US EPA Awards Brownfields Assessment Grant to the City

The City of Waynesboro was awarded a $300,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in September 2020. This grant will be used over a 3-year period to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments (ESAs), community outreach and engagement, and reuse and remediation planning.

As described in Waynesboro’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the City is focused on continuing the “Building Up Downtown” effort. The 2020 US EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant will be utilized to target project sites located in the Main Street/Wayne Avenue, Broad Street, and Entryway Corridors. The funding will enable the City to evaluate environmental risks posed by critically located properties in the designated priority redevelopment areas. 

Brownfield Properties:

What is a Brownfield?
A brownfield is a property that may be complicated by the presence or perceived presence of environmental contamination. Representative sites within the priority areas are currently being identified for investigation. 

What is a Phase I ESA? 
A Phase I ESA is a review of records, a site inspection, and interviews with owners, occupants, neighbors, and local government officials to identify potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities. 

What is a Phase II ESA? 
When a Phase I ESA identifies potential contamination of the site by hazardous materials, a Phase II ESA may be conducted. The Phase II ESA includes sampling and laboratory analysis to confirm the presence of hazardous materials. Some of the tests that may be performed include soil and water sampling. Geophysical testing for buried tanks and drums and testing of underground storage tanks may also be needed. 

Get Funds for Your Site

Do you have a property with serious redevelopment potential, but also has some environmental concerns? Conducting an ESA may help. Knowing exactly what chemicals and materials are on the site and in the ground beneath it can help you plan for remediation and reuse. 

City of Waynesboro Contacts

City of Waynesboro: 
Leslie C. Tate, Director of Community Development 
City of Waynesboro 
503 W Main Street, Suite 204  
Waynesboro, VA 22920 
[email protected]
540-942-6604 

Brownfields Consultant: 
Ann Marie Gathright, Account Executive  
Environmental Standards, Inc. 
1412 Sachem Place, Suite 100 
Charlottesville, VA 22901 
www.envstd.com | [email protected] 
434-906-1097