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Three areas in West Virginia will benefit from federal funding designed to help reclaim polluted industrial sites known as "brownfields," U.S. Senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., announced Monday.
"These grants will help area residents to decide what the best strategy is to clean up these polluted sites, and to put that plan into action," Byrd said. "Too often, these dilapidated industrial properties pose potential hazards to local residents and serve as obstacles to economic development. Once restored, these sites could provide new opportunities for manufacturing firms, housing, and parks and recreation."
"Restoring and cleaning up brownfields is an important investment for these areas," said Rockefeller. "These grants help to make property safer for residents, and help us restore the land in such a way that it will be an asset, not a liability for the community. In addition to making these sites safer, the projects will promote industrial and commercial redevelopment, helping to create jobs and stimulate economic development in West Virginia."
In West Virginia, federal grant funding is directed to three areas.
In Jefferson County, the county Parks and Recreation Commission will receive $200,000 for cleanup of the Sandy Ridge Orchard property.
In Monongalia County, county officials will receive $200,000 for cleanup of the former Quality Glass Plant.
In Kanawha County, Nitro officials will receive $200,000 to determine the best way to handle petroleum issues in the community, while another $200,000 will help to assess the best course to address hazardous substances.
Byrd and Rockefeller cosponsored the Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act, which passed Congress and was signed into law by the President in 2002, authorizes $250 million a year over the next five years for assessment and cleanup grants for local governments, states, and Indian tribes. The law also provides an economic development incentive by granting legal protections for three groups -- contiguous property owners, prospective purchasers, and innocent landowners. It also outlines the parameters by which the Environmental Protection Agency may reenter a site to protect health and safety and the environment.
"By providing funds to help reclaim brownfields and to reduce liability concerns, the federal government can help to provide an incentive for redevelopment, leading to increased tax revenues and providing for cleaner, safer communities," Byrd said. ###
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