are not in Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5105T) EPA 560-F-06-067 May 2006 www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- the floodplain or within mine-scarred areas. Assess- ment of brownfields sites will provide the county with a means to study the overwhelming health problems in the area, including brain impairments, that may be directly or indirectly related to contamination from these sites. Cleanup of brownfields will help reduce the potential threats they pose to human health and the environment and help attract new businesses to the area. Redevelopment will generate employment opportunities, improve the local tax base, and create new greenspace that will promote a more vibrant community. ------- |