EPA Grant Aids Waynesboro Downtown Redevelopment

Press release:

EPA Grant Aids Waynesboro Downtown Redevelopment

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 1, 2012) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced $400,000 in funding to the City of Waynesboro, Va. to help assess the clean up needed for contaminated properties that will lead to potential redevelopment. These are the first EPA brownfields funds awarded to Waynesboro, and also the first in Augusta County.

“I’m pleased to present Waynesboro this $400,000 grant to assess 17 potentially contaminated sites for clean up,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “This new funding will support the next step in Waynesboro’s downtown revitalization plan, leading to the cleanup and eventual reuse of brownfields that will encourage private investment and the creation of new jobs in the local community.”

Garvin was joined by Waynesboro Mayor Bruce Allen, Michael Barnes the Director of Planning and other members of the community who have been actively involved in the city’s 2010 Downtown Revitalization Plan. Under that plan, Waynesboro - with support from state and federal agencies and local cash matches, has made substantial headway in improving infrastructure including adding streetscapes, improving parks and retrofitting stormwater and storm sewers.

EPA’s award includes two $200,000 brownfields grants, one for sites potentially contaminated with hazardous waste and the other for sites potentially contaminated with petroleum.   The brownfields funding will enable Waynesboro to create an inventory of the parcels and conduct 17 site assessments, all of which support its Downtown Revitalization Plan.  Additionally, these funds will assist with public participation efforts that have led to the success of the plan thus far, ensuring active community involvement to achieve their vision of revitalizing the downtown.

Since 1994, EPA has awarded approximately 13 brownfields recipients in Virginia sharing more than $13 million and breathing new life into old properties. These grants to communities, non-profits and the Va. Department of Environmental Quality have resulted in more than 100 assessments and/or cleanups of brownfields properties, created more than 60 jobs and leveraged over $ 93 million in Virginia. Throughout the mid-Atlantic regional states - -which includes Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the District of Columbia - - EPA has supported approximately 100 recipients who have shared more than $70 million in brownfields grants. These regional grants have resulted in more than 1,100 assessments and/or cleanups of brownfields properties, creating more than 8,200 jobs, and leveraging $673 million.

For a list of all awarded brownfields grants by state http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/.