Photo Credit: Crystal Myrick/The Warrenist

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan visited Warren County, North Carolina (Birthplace of the Environmental Justice Movement) on Saturday, September 24 to announce the Biden-Harris administration will be establishing the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.

The new initiative will oversee a $3 billion grant and employ over 200 staff members.

The program featured Warren County activists, Dollie Burwell and Rev. Bill Kearney and other notable guests such as Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Dr. Ben Chavis, Rev. William Barber, and more.

The question remains, how will Warren County benefit from this new office?

Video: Crystal Myrick/The Warrenist (Subscribe)

Office of Environment Justice and External Civil Rights | EPA Announcement | Warren County, NC

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EPA Administrator Michael Regan Remarks Following Environmental Justice Office Announcement

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On Saturday, September 24, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan will travel to Warren County, North Carolina to deliver remarks on EPA’s environmental justice and civil rights priorities and the progress achieved since the first protest and march that launched the movement 40 years ago this week.

Administrator Regan will make a significant announcement on President Biden’s commitment to elevate environmental justice and civil rights enforcement at EPA and across the federal government and ensure the work to support our most vulnerable communities continues for years to come.

Administrator Regan will be joined by significant figures from the civil rights and environmental justice movements, including participants from the original Warren County protests for the event.

The announcement will be live-streamed on epa.org/live at 1pm ET or can be viewed below:

Image Credit: EPA, Environmental Protection Agency

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“Birthplace of the Environmental Justice Movement”

The Warren County Environmental Action Team, Warren County Community Center, NAACP Warren County Branch, Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church, United Church of Christ, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University along with other groups will hold a multi-faceted commemoration of the historic 1982 Warren County PCB protests this month. These protests led to the birth of the environmental justice movement.

Organizers plan to retrace the landmark marches and sing many of the protest songs when they walk to the Warren County dumpsite on Sat., Sept. 17. In addition to an ongoing exhibit at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library, there will be panel and webinar discussions and an NAACP virtual banquet.

Among the events are:

Aug. – Dec. 22: UNC-Chapel Hill Wilson Library Environmental Justice Exhibit

Sept. 14 at 1 PM: Webinar discussion with former protester Dollie Burwell, the Rev. Dr. Ben Chavis and the Rev. Bill Kearney. Register here

Sept. 14 at 5:30 PM: “Recalling Warren County – Discussing the Birth of the Movement. Discussion between former protesters, a protest photographer, the first NC Black woman elected to Congress and the Rev. Dr. Ben Chavis at Duke University’s Penn Pavilion Garden Room. Register here

Sept. 15 at 1-3 PM: UNC-Chapel Hill Wilson Special Collections Library panel discussion and exhibit viewing

Sept. 15 at 5:30 PM: “Environmental Justice: Past, Present and Future” with Rev. Dr. Ben Chavis and Catherine Coleman Flowers at Duke’s Chapel (see attached flyer) Register here

Sept. 17 from 8 AM – 2 PM: Commemoration Ceremony & March to the landfill. Registration and gathering at Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Warren County. Address: 224 Parktown Road, Warrenton, NC 27589 More info. here

Sept. 18 from 2 – 4 PM: Community Worship Service at Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church. Info. here

Sept. 20 from 5 PM – 8 PM: Downtown Warrenton & Warren County Jail Museum EJ Tour. Info. here

Sept. 24 at 1:00 PM: EPA to make policy announcement at the Warren County Courthouse Square. Address: 109 S. Main Street, Warrenton, NC 27589

Sept. 24 at 6:30 PM: “Back Together Again” Virtual gathering NAACP Warren County Branch. Register

Sept. 30 at 12-1 PM: “40 Years of Environmental Justice: Birth in Warren County to Today & Beyond” with Rev. Bill Kearney and additional speakers TBA, a free lunchtime webinar hosted by Clean Water for NC. Info here

Sept. 30 at TBD: “The Roots, Experiences, and Future of Climate Justice” with William Barber III, Yumna Kamel, and Dr. Jennifer Hadden at Duke University Gross Hall room 107, Ahmadieh Family Auditorium. Register Here.

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Warren County government was recently named one of thirteen grant recipients in North Carolina for the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Program. The county will receive a total of $500,000 over three years for a community-wide brownfields assessment. The grant does not require a local match.

A brownfield is defined by the EPA as a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

The assessment program funded through this grant will allow the county to inventory, characterize, assess, conduct a range of planning activities, develop site-specific cleanup plans, and conduct community involvement related to brownfield sites. The grant will officially kick-off October 1st with the start of the federal fiscal year.

“This grant from the EPA is tremendous for Warren County. It falls right in line with the discussion the Board of Commissioners had earlier this year related to the work needed so that our potential sites for development or redevelopment are ready when opportunities arise,” stated County Manager Vincent Jones.

“These funds will now allow us to move forward with identifying and conducting assessments on sites throughout the County, so we will be ready when development opportunities are presented,” Jones continued. “I am excited to see our Community and Economic Development Department bring this program to life. I’d also like to thank North Carolina’s own, EPA Administrator Regan and his team, for their support of Warren County.”

Included in the project budget is funding for community meetings to engage citizens on possible brownfields identification as well.

“We can assess approximately 20 sites throughout the county,” explained Charla Duncan, Director of Community & Economic Development for Warren County. “We will also be able to build out an inventory of sites for possible future funding, and work on a brownfields redevelopment plan, but also we can better understand concerns involving our land and community.”

For more information, contact Charla Duncan at Warren County Community & Economic Development at 252-257-3115.

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