The Town of Vinton has been awarded $500,000 from the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as part of their fiscal year 2023 – 2024 Brownfield Program. The EPA Brownfield Program is a federal grant administered to help local governments redevelop properties, typically with prior manufacturing or hazardous materials uses, to position them for economic and community development projects. The Town will utilize this grant award over the next five years to strategically redevelop targeted vacant and underutilized properties within the community.
“EPA is committed to helping communities rebound and thrive so that people can live and work in healthier and economically strong places,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, Adam Ortiz. “It’s great that the Town of Vinton will use this next round of brownfields funding from EPA to assess underperforming properties to continue with redevelopment efforts and revitalizing their community.”
The Town of Vinton has selected TRC Companies Inc. through an Request for Proposal process to manage the grant on behalf of the Town. TRC renders in-house and sub-contracted property assessment services that determine the development potential and feasibility of a target property.
TRC Companies has worked with the Town on the previously utilized EPA Brownfield grant in 2019. The Town’s previous grant award in the amount of $300,000 was leveraged to ease the path to construction for developers for projects such as Gish Mill, the Cleveland Mart redevelopment project, and the anticipated Vinton hotel.
“The EPA Brownfield Program has been instrumental in creating new economic development opportunities from underutilized properties in Vinton” said Vinton Mayor, Bradley Grose. “We are extremely appreciative to receive another Brownfield grant from the EPA, and we’re excited to show the community what we’re able to do with these additional funds.”
The due diligence phase of brownfield site development may include land surveys, physical site assessments, engineering studies, and conceptual planning to ensure safe and feasible development upon a previously developed or underperforming parcel of land or building. This grant allows the Town of Vinton to accelerate the path to development and private incentivize investment in the community.