Brownfields | Virginia DEQ

A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. These can be large industrial sites, smaller commercial properties, or mixed-use buildings along a Main Street corridor, among others. There are Brownfield sites all across Virginia and these properties represent an opportunity for reinvestment that leads to increased local tax bases and job growth while utilizing existing infrastructure, preserving undeveloped land, and protecting and enhancing the environment of Virginia in order to promote the health and well-being of its citizens.

Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties utilizes existing infrastructure, reduces development of undisturbed open land, facilitates job growth, increases local tax bases and improves community aesthetics while protecting the environment.

Virginia DEQ's Brownfields Program

Many of these brownfield sites represent a great opportunity for redevelopment, but barriers exist that limit action. The Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Renewal Land Renewal Act (§ 10.1-1231) states that “It shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage remediation and restoration of brownfields by removing barriers and providing incentives and assistance whenever possible.” Virginia DEQ’s Brownfields Program was established to provide technical assistance and help identify ways to remove barriers to brownfields investment in communities across the Commonwealth.

Some of the ways the Brownfields Team assists in this effort include:

On-call guidance to discuss site-specific project needs including identification or navigation of funding opportunities.
Outreach and education through conference presentations, in person or virtual meetings (as requested), training workshops, council or community presentations, outreach with academic institutions, etc.
Hosting an annual Brownfields Conference.
Development of tools and informational resources.
Grant award and oversight representation for the Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF).
Preparation of Brownfield concurrence letters.
Providing letters of support for other grant requests.
Issuance of Brownfield Liability Limitation (BLL) Letters (formerly known as Comfort Letters).
Participation in focus groups and technical advisory groups.
Management of statewide Brownfield grant funds.
Collaboration with other DEQ programs where applicable for site assessment and redevelopment planning.

Virginia DEQ’s Brownfield team works closely with EPA’s Region III Brownfields Team and West Virginia’s Brownfields Assistance Center who serves as the EPA Region III Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) to stay abreast of federal initiatives and potential federal Brownfield funding opportunities. In addition, the team meets routinely with other state agencies and funding groups for project collaboration and awareness of different funding opportunities that may be available to help realize Brownfields redevelopment goals. Some examples include Virginia Energy, Virginia Economic Development Partnership (including VBAF and Virginia Business Ready Sites Program), Virginia Main Street, Department of Housing and Community Development – Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF), Virginia Tobacco Commission Revitalization Commission, Opportunity Appalachia, among others.

Additional information on DEQ’s Brownfields program is below. Many programs are enrolled in DEQ's Voluntary Remediation Program. If you’d like to initiate a site-specific or community-wide conversation, please use the Brownfields Help Wanted form and we will follow up as soon as possible.

Special Projects

Virginia DEQ’s VRP and Brownfields Team are always looking for ways to continuously improve our program and achieve the goals associated with our work at DEQ. Some completed and ongoing actions include:

Small community inventory and redevelopment prioritization assistance.
Economic Impact Analysis of VBAF grant awards (published May 2025).
Long-Term Stewardship evaluations of completed VRP sites.
Site-specific quantitative human-health risk assessment, as needed.
White Paper regarding the VRP process and orchard sites in Virginia (in development).
Legal Toolkit for Addressing Brownfield Properties (in development).
Updates to Success Story GIS Portal (in development).
Updates to the Brownfields Development Resource Tool (Brownfields Dashboard) (completed March 2026).

Program Highlights

Brownfields Development Resource Tool

This new tool replaces the Brownfields Dashboard. Watch the video tutorial to learn how to navigate the webapp.

See the Brownfields Development Resource Tool tab below for additional information!

Virginia Brownfields Conference - June 8-10, 2026 in Staunton

REGISTER NOW! June 8-10, 2026 in Staunton, Virginia

The 2026 Virginia Brownfields Conference will be held in Staunton, Virginia from June 8-10, 2026.

Each year, Virginia DEQ’s VRP and Brownfields team hosts a conference that includes mobile workshops, project highlights, and technical sessions relevant to Brownfields work in Virginia and beyond. This effort is generally a collaboration with the EPA Region III Brownfields team and the host city where the conference will be held.

Agenda

The full agenda will be announced in late April. Expect to see updates from DEQ and EPA, brownfields resource roadmapping, emerging topics in environmental redevelopment, and more.

Lodging

Discounted room blocks are available at Hotel 24 South (24 South Market Street, Staunton, VA, 24401) on the nights of June 8 and 9 by referencing the VA Brownfields Conference at:

Hotel 24 South ($135/Night)

Call (833) 314-5661 or Book Online by May 8

Voluntary Remediation Program

Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF)

Per the Code of Virginia, the Commonwealth's policy is to encourage remediation and restoration of brownfields by removing barriers and providing incentives and assistance whenever possible. The Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF) was established as an incentive program to promote and support site assessment, redevelopment planning, and clean up of Brownfield sites across the commonwealth. The grant is administered by the Virginia Economic Development Authority (VEDP) in collaboration with Virginia DEQ.

