I JBt \ Brownfields 2006 Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
V V Wyoming County Economic Development Authority, WV
EPA Brownfields Program
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states,
communities, and other stakeholders to work together to
prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields. A brownfield 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. Additionally, funding support is provided
to state and tribal response programs through a separate
mechanism.
Community Description
The Wyoming County Economic Development Authority
was selected to receive a brownfields assessment grant.
Located in southern West Virginia, Wyoming County
(population 24,698) was once a thriving community with
an economy based on coal mining. The decline of coal
mining and other industrial jobs in the county has had
major economic and environmental impacts on the
community. Since 1950, the region has lost 34 percent of
its population. The average household income level is far
below state and national averages, and the poverty rate is
approximately 23 percent. Coal refuse "gob piles" dot the
county, and vegetation cannot be re-established in areas
impacted by acid mine drainage and other contaminants.
There are 130 documented abandoned mine lands in the
watershed area, and more than 160 miles of streams in the
area watershed are listed as impaired by metals from
polluted mine drainage. Assessment and eventual cleanup
of brownfields sites will help address the environmental
and human health threats posed by these properties. The
county plans to redevelop mine-scarred lands into
marketable properties that will attract new businesses and
investments to the area, generate jobs, and enhance the
quality of life in the Wyoming County region.
Assessment Grant
$200,000 for hazardous substances
EPA has selected the Wyoming County Economic
Development Authority for a brownfields
assessment grant. Hazardous substances grant
funds will be used to conduct community
involvement activities, identify sites, perform at
least five Phase I and three Phase II environmental
site assessments, and prepare cleanup plans for
mine-scarred areas in the Wyoming County
portion of the Upper Guyandotte Watershed.
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
(http://www.epa.gov/brownfields).
EPA Region 3 Brownfields Team
(215)814-3129
EPA Region 3 Brownfields Web site
(http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/bf -lr)
Grant Recipient: Wyoming County Economic
Development Authority
(304) 732-6707
The information presented in this fact sheet comes
from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the
accuracy of this information. The cooperative
agreement for the grant has not yet been
negotiated. Therefore, activities described in this
fact sheet are subject to change.
United States	c
Environmental	anri Fmpflpn™	EPA 560-F-06-068
Protection Agency	Response (5105T)	May 2006
Washington, DC 20450	Kesponse (si us )

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