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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) at the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has accepted a Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) application submitted by Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle and Pietro Fiorentini USA, Inc. to address environmental conditions at the Pietro Fiorentini site in Brooke County.
The site is located at 606 Park Drive in Weirton and includes approximately 26.42 acres. The site was historically used for surface coal mining until the mid-1960s when it was reclaimed. The site has remained vacant since that time. Redevelopment plans for the site include the construction of a manufacturing facility that will produce pressure regulators and valves for the natural gas industry. Site remedial activities are anticipated to prevent exposure to metals in groundwater.
OER is currently negotiating a Voluntary Remediation Agreement (VRA) with the applicants.
Under the VRA, the applicant will work with the WVDEP to identify human health and ecological risks associated with current and potential future uses of the site, establish applicable remediation standards, and ensure that standards are maintained at the site. Upon completion of the remediation, a final report will be submitted to OER for review and approval.
West Virginia’s Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act encourages voluntary cleanups of contaminated sites, as well as redevelopment of abandoned and under-utilized properties, with an objective of counteracting the lack of development on sites with contamination or perceived contamination. By providing financial incentives to invest in brownfields, this approach protects communities and the environment while still promoting economic development in West Virginia.