The Shadow
Do you own a brownfield?
Have you ever heard the term “brownfield?”
If you have heard the term “brownfield,”own a brownfield and would like to take advantage of a funding opportunity that could help you transform your property into a vital component of the economic future of the Alleghany Highlands, there’s a program locally that may be able to help.
In September 2018, the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation (AHEDC) was awarded a $600,000 grant by the Environmental Protection Agency, to be used for brownfield redevelopment in the region.
What Is A Brownfield?
A brownfield is a dilapidated property or building — or the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of the same — where renovation or expansion may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
Brownfields are usually concentrated in urban areas, but they can be anywhere.
Typically, they are abandoned or underutilized commercial or industrial sites, such as manufacturing facilities, warehouses, gas stations, machine shops and dry cleaning facilities.
They can also include residential properties where, at some point, hazardous substances might have been used.
It is estimated that there are more than 450,000 brownfields in the United States.
Do I Own A Brownfield?
If you’re not sure, ask yourself this question: Is my land or property idle, vacant or less productive than it ought to be?
Also ask: Are there concerns about environmental contamination contributing to that problem?
If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, you might own a brownfield and should have your property evaluated to find out for sure.
Benefit Of Brownfield Redevelopment
Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties increases local tax bases, facilitates job growth, utilizes existing infrastructure, takes development pressures off of undeveloped, open land, and both improves and protects the environment.
Since its inception in 1995, the Brownfields Program has grown into a proven, results-oriented program that has changed the way contaminated property is perceived, addressed, and managed.
The program is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and substantiability reuse brownfields.
Since 2006, the program has enrolled an average of 38,700 properties annually, completed more than 117,000 cleanups and made over 1 million acres of land ready for reuse.
Incentives For Redevelopment
In addition to direct financial assistance, federal, state and local tax incentives are usually available to property owners and developers to help reduce the costs of brownfields projects.
Federal tax incentives include the Taxpayers Relief Act, which allows eligible taxpayers to deduct qualified cleanup expenses at brownfields in the year expenses are incurred and rehabilitation income tax credits for 10 percent of the expense of rehabilitating structures built before 1936.
How Are Properties Chosen For Inclusion?
The AHEDC’s Brownfields Redevelopment Advisory Group (Alleghany Brag) provides assistance to Alleghany County, the city of Covington and the towns of Iron Gate and Clifton Forge in selecting properties based on the following criteria:
• Impact on public health, the environment and wildlife habitats;
• Proximity to municipal or private water sources, residential areas and schools;
• Potential reuse of the site for economic development, including commercial, residential, open/green space and/or recreational uses;
• Degree to which the site furthers objectives for revitalizing the community.
Properties Being Assessed
Currently, one property has been identified for potential future use and have begun to utilize this brownfield grant.
That property is the former Jefferson/East Elementary School in Clifton Forge.
Located at the intersection of A and Church streets in Clifton Forge, the property was selected for inclusion and a Phase 1 environmental site assessment is currently underway.
The assessment began in April.
How You Can Get Enrolled
For more information on the brownfields grant or to see if your property is a good candidate for this program and/or other redevelopment incentives available in the Alleghany Highlands, contact Marla Akridge or Terri McClung at the AHEDC, 540-862-0936.
