The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is set to remove abandoned structures throughout the state’s communities.
The new program was created by the West Virginia Legislature in 2021, with more than $9 million being assigned to it last March.
It officially kicked off Friday in Mercer County, with the first abandoned property in Mataoka being ceremoniously bulldozed.
Ed Maguire, the director of the Office of the Environmental Advocate for the DEP announced which communities would receive the funding during a live broadcast with Gov. Jim Justice’s office Friday afternoon.
Towns and counties included are:
- Buckhannon
- Clendenin
- Elkins
- Hinton
- Mannington
- Montgomery
- Nitro
- Oak Hill
- Parkersburg
- Parsons
- Salem
- Smithers
- Thomas
- Wellsburg
- St. Albans
- Princeton
- Bluefield
- Logan County
- McDowell County
The project is set to take roughly one year. More communities are likely to be announced in a potential second phase.