(AGENPARL) – ven 26 maggio 2023 Issued: May 26, 2023 (11:18am EDT)
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1.9 million to Virginia Through
Investing in America Agenda for Cleanup and Technical Assistance at Polluted
Brownfield Sites
Largest investment ever in brownfields communities
PHILADELPHA (May 25, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) announced $1.9 million to the state of Virginia from President
Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to expedite the assessment and cleanup
of brownfield sites in Virginia while advancing environmental justice.
EPA made four selections in Virginia for grants totaling $1.9 million in
competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment,
Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant programs. Thanks to the historic
boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this is the largest ever funding
awarded in the history of the EPA’s Brownfields MARC Grant programs.
These investments are  part of President Biden’s Investing in America
Agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from
rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $470 billion in
private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United
States, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good paying
jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy
economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more
resilient.
“We’re working across the country to revitalize what were once dangerous
and polluted sites in overburdened communities into more sustainable and
environmentally just places that serve as community assets. Thanks to
President Biden’s historic investments in America, we’re moving further
and faster than ever before to clean up contaminated sites, spur economic
redevelopment, and deliver relief that so many communities have been waiting
for,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This critical wave of
investments is the largest in Brownfields history and will accelerate our work
to protect the people and the planet by transforming what was once blight into
might.”
“This unprecedented Brownfields funding will help Virginia communities
leverage much needed resources to revitalize their neighborhoods and become
healthier and economically stronger,” said EPA Regional Administrator Adam
Ortiz.  “Everyone deserves the right to live, play and work in places that
support their needs and allow them to thrive.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Virginians,”
said Senator Tim Kaine (D – VA).  “I’m glad to see this federal funding
is headed to Virginia to help clean up hazardous sites.”
“Unfortunately, too many of our communities are still dealing with the
consequences of the use of toxic and hazardous pollutants. I am pleased that
this significant funding, courtesy of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I was
proud to negotiate, will support them as they work to clean up and
rehabilitate these sites and ensure the safety of local residents,” said
Senator Mark Warner (D – VA).
Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in
areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources
needed to initiate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects. As
brownfield sites are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs,
promote economic revitalization and transform communities into sustainable and
environmentally just places.
Thanks to the historic $1.5 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Brownfields Program is helping more communities
than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental
challenges caused by brownfields and stimulate economic opportunity, and
environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.
EPA’s Brownfields Program also advances President Biden’s Justice40
Initiative to direct 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal
investments to disadvantaged communities. The Brownfields Program strives to
meet this commitment and advance environmental justice and equity
considerations into all aspects of its work. Approximately 84 percent of the
MARC program applications selected to receive funding proposed to work in
areas that include historically underserved communities.
The following organizations in Virginia have been selected to receive EPA
Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund,
and Cleanup (MARC) Grant Programs.
Alleghany Highlands Economic Development has been selected to receive
$500,000. Grant funds will be used to develop a site inventory database and
conduct 20 Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant
funds also will be used to develop preliminary cleanup plans and support
community engagement activities. Assessment activities will focus on Alleghany
County, the City of Covington, and the Towns of Clifton Forge and Iron Gate.
Priority sites include a 109-acre former industrial manufacturing facility, a
historic former high school site, a 24-acre former leather tannery, and a
former iron manufacturing facility.
The City of Roanoke has been selected to receive $400,000. Community-wide
grant funds will be used to conduct 14 Phase I and five Phase II environmental
site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare two cleanup plans,
develop and maintain a GIS-based brownfield site inventory, and support
community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is the
city’s Belmont-Fallon neighborhood. Priority sites include a former carwash,
a railcar manufacturer, and a former rayon textile mill.
The City of Vinton has been selected to receive $500,000. Community-wide grant
funds will be used to conduct 13 Phase I and four Phase II environmental site
assessments. Grant funds also will be used to prepare two cleanup plans and to
conduct community engagement activities including eight community meetings.
The target area for this grant is the Town of Vinton with a focus on its
gateway and downtown areas. Priority sites include the Leslie Industrial Site,
which consists of the Sav’ on Signs sign repair and manufacturing facility,
a business that creates custom embroidered and screen-printed materials, and
the McClung Industrial site adjacent to an active rail line.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has been selected to
receive $500,000. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 12 Phase
I and four Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be
used to prepare two cleanup plans and to conduct community engagement
activities including 12 community meetings. The target areas for this grant
are the Town of Buchanan and the City of Buena Vista. Priority sites include
the 4.5-acre former Groendyk Button Factory that closed in the early 1990s and
is vacant, a 20,000-square-foot building in disrepair that was once a
furniture store, a 1.5-acre former rail siding property used as a junkyard,
and the 8-acre former Bernson Silk Mill that closed in the 1990s.
You can read more about this year’s MARC selectees.
Brownfields Technical Assistance Providers and Research Grants
EPA is also announcing funding selection for two Brownfields technical
assistance opportunities. The Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB)
selectees provide specialized technical knowledge, research, and training to
help stakeholders understand brownfields-related subject matter, and guide
them through the brownfield assessment, clean-up, and revitalization process.
This assistance is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s
commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice
issues in underserved communities. This technical assistance is available to
all stakeholders and comes at no cost to communities. The two funding
opportunities announced today include the following:
EPA selected West Virginia University Research Corporation to receive $5
million to provide training and technical assistance to communities across the
state under the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Communities Program.
This funding comes entirely from the historic $1.5 billion investment from
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
EPA is also expanding the scope of its technical assistance offerings under
the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program to include three new
subject-specific grants totaling $2 million in three areas, including
providing technical assistance to nonprofits seeking to reuse brownfields;
provide research, outreach, and guidance on minimizing displacement resulting
from brownfields redevelopment; and providing outreach and guidance on land
banking tactics for brownfields revitalization.
For more information about Brownfields Technical Assistance and Research,
please visit 
http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=-2BroytcZInNRyuFbAvAoN5bH9-2BStNqkkSRiI8Hlt8a9Fh0Fg17PHOixYZN68bUoa-2BvT8mJ6Jg-2BuT97wWKIntVWYd5xAb97361et-2BtzNwBFWZpeLphDV36TpxQ0uFeV8-2BTQc83_mLoYh0p4AWg4foFr5HgrZ1QioQ33bLwdnQ-2BsYGKFX9mApcfdQmv0-2Bvkdf9kq-2BlYjiQwej2T9btfflLDaibOQtSlFhq97LbVqryIalfSPBHTvT8Atg2IIAvDCFWl4qbp8DWoz7WqvXqRK4lmBZBNe5ajo-2BeWOee0xX41RHaRNWya-2FM2QJ9AIBYauwuPYb456287hmOCZYRF-2FBzU8oMFzbwgKwPmbb5cbHeAWDmMlryU9IsY2y1Kp-2B56ettr2cnnpVb2KP1bwCsk-2B5la1f5bEqNA-3D-3D
Additional Background:
EPA has selected these organizations to receive funding to address and support
the reuse of brownfield sites. EPA anticipates making all the awards announced
today once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
For more on Brownfields
Grants: http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=-2BroytcZInNRyuFbAvAoN5bH9-2BStNqkkSRiI8Hlt8a9HwGcmMLUl8-2F0qNy7axy9UD0G1l4hTxhY-2FYJp00NPDyxF7psvRMB5A3NKCtXF7HWvk-3D21Pi_mLoYh0p4AWg4foFr5HgrZ1QioQ33bLwdnQ-2BsYGKFX9mApcfdQmv0-2Bvkdf9kq-2BlYjiQwej2T9btfflLDaibOQtSlFhq97LbVqryIalfSPBHTRZE-2FbDJjKy7I9PhZSj9jw1-2BnSTTv8-2Fs33CYDYZEAGCkh25YyG9oVU2rHAdAgaiaw3p9c2bFedmbnOKtGHu7VXrSadWh1IS1xPuXwET9s-2Fhpt9p-2Bm7YxfcEQHrNlsthf-2BHOcKOfnpgwHkOvcK5yXBhz4qj6rBl1m2ZydlApHV6Bg-3D-3D
For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program: http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=-2BroytcZInNRyuFbAvAoN5bH9-2BStNqkkSRiI8Hlt8a9Gk-2FwHiUFhhJaTazfwSVv0UykFK_mLoYh0p4AWg4foFr5HgrZ1QioQ33bLwdnQ-2BsYGKFX9mApcfdQmv0-2Bvkdf9kq-2BlYjiQwej2T9btfflLDaibOQtSlFhq97LbVqryIalfSPBHRGtdNjrcPpUwv7SaP6yJh61GxQ0S-2B93q5XA9yrwvujKviWBf3JP9EzM5Yy72PVinec-2B256eO2lwaJDOn9QwKZzrcFuvHrt-2BcBwVTznbx-2FU74da1Oy037W0XLyEZ8tP-2FqM4b084HDxww8eqJtp1IOCvg4EncK34i751DKWKHU-2BvZw-3D-3D
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