STATE UPDATES 2018 West Virginia Brownfields Conference Casey Korbini, Deputy Director for Remediation Programs Office of Environmental Remediation Division of Land Restoration
st An 1 st Annual nual Ru Run/W n/Walk alk wi with th WV WVDEP DEP
Di Divi vision sion of Land nd Restora storation tion Division of Land Restoration Reclamation Remediation Programs Programs
Of Office fice of En Envi vironmental ronmental Reme mediation diation Brownfields Section ▪ Brownfields Assistance Program ▪ UECA-LUST Program ▪ Voluntary Remediation Program CERCLA Section ▪ Federal Facilities Restoration Program ▪ Superfund Program Pre-Remedial • Remedial (National Priorities List) • Removal •
Office Of fice of En Envi vironmental ronmental Reme mediation diation Leadership Rob Rice Casey Korbini Director Deputy Director Erin Brittain John Meeks Jake McDougal Brownfields Program Brownfields Program CERCLA Program Manager – North Manager – South Manager
Of Office fice of En Envi vironmental ronmental Reme mediation diation • Derek Hancock Team • Bill Huggins • Elizabeth Keville • Dave Long Project • Sheena Moore Managers • Curtis Phillips • Mike Sutphin • Ross Brittain Environmental Toxicologist Technical • Juan de Dios Barrios Staff Technical Analyst
Of Office fice of En Envi vironmental ronmental Reme mediation diation Our mission is to provide for clean, safe, and productive West Virginia communities by assessing and remediating environmental resources and restoring contaminated properties to beneficial use.
Brownfields Assistance Program Function Empowers communities, developers, and stakeholders to ▪ assess, cleanup, and sustainably reuse brownfields. Provides free guidance and technical assistance throughout the ▪ brownfield redevelopment process. Assesses properties that are contaminated — or perceived to be ▪ contaminated throughout the state. Provides financial assistance (if available) to communities. ▪ Partners with the WV Brownfields Assistance Centers at WVU ▪ and Marshall University.
Brownfields Assistance Program Services Provided Review and explain environmental reports. ▪ Provide technical and programmatical guidance to assess and ▪ remediate sites. Assist with educating stakeholders and conducting community ▪ outreach. Introduce similar projects successfully completed throughout ▪ the state and country. Identify potential project funding sources. ▪ Guide eligible entities through the EPA Brownfields Grants ▪ process.
Brownfields Assistance Program Available Funding EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants ▪ o $1.1 million since 2009 WV Brownfields Revolving Fund ▪ o $820,000 EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant
Voluntary Remediation Program Background 1980 Mid-1990s 1996 Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), in response to growing concerns over health and environmental risks posed by hazardous waste sites. This Act created strict liability for environmental contamination.
Voluntary Remediation Program Background 1980 Mid-1990s 1996 Communities across the country noticed growing inventories of contaminated — or perceived to be contaminated — properties left abandoned and untouched.
Voluntary Remediation Program Background 1980 Mid-1990s 1996 The WV Legislature passed the Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act to establish the Voluntary Remediation Program.
Voluntary Remediation Program Purpose ▪ Encourage persons to voluntarily develop and implement remedial plans without enforcement action by WVDEP. Return contaminated properties to ▪ productive use. Preserve uncontaminated pristine land. ▪
Voluntary Remediation Program Accomplishments Cumulative Achievements 3,000 2,500 2,000 Certificates of Completion 181 Certificates of Completion Issued 1,500 Remediated Acres 1,000 500 0 2,526 26 Acres Remediated 42 42 Counties Impacted
Voluntary Remediation Program Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Rule The Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Rule was recently amended: ▪ Became effective April 1, 2018. ▪ Updated Brownfields Revolving Fund Program guidelines. ▪ Removed requirement to submit hardcopy documents/reports.
Voluntary Remediation Program Program Review After two decades, a review was necessary to determine if the program continues to: 1. Serve its purpose. 2. Meet the needs of those persons voluntarily remediating property. 3. Be effective, given the advancements of the evolving national brownfields program.
Voluntary Remediation Program Program Review Internal Assessment by WVDEP Staff ▪ Internal Ass ssessment Ext External l Research Conducted START-STOP-CONTINUE o listening sessions. External Ext l Ass ssessment Compared internal protocols vs. regulatory o requirements. Recommendations
Voluntary Remediation Program Program Review External Research of Other States ▪ Internal Ass ssessment External Ext l Research Reviewed all published information. o External Ext l Ass ssessment Reached out to counterparts at agencies o throughout the country. Attended trainings and national meetings. o Recommendations
Voluntary Remediation Program Program Review External Assessment by Stakeholders ▪ Internal Ass ssessment External Ext l Research Created general VRP email account and o solicited feedback. External Ext l Ass ssessment Conducted online survey in January 2018. o Hosted feedback meeting in March 2018. o Recommendations
Voluntary Remediation Program Recommendation Themes ▪ Consistently administer program. ▪ Streamline processes. ▪ Remove excessive requirements beyond the legislation. ▪ Make the program more transparent and user-friendly.
Voluntary Remediation Program The Road Ahead ▪ Complete full review by April 2019. ▪ Implement all non-legislative improvements by April 2019. ▪ Propose Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Rule changes during the 2020 WV Legislative Session, if determined necessary.
Of Office fice of En Envi vironmental ronmental Reme mediation diation Staff Contact Information https://dep.wv.gov/dlr/oer/Contacts/Pages/default.aspx
Of Office fice of En Envi vironmental ronmental Reme mediation diation Office Contact Information 601 57 th Street SE Charleston, WV 25304 304-926-0455 DEPVRP@wv.gov DEPLRSProgram@wv.gov
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