(The Center Square) – Ohio plans to hand out $88 million to communities across the state to clean up hazardous and underutilized sites.
Overall, the state has spent nearly $350 million for assessment, cleanup and remediation through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, administered by the Ohio Department of Development. The recent grants come on top of $60 million in April and another $192 million in June.
The program has reached 83 of the state’s 88 counties for 313 total projects.
“Our goal is to create opportunities and make a positive difference in the lives of Ohioans,” Gov. Mike DeWine. “Removing these eyesores and cleaning up blighted properties will help make way for new and exciting opportunities in our state.”
The new projects impact communities in 35 counties. The money is expected to help assess and clean up industrial, commercial and institutional brownfield sites that are abandoned, idled or underutilized due to a known or potential release of hazardous substances or petroleum.
Following site remediation, the plan is for the properties to be redeveloped to revitalize neighborhoods and attract new economic development.
“Revitalizing these properties can transform the landscape of a local community,” Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, said. “By investing in these sites, we allow communities to turn them into something that is worth noting, visiting and a highlight to the local area.”
The largest award from the most-recent round of funding is more than $7 million to Lucas County for a nearly 12-acre site that operated as a landfill from 1950 to 1957. Since then, various owners have occupied parcels throughout the years. Toledo took over sole ownership in 2017.
Future plans include the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District, developing a residential curbside recycling facility on part of the land, and a full-service single-stream materials recovery facility.
The Brownfield Remediation Program was created from the Ohio General Assembly’s current operating budget. Funding was first-come, first-served with a $1 million set-aside for each county.
