Economic Development

In 2005 the West Virginia Legislature created the Northern and Southern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Centers. The northern center, a program of the WVWRI, promotes economic development and environmental and public health protection through innovative redevelopment of brownfields sites in West Virginia’s 33 northern counties. The southern center, located at Marshall University, supports West Virginia’s southern counties. The northern center tackles issues associated with the redevelopment of abandoned and underutilized properties. Funding from the West Virginia Legislature and funds leveraged from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation allow the northern center staff to offer extensive assistance to communities to facilitate the redevelopment of brownfield sites and revitalize their communities. To learn more about WVWRI’s brownfield revitalization programs, visit wvbrownfields.org.