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Brownfields 2001 Revolving Loan Fund Pilot
Fact Sheet
West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection
EPA Brownfields Initiative
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.
Background
Since the late nineteenth century, West Virginia's
economy has centered around the chemical products,
mining, primary metals, and glass products
manufacturing industries. As the economic importance of
these industries waned in the U.S., many businesses
closed, jobs were lost, and many properties were left
abandoned.
Today, West Virginia is one of the most economically
distressed states in the country. In 1996, West Virginia
had the lowest household and personal income levels in
the U.S. The state's poverty rate of 20% was the highest
of any state in the nation. As an indication of the
economic hardship within specific counties, the
Appalachian Regional Commission has designated nearly
half of the State's counties as "distressed." This
designation indicates that income levels are less than
one-third the U.S. average and that poverty and
unemployment levels are 150% of the U.S. average.
The counties with the lowest per capita incomes are
concentrated in the central and southwestern regions of
the State. These areas are largely rural and have
mining-based economies. West Virginia has four
designated Federal Enterprise Communities (EC) and
one designated Empowerment Zone (EZ).
Pilot Snapshot
Date of Announcement: 04/01/2001
Amount: $1,000,000
Profile: Sites located throughout the State
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: West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection
(304)759-0515
Objectives
The West Virginia BCRLF will provide a needed source
of cleanup funds in the State. The BCRLF will be used
to capitalize the West Virginia Brownfields Revolving
Fund (BRF), which was established in the West Virginia
Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act of
1997.
The State's overall brownfields objectives are to provide
an incentive to clean up and redevelop contaminated
sites, direct new development away from pristine
"greenfields" sites, and generate public benefits for
West Virginia's communities. The State has shown
ongoing commitment to brownfields remediation and
redevelopment, but cites the lack of affordable financing
as a consistent complaint of the business community.
The BCRLF will be available for redevelopment
projects throughout the State. City and County
economic development authorities are expected to be
the most likely borrowers. The West Virginia
Development Office (DO) has identified 162 local
public and private organizations directly involved in
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 500-F-01-254
Apr 01

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economic development in West Virginia as potential
loan recipients.
Activities
Fund Structure and Operations
The West Virginia Division of Environmental
Protection (DEP) will serve as the lead agency, and the
Division's Voluntary Remediation Program will serve as
the BCRLF site manager. The West Virginia DO will
serve as the fund manager.
The DEP anticipates that the first round of loan
recipients will be undertaking small cleanup projects
that can be completed in a relatively short period of time.
The State plans to complement BCRLF funds with local
Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community
resources. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development's Community Development Block Grant
Program will be leveraged to the maximum extent
possible. In addition, the West Virginia DO has an array
of assistance and incentive programs designed to help
local businesses relocate, expand, and modernize. Local
authorities may make other funds available to BCRLF
recipients whose sites have potential for
business/industrial reuse.
Use of BCRLF Pilot funds must be in accordance with
CERCLA, and all CERCLA restrictions on use of
funding also apply to BCRLF funds.
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
Environmental
Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20450
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
Solid Waste
EPA 500-F-01-254
Apr 01

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