Press Releases

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new federal funding for U.S. communities through the Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup grant program. The EPA awarded Giles County a $3,693,800 cleanup grant to support cleanup activities at local brownfield sites owned by the former Leas & McVitty/New River Tannery. 

Congressman Griffith continues to voice his support for the Brownfields Program, which delivers millions of dollars to Southwest Virginia communities to help with potential economic development projects. 

Following the EPA grant notice, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Redevelopment of brownfield sites in Virginia’s Ninth District are promising projects that account for economic growth potential. 

“This EPA Brownfields Grant for nearly $3.7 million helps Giles County conduct brownfield site cleanup activities.”

BACKGROUND

In 2025, Congressman Griffith announced that LENOWISCO Planning District Commission received multiple Brownfield-related grants from the EPA. That funding supported community-wide assessments of local brownfields.

Since 2019, other Ninth District communities to receive Brownfields Program funding include Pennington Gap in Lee County, Dublin and Pulaski in Pulaski County, Bluefield in Tazewell County, Martinsville City and Bristol City. Data available here.

Before his July 2025 appointment as Health Subcommittee Chairman, Congressman Griffith chaired the 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.

According to the EPA, Assessment Coalition grants are designed for one “lead” eligible entity to partner with two to four eligible entities that do not have the capacity to apply for and manage their own EPA cooperative agreement and otherwise would not have access to Brownfields grant resources.

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

In March 2026, Congressman Griffith’s remarks during a legislative hearing on the EPA Brownfields Program can be found here.

Leas McVitty Inc. was a prominent tannery which opened in 1894 in Giles County due to the abundance of locally available timber which was used in the tanning industry.

Leas McVitty also owned facilities in Pennsylvania and Salem, Virginia.

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