“Appalachia Meets World” with Will Warren

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word Appalachia? Often people think of the challenges or the despair they have read or heard about. Growing up in the coalfields, Will Warren knows this story all too well: how an extractive economy and dependence on the coal industry has devastated[…]

Join us at Brownfields 2022!

Brownfields 2022 is coming up quickly! It will take place in Oklahoma City from August 16–19. The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allotted $1.5 billion to the EPA Brownfields Program, makes this a great opportunity to learn more about how to take advantage of this funding and best practices. Several members of Vita[…]

Episode 4 – Making Green Construction Possible w/ Jon Williams

Today’s podcast features long-time brownfield redeveloper Jon Williams, who recently founded Viridi Parente, a company that manufactures electric-powered drive systems for construction vehicles and related equipment. Jon discusses his experiences in bringing environmentally-troubled sites back into the economy and his new venture creating greener forms of construction equipment and energy storage. More information on these initiatives[…]

Beyond the Tesla: Resilient Energy Storage and Deployment

Teslas and other electric cars have quickly become popular among consumers who want to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising performance. But what about other types of vehicles and equipment, particularly those made for industrial uses with large diesel-powered engines? And how could greener forms of energy be effectively stored to lower costs and provide[…]

Watch It Again: The Katahdin Region Former Mill Funding Strategy Workshop

This workshop brought together representatives from the mill communities of East Millinocket, Millinocket, and Lincoln with federal, state, and private funders. In this interactive session, representatives of the communities met virtually with those that might provide funding for infrastructure, new initiatives, and business startup and expansion. This event was sponsored by the USEPA Region 1[…]

EPA Releases 2021 Brownfields Federal Programs Guide 

Need additional public funding? Updated every two years, the EPA’s Brownfields Federal Programs Guide is an essential resource for communities looking to finance brownfields redevelopment projects. When considering the funding available, it’s important for stakeholders to think beyond the EPA. Indeed, help could come from federal agencies ranging from the Department of Defense to the[…]

Episode 3 – The Past and Future of Brownfields Redevelopment w/ Barry Hersh

Barry Hersh’s experiences as a leader in brownfields redevelopment are the focus of this episode of the Redevelopment Institute Podcast. In his interview with Leslie Parrish, Barry talks about how he got started in brownfields and the changes in the field in the intervening years. After a discussion of some innovative brownfields projects across the[…]

Brownfields 2022 Dates Announced

The new Brownfields Conference dates have been announced! The event will be held August 16–19, 2022 in Oklahoma City, OK and will feature presentations by several Vita Nuova and Redevelopment Institute members. If your work involves brownfields or community development, then don’t miss this great educational and networking opportunity! Learn more and register for the conference here.

Episode 2 – Economic Gardening® w/ Chris Gibbons

In this episode of the Redevelopment Institute Podcast, Leslie Parrish interviews Chris Gibbons, founder of the National Center for Economic Gardening. Chris describes this exciting economic development strategy, which can assist local firms with high-growth potential to discover new regional, national, and international markets. He also shares how his organization partners with economic development agencies[…]

EPA Adds Two Guides to Land Revitalization Toolkit

Redevelopment of a blighted or contaminated site is not an easy task, however, there are steps you can take to reduce the risks involved in the process and attract the right investment. To that end, in December 2021, the EPA Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization added two documents to their Land Revitalization Toolkit: Preparing Your Plan for[…]