The premier brownfield redevelopment conference in Virginia is hosted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the City of Staunton.
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It is well-understood benefits, reduced risk, restored land, and economic revitalization. But what if cleanup were just the beginning? This session challenges attendees to reimagine brownfield redevelopment as a powerful tool for advancing sustainability, equity, and long-term community resilience. Through a virtual tour of real-world redevelopment projects, the speakers will showcase how communities have leveraged brownfield programs to confront pressing challenges: food insecurity, urban sprawl, ecosystem degradation, soil erosion, and escalating flood risk. These same sites have been transformed into engines of environmental and social good, supporting pollinator habitat, improving soil health, sequestering carbon, enhancing biodiversity, replenishing groundwater, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and producing fresh, locally grown food. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies for embedding sustainable design principles and climate resilience into brownfield planning from the outset, turning contaminated liabilities into enduring community assets.