$2.25M was funded by the general assembly for FY26. The fund offers two types of grants:

Assessment & Planning

Awards up to $50,000

Rolling Application Submittals

1:1 Match

Site Remediation

Awards up to $500,000

Competitive Process -

Applications Open Fall 2026

1:1 Match

The VBAF Program is targeted toward projects or phases of work associated with the restoration and redevelopment of brownfield sites that by their completion will generate additional private investment and job creation in the immediate future and reviewed based on:

Potential for redevelopment and reuse of the site,
Economic benefits,
Environmental benefits,
Use or reuse of existing infrastructure, and
Limited ability to draw on other funding sources.

Current guidelines that outline eligibility and the grant application forms are available on the VEDP VBAF page.

Economic Impact Analysis

The Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF) serves as a critical resource for communities across the State of Virginia by playing a key role in positioning sites for constructive reuse, and generating outcomes that advance state and program objectives.

In 2024, Virginia DEQ contracted with Stantec to conduct an Economic Impact Analysis of the first 10 years of VBAF grant funding. The purpose of this study is to review the large body of grant-funded investments that have been made through the VBAF program, and evaluate their impacts on local communities. The primary lens of the analysis is economic. It offers data, analysis and perspectives on the economic impact of the VBAF program since its inception.

The findings of this analysis highlight the benefits of critical early investment in brownfields redevelopment. The final report can be viewed here.

Contact Karen Weber, DEQ (karen.weber@deq.virginia.gov) or Michelle Mende, VEDP (mmende@vedp.org) for more information.

Brownfield Liability Limitation (BLL)

Chapter 12.1 of the Code of Virginia authorizes the DEQ to limit liability to Bona Fide Prospective Purchasers (BFPP), Contiguous Property Owners (CPO), Innocent Land Owners (ILO), Tenants and Lenders of Brownfield properties. In addition, according to § 10.1-1234(A) the Director may, consistent with programs developed under the federal acts, make a determination to limit the liability of lenders (who do not participate in management), innocent purchasers or landowners, de minimis contributors or others who have grounds to claim limited responsibility for a containment or cleanup that may be required pursuant to the Virginia Waste Management Act (§ 10.1-1400 et seq.), the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.), the State Air Pollution Control Law (§ 10.1-1300 et seq.), or any other applicable law.

Although the statute is self-implementing if adhered to properly, applicants may request a Brownfield Liability Limitation (BLL) Letter (formerly known as comfort letters) by submitting a complete application package to Kimberly Bryant at kimberly.bryant@deq.virginia.gov. The application, additional information regarding the application, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and a flowchart briefly explaining the different liability limitation options are located in the Resources box at the upper right-hand side of this page. Please note that DEQ has 60 days to process and review the complete application package and that a letter is not automatically issued nor is a letter guaranteed.

Brownfields Success Stories in Virginia

There are Brownfield champions everywhere who are doing great work toward realizing reuse and redevelopment of Brownfield properties across the commonwealth. DEQ works closely with property owners, local and regional stakeholders, and site developers to help transform these contaminated properties into viable real estate by promoting cost saving measures, helping to identify funding opportunities, and navigating innovative approaches to resolving brownfield issues. DEQ developed a GIS platform to highlight some of this work both ongoing and completed.

We are in the process of updating the Brownfields Interactive Storymap to highlight current Brownfield successes. Please check back often to keep tabs on new and ongoing Brownfields project work.

We would like to invite you to share your success story for consideration using this survey link: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/f0ae4d3d28324a8c845daf605eaaefde.

Please reach out to Karen Weber (karen.weber@deq.virginia.gov) if you have any questions.

NEW! Brownfields Development Resource Tool

The VA DEQ Brownfields Development Resource Tool is a web-based mapping application designed to support the identification, evaluation, and redevelopment of brownfields and other potentially developable sites across Virginia. The application integrates more than 20 geospatial data layers from state and federal sources to help users understand site conditions, regulatory considerations, infrastructure access, and redevelopment constraints.

The web application includes datasets related to site identification and environmental regulation—such as VEDP developable sites, Superfund sites, RCRA sites, Abandoned Mine Lands, Virginia Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) sites, landfills, and solid waste permits—as well as infrastructure and renewable energy datasets, including electric transmission lines, substations, and renewable energy project locations. Additional layers provide information on environmental constraints and site characteristics, including flood hazard zones, protected lands, wetlands, slope, aspect, and wind speed.

The purpose of the Brownfields Development Resource Tool is to encourage redevelopment of environmentally challenged and underutilized sites by improving public access to geospatial data, contextual information, and analytical capabilities. The application supports informed decision-making and promotes engagement with agencies such as the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) regarding redevelopment opportunities, funding programs, and incentives.