2026 WV Brownfields & Main Street Conference: Full Schedule

What is it about place that makes it special? Is it just what exists there during a moment or is there more? How much does the physical space we occupy shape us as people? Shae Strait, a native Appalachian, professional planner, and wearer of many hats, discusses why our place matters, from its history to even its future. Whether we were aware or not, and whether the choice of space was even ours to make, Shae will discuss both his personal journey and some of the ways place matters to us all, no matter where we find ourselves.

Speakers

Shae Strait

Wednesday September 9, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Ballroom 1 Center Plaza, Huntington, WV 25701

10:30am EDT

Networking Break and Exhibitor Expo

LIMITED

Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT

Grand Ballroom

Limited Capacity seats available

Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Grand Ballroom 1 Center Plaza, Huntington, WV 25701

11:00am EDT

State and Federal Updates

LIMITED

Wednesday September 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Limited Capacity seats available

The State & Federal Updates session shares resources for potential grant funding opportunities for brownfields redevelopment projects from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and WV Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) representatives. Learn about WV brownfield sites that have been assessed and remediated through WVDEP's Voluntary Remediation Program and Brownfields Assistance Program as well as WVDEP programmatic updates.

Speakers

Christopher Lesniak

Wednesday September 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Grand Ballroom 1 Center Plaza, Huntington, WV 25701

12:15pm EDT

Lunch with Fireside Chat: Huntington and Brownfields - From Industrial Legacy to a Modern Economic Hub

LIMITED

Wednesday September 9, 2026 12:15pm - 1:30pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Limited Capacity seats available

Join an informal fireside chat to hear how Huntington leveraged federal EPA Brownfield grants to catalyze over $200 million in investment, transforming "blight into bright" using EPA Assessment and Cleanup grants to plan for advanced manufacturing, retail, and a new Marshall University baseball stadium. Key stakeholders will share the leverage model involving the City, Huntington Municipal Development Authority (HMDA), Marshall University, and the WVDEP to secure competitive funding like the America's Best Communities $3 million grand prize. The ACF Industries Site will be used as a case study, navigating the voluntary remediation and demolition of a 100-year-old railcar facility to make way for redevelopment.

Wednesday September 9, 2026 12:15pm - 1:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom 1 Center Plaza, Huntington, WV 25701

1:30pm EDT

Addressing Vacant Schools

LIMITED

Wednesday September 9, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Limited Capacity seats available

Wednesday September 9, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
Grand Ballroom 1 Center Plaza, Huntington, WV 25701

2:45pm EDT

Networking Break and Exhibitor Expo

LIMITED

Wednesday September 9, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Limited Capacity seats available

Wednesday September 9, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm EDT
Grand Ballroom 1 Center Plaza, Huntington, WV 25701

3:15pm EDT

An Optimist, a Pessimist, and a Realist Walk into a Brownfield

LIMITED

Wednesday September 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT

Grand Ballroom

Limited Capacity seats available

How do you turn differing perspectives into a cohesive plan of action? You need representation from all sides of a community to gain support, address liabilities, and move your brownfield project forward. During this interactive session, attendees will learn strategies to get stakeholders to show up, engage with one another, and provide the necessary input to create inventories, project visions, and redevelopment plans. Experience tactics that can be applied to your project and expand your public engagement skillset.

Speakers

Becca Phillips

Outreach & Education Manager, Mid-Atlantic TAB; Brownfields Assistance Center

Becca is the Outreach and Education Manager for Mid-Atlantic TAB, West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center, and West Virginia Water Research Institute. Becca supports all outreach activities, including organizing conferences and events, webinars, and managing websites and social... Read More →