This is a very useful conference covering all aspects of brownfields development in West Virginia. My colleague Rob Lannan and I have participated and found it helpful.
Morgantown’s Waterfront Place Hotel will be the site of the annual West Virginia Brownfields Conference, Sept. 14-15.
The conference is hosted each year by the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Centers at Marshall and West Virginia universities, in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the West Virginia Development Office and the Air and Waste Management Association.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines a brownfield as “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.”
Examples of brownfields include vacant warehouses and factories; abandoned railroads; former service stations; landfills; parking lots; and former coal mining sites.
Brownfields are often transformed into new real estate for housing or commercial use or for green space, on which new parks and recreation facilities can be constructed.
Among the topics covered at this year’s conference will be financing options for brownfield development; understanding site assessments; public-private partnerships; and ways to make your community standout. There will also be training sessions on topics such as grant writing.
The keynote address will be delivered by West Virginia Secretary of Commerce Keith Burdette.
The state Brownfields Assistance Centers at Marshall and WVU were established in 2005 to help West Virginia communities identify brownfields, formulate plans to redevelop properties and to assist in securing money for projects. Several federal agencies are funding sources for brownfield projects.
To register for this year’s conference go to www.wvbrownfields.org or call for more information at 304-
293-6984 or 304-696-5456.
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