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. The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002, as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2018, was passed to help states and communities around the country clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. Under this law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible applicants through five competitive grant programs: Multipurpose Grants, Assessment Grants, Revolving Loan Fund Grants, Cleanup Grants, and Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants. Additionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal response programs through a separate mechanism.
$500,000
EPA has selected the Central Virginia Planning District Commission for a Brownfields Assessment Grant. Community-wide grant funds will be used to conduct 14 Phase I and 10 Phase II environmental site assessments and prepare four reuse plans. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community engagement activities. The target areas for this grant are the Town of Appomattox, the Town of Brookneal, and Madison Heights, which is a census-designated place in Amherst County, all of which are experiencing record unemployment and some of the country's lowest high school graduation rates. Priority sites include the 85.5-acre former Thomasville Furniture Plant, a 3.64-acre abandoned garment manufacturing property, and the 16-acre former Appomattox County Training School for African-American Children in Appomattox, the 100-acre former Dan River, Inc., property and the historic downtown district in Brookneal, and the 350-acre former Central Virginia Training Center and the Route 29 North entrance corridor in Madison Heights.