April 20, 2021  
Government

County Conversations: Greene County Industrial Development Authority

The Greene County Industrial Development Authority (GCIDA) has been working with their environmental consultant AMO Environmental Decisions to complete environmental assessments and reclamation of brownfield sites across the county.

A brownfield is a property that the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant, including mine-scarred land. The GCIDA was awarded a US EPA Brownfields Community Wide Assessment Grant in 2018 for $300,000.

The GCIDA has led this program and initiated the Greene County Brownfields Advisory Committee (GC-BRAC). The GC-BRAC hosts quarterly public meetings (advertised on Facebook and the local newspapers) to provide the opportunity for the public to provide input for redevelopment goals. The next GC-BRAC meeting will be held June 8 at 10AM at the Greene County Office Building Second Floor Conference Room.

Utilizing the US EPA Brownfields Grant funding, the GCIDA has identified over 30 potential brownfield sites and completed assessment activities on seven. Three sites are in the process of being redeveloped in Mount Morris. The GCIDA is currently working on reclaiming the former Gateway Forest Products site in Morgan Township. The GCIDA has successfully leveraged this US EPA Grant funding without any County funding sources and is addressing underutilized and vacant sites to attract businesses and redevelopment.

In the fall of 2021 GCIDA will pursue new assessment funding through the US EPA Brownfields Coalition Grant for $600,000 with local township partners. This new grant would allow the GCIDA to continue the successful reclamation of brownfield sites across the county. The GCIDA is making these sites and the county more favorable to redevelopment, new industries and new jobs by initiating the first steps in reclaiming these sites and removing the burden on potential purchasers, 

FMI, contact the GC-BRAC at 93 East High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370, call 724.627.9259  or fax 724.627.6569. 

About Danielle Nyland

Current Position: Editor and Social Media Manager of GreeneScene Community Magazine. Danielle Nyland is a local photographer, artist, and writer. She is a Greene County native and currently lives in Nemacolin with her husband, Daytona, two sons, Remington and Kylo, and an English bull terrier, Sparky. Danielle has a background in graphic design, web publishing, social media, management, and photography. She graduated American Public University with an associate degree in web publishing and Bellevue University with a bachelor degree in graphic design. She has also attended the New York Institute of Photography. Before joining the team, she worked in retail and as an instructor at Laurel Business Institute. Outside of her work with the GreeneScene, she enjoys painting and drawing, photography, and loves reading books and watching movies – especially the scary ones! Danielle has been photographing and writing about local history and events since 2010 as part of the SWPA Rural Exploration team. She’s active in local community events and committees. She’s a board member with Flenniken Public Library and is on the committees for the Sheep & Fiber Festival, 50’s Fest & Car Cruise, and Light Up Night.