Press Releases

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Brownfields grants to LENOWISCO Planning District Commission and the Town of Pennington Gap.

LENOWISCO Planning District Commission received a $1,200,000 Brownfield Assessment grant. The funding supports a community-wide assessment of local brownfields.

Further, the Town of Pennington Gap received a $276,563 Brownfield Cleanup grant. This funding supports brownfields cleanup activities.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“The EPA’s Brownfields Program has the power to transform and revitalize communities, including those in Southwest Virginia.

“This EPA Brownfield Assessment grant for $1.2 million helps LENOWISCO Planning District Commission conduct an assessment of hazardous or polluted sites that can be potentially redeveloped for economic and social gain in deep Southwest Virginia.

“Moreover, this EPA Brownfield Cleanup grant for $276,563 supports Pennington Gap in its activities cleaning local brownfield sites.”

BACKGROUND

Congressman Griffith is chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment.

In March of 2025, Congressman Griffith chaired a hearing on the EPA’s Brownfields Program. Scott County Native and LENOWISCO Planning District Commission Executive Director Duane Miller testified to the panel and discussed the Program’s importance to Southwest Virginia communities.

LENOWISCO Planning District Commission serves the Counties of Lee, Wise and Scott and the City of Norton.

The 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.

Brownfield Assessment grants provide funding for brownfield inventories, planning, environmental assessments and community outreach.

Congressman Griffith’s e-newsletter on the Program can be found here.

Chairman Griffith will hold a hearing next week with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to discuss the agency’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

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