On March 2, Patrick Kirby, director of the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at West Virginia University, provided testimony on the BUILD Act before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works. The hearing focused on Senate Bill 1479, Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act of 2015, Senate Bill 2446, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2016 and Discussion Draft of Good Samaritan Cleanup of Orphan Mines Act of 2016.

In his testimony, Kirby discussed why the BUILD Act matters. Specifically, he noted that the BUILD Act expands the eligibility of certain types of property to apply for brownfields funds, expands eligible applicants to include non-profit organizations which are often the entity in the community best suited best suited to help move the project forward and eliminated the prohibition of the use of the funds to cover administrative costs, which can be a large task.

Watch Kirby’s testimony here (his testimony begins at 1:21:30), or you can find a pdf version here.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center (NBAC) Associate Director Carrie Staton was one of 55 leaders from across the state to accept invitations to participate in the 2016 Class of Leadership West Virginia. Candidates were selected from a list of nominations that was submitted in late 2015.

Staton, who has worked for the NBAC for four years and recently stepped into the role of Associate Director, is excited for the opportunity to expand her knowledge through the Leadership West Virginia program.

“What drew me to the program was the emphasis not only on leadership skills but also on how those skills can be used to make a greater impact in West Virginia,” said Staton.

Staton, a native of Mullens, has a strong love for and commitment to West Virginia. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Nonprofit Administration from Bethany College, she worked briefly in park revitalization in underserved neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. before the draw of the mountains pulled her home to West Virginia to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree at West Virginia University. Since then, she has worked at the NBAC to help communities capture the maximum economic, environmental, and social benefit from the remediation and reuse of brownfields through a collaborative redevelopment process.

“At the end of the day, what’s most important to me is that I’ve made a difference, that I’ve helped the state and its communities improve for the benefit for those who live here,” said Staton. “I’m excited to find ways the relationships and knowledge I’ll build through Leadership West Virginia can help me better serve those communities across the state.”

Leadership West Virginia is now in its 25th year as the statewide education and leadership development program in West Virginia. The eight-month program identifies emerging leaders from a variety of employers throughout West Virginia and enhances their knowledge not only of the challenges facing the state, but also the state’s unique attributes and diversity. Recognizing that the cultivation of new leadership is of utmost importance to West Virginia’s future prosperity and progress, Leadership West Virginia works to develop and motivate a cross-section of leaders who will use their talents and abilities to inspire others and to foster a new spirit of energy, enthusiasm and vitality throughout the state. LWV is affiliated with the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

“Each year, the class participants are selected from a list of top-quality applicants from around the state. Individuals are selected into the program because they demonstrate leadership skills and experiences in civic activities and in their professional careers,” said Pam Farris, executive director of Leadership West Virginia. “We continue to see an increase in the number of applicants each year and we are very pleased with the diversity of candidates in the 2016 class.”

About the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center
The Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center is a program of the West Virginia Water Research Institute at the National Research Center for Coal and Energy at West Virginia University and serves the northern 33 counties in West Virginia.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Anna Withrow has joined the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center (NBAC) as its new brownfields redevelopment specialist. The NBAC is a program of the West Virginia Water Research Institute located at the National Research Center for Coal and Energy at West Virginia University. Withrow, earned her master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design at West Virginia University in 2015. In addition, she has a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Marshall University.

“I am happy that my work at the Center [NBAC] will involve working with a variety of communities to improve and protect the wildlife and resources of this state that I love,” said Withrow.
In her new role with NBAC, she will work with local project stakeholders to perform site analyses, facilitate visioning meetings, create conceptual plans and perform various other tasks to move redevelopment projects forward.

“My education in Landscape Architecture allows me to observe, analyze, and design spaces with reference to spatial data, development trends, sustainability standards, and site programming,” she continued. “My experience working on the adaptive reuse of brownfields properties allowed me to work closely with communities to explore and identify practical reuse plans.”

Prior to pursuing her master’s degree, Withrow taught mathematics in Southern West Virginia and worked as an adventure guide on the New River Gorge.

“Having lived in Putnam, Cabell, Fayette and Monongalia Counties, I have a deep appreciation for West Virginia’s wild lands and Appalachian culture,” said Withrow. “The NBAC is building community capacity and boosting local economies through encouraging redevelopments on previously developed lands. This is helping to keep the state’s greenfields green, among other benefits. As a lifelong resident and explorer of the state, I value the Center’s mission and am happy to join the effort.”

Withrow brings a wealth of experience to the NBAC. She has experience with hand rendering, site mapping, place analysis, parcel research, mixed-media design, construction drawings, document layouts and printing and narrative photography. Her professional interests include riparian restoration, stormwater management, whole-systems thinking, urban agriculture, and historic preservation.

“We’re fortunate to have Ms. Withrow as an addition to our staff,” said Patrick Kirby, director of the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center. “Her education and past experience are a great fit to our team. With the addition of Ms. Withrow, we look forward to the opportunity to engage more local communities and assist in their redevelopment needs.”

Contact:
Andrew Stacy, Public Relations Coordinator, West Virginia Water Research Institute
(304) 293-7085
[email protected]