GRANITEVILLE — The Graniteville Brownfield Project is literally an effort to replace brown grass and contaminated areas with more useful and beautiful space, said Anne Fulcher, the community coordinator for the project.
During a Thursday night event at Aiken Technical College, Fulcher said the project will be funded annually by a $150,000 grant from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - an organization under the Environmental Protection Agency.
Using the funds, Fulcher said, she and several others have a unique vision to restore Graniteville.
That vision includes a community garden, plenty of green space, a library, sidewalks for walking and biking, a bicycle loan program, a research center and an education center for resume writing, dressing for an interview and other uses.
Dr. John Vena, of the Medical University of South Carolina, said the school will work hand-in-hand with the project.
Vena applauded the shared vision for Graniteville, stating that it will provide hope and a vision for the community.
"We're here to talk about how we can look at the community in a different way and find a vision for where we want to go. It's about making Graniteville a community of wellness," Vena said.
In addition to funds, the Brownfield project also will benefit from Environmental Public Health Tracking. The tracking system will enable public health professionals to identify health conditions related to the environment, evaluate possible trends and monitor data over time.
The project will use the system to evaluate environmental and health trends dating back to the tragic Graniteville train wreck, which occurred a little more than a decade ago, Fulcher said.
"Community members were concerned that the train wreck has had an effect on their well-being, and I think that, in some of the results, those concerns may be confirmed," Fulcher said.
Laurel Berman, a Brownfield coordinator for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, said the group seeks out communities such as Graniteville to help them reach their potential through information and beautifying the region.
Local resident Bud Coward said the information is much needed and should help unify the residents of the community.
"I really like what they're trying to do in bringing the community together by looking at how to better things," he said.
Another aspect of the project is the GVT Report, which will provide monthly updates on progress of the Brownfield Project. The report will appear in the Aiken Standard each month beginning June 6.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard.