A grant programme develops the mining properties into usable acreage for tourism and other economic development projects is injecting millions of dollars into Southwest Virginia.
The Governor Ralph Northam, Congressman Morgan Griffith and the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy named 10 projects valued at $9 million from funds derived from the Abandoned Mine Land Pilot program.
The tourism and other development projects include a first-of-its-kind solar project based in Wise County that provides renewable energy to the just-developed Mineral Gap Data Center in the Lonesome Pine Industrial Park.
The Two large grants–more than $1.6 million–were awarded to the City of Norton and Russell County to develop former mine acres into sites suitable for large industrial tenants. The largest project valued at $2 million will help construct a scenic area in Buchanan County for viewing elk and other wildlife. Southwest Virginia also gets $1.6 million for a sustainable farming project. The region also gets $269,000 to construct a mountain bike and ATV trail in the Dante community of Russell County. $222,000 to make improvements along an existing ATV trail located between the towns of Coeburn and St. Paul. The grant also includes $356,500 to Dickenson County to install public water service in the Splashdam community. The new grant involves in $379,178 enhancing the museum and tourist transportation at the Pocahontas exhibition mine in Tazewell County. It also get $47,420 for the Country Cabin music venue in Norton.
