September 11, 2023

Manchin Announces $3 Million to Enhance Environmental, Public Health Across West Virginia

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced $3,070,092 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for five projects to enhance environmental and public health across West Virginia. The funding is made possible in part through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will support efforts to clean up brownfields sites, water quality restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, public health education for West Virginia Girl Scouts and air pollution monitoring and data collection.

“Every West Virginian deserves clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe and a safe environment to live in. I’m pleased the EPA is investing more than $3 million in protecting the beautiful and ecologically critical Chesapeake Bay watershed, as well as advancing efforts to clean up brownfields sites, providing public health education to Girl Scouts and monitoring air pollution levels,” Senator Manchin said. “As Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to protect the health and wellbeing of communities across the Mountain State.”

Individual awards listed below:

  • $1,000,000 – West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements
    • This funding, which is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support statewide efforts to assess and remediate contaminated brownfields sites back into productive use.
  • $968,438 – Marshall University: Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements
    • This funding, which is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support assessing and remediating contaminated brownfields sites in the Huntington area back into productive use.
  • $592,181 – West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: Chesapeake Bay Program Implementation, Regulatory/Accountability and Monitoring Grants
    • This funding, which is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support water quality restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including through providing training to wastewater treatment plant operators.
  • $469,473 – West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations and Special Purpose Activities relating to the Clean Air Act
    • This funding will support statewide efforts to monitor air pollution and provide air pollution data to the general public.
  • $40,000 – Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council: Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Training and Special Purpose Activities Relating to Environmental Justice
    • This funding will support educating Girl Scout members on public health topics, including lead, food waste, chronic disease and indoor air pollution. The project is expected to serve 1,000 girls and 200 adults, with 50% being in areas of highest need.