Ohio EPA Budget Testimony Sheds Light on New Initiatives

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Joe Koncelik

On April 5th, Ohio EPA Director Nally testified on the Agency's proposed budget before the House Finance and Appropriations – Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee.  According to the Director's Testimony, Ohio EPA is not asking for any fee increases.  Ohio EPA's proposed budget calls for a reduction of 11.8% for fiscal year 2012 and 13.8% for fiscal year 2013.  To meet these budget reductions, the Agency is planning on reducing 53 current positions through attrition.

The Director also mentioned the consolidation of the Division of Hazardous Waste Management  (DHWM) into the Division of Solid & Infectious Waste (DSIWM) along with other components in the Division of Emergency Remedial Response (DERR).  DHWM's permitting and inspection activities will be in DSIWM and clean up will be with DERR.

In addition to budget reductions and the consolidation of DHWM, Director Nally also hinted at other initiatives the Agency is planning to undertake in the near future. 

New Ohio EPA Initiatives

“In-lieu Fee” Program –  The Director signaled potential significant change on wetland and stream mitigation requirements.  Typically the 404/401 permit applicant must find appropriate mitigation projects and include those proposals in their permit application.  With an “in-lieu fee" program, the applicant is relieved of the burden of finding a mitigation project .  Rather, the applicant pays a few based on the acreage of wetlands or feet of stream impacted by the project.  The Director has recently announced a "listening session" to hear from the regulated community and others regarding the proposal.

Permitting efficiencies/Permitting Backlog – Most every Ohio EPA Director faces the pressure to get permits out the door faster.  Director Nally is no different.  Upon taking office, he announced this would be a top priority of his administration.  His testimony suggests he will be re-looking at permit-by-rule and general permits to streamline permit approvals.  While the Agency has utilized these tools in the past, business complain that the terms and requirements are too onerous.  Modifying air permitting requirements can present unforeseen issues, as the business community learned after the Courts stepped in blocking major changes adopted in Senate Bill 265.

IT initiatives and Compliance Assistance –  Ohio EPA has moved toward allowing more reports and permitting to be performed using the web or through special electronic systems.  These systems provide flexibility, but businesses complain they can be difficult to use.  The Director announced training sessions to assist businesses with understanding how to use these systems better. 

Brownfields redevelopment – The Director testimony contained a vague reference to a new initiative with brownfield redevelopment.  The current structure has the Ohio Dept. of Development passing out the grant money and Ohio EPA monitoring the clean up.  It will be interesting to watch whether Ohio EPA announces new initiatives in this area to accelerate re-use of  brownfields.

Marcellus and Utica Shale – ODNR has the lead with regard to permitting for gas exploration.  However, U.S. EPA has indicated it will be closely watching and may exercise enforcement authority at sites where drilling has gone wrong or resulted in polluted groundwater.  The Director intends to support ODNR's efforts in light of U.S. EPA's scrutiny.

Expedited Settlement Program (ESP) -- No details were given regarding this new concept to accelerate resolution of enforcement actions.  Here was the Director's testimony...Given my priority of compliance first, I am initiating modifications to the current enforcement process to help drive quicker compliance.  Historically, the existing enforcement options have been time consuming and resource intensive for both the agency and the regulated entity. By developing new steps to be used early in the enforcement process, I hope to resolve uncomplicated cases
expeditiously, putting a facility on notice of a problem, and quickly achieving compliance. 

Perhaps Ohio EPA intends to make modifications at the Notice of Violation (NOV) stage.  The Agency could improve tracking of NOVs and notify businesses more quickly when issues have been resolved.

The Director's testimony did provide a good insight into his early priorities.  Details were not provided so we will need to watch closely as they are released.

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Clean Ohio Program Ends 2012...What's Next?

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Joe Koncelik

In 2000, Ohio originally voted to approve the Clean Ohio Fund as a $400 million dollar bond program. In 2008, the Clean Ohio Fund was reauthorized through a ballot initiative known as Issue 2. The ballot initiative was overwhelmingly approved in all 88 counties which extended the Fund with another $400 million dollars.

Clean Ohio is probably the most successful brownfield redevelopment program in the Country.  Approximately $400 million of the $800 million in funding went to brownfield projects in the last twelve years.  Here is an outdated chart from the Clean Ohio Fund Report which shows the number of projects and dollars used for brownfield revitalization just in the first four rounds of the program. 

Since the first four rounds that State has gone to two rounds per year.  We are now up to Round number 10. 

The Clean Ohio Fund Interactive Map provides the location and project information for over 1,200 projects financed through the Clean Ohio Fund, representing over $627 million in awards to date.

Four Rounds Left After July 

Round 10 is in July.  Then there is enough funding for Round 11-2 (Round 12 will be May 2012).  That is not a lot more opportunities to use the program if you have a project that you think would be a good match for Clean Ohio funding.  It takes around 6-8 months to get a project ready for a Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF) project.  Which means projects for Round 10 are basically getting ready to be finalized and Round 11 projects are already being discussed.

Will Clean Ohio Continue?

The Clean Ohio program has been wildly successful.  Funding projects across the State.  Many significant development projects simply would not have happened with out the grant funds available through the program. 

While perhaps a little premature, its time to start planning another ballot initiative if suporters are going to seek to renew the program.  Governor Kasich has not been asked his opinion as to whether the program should continue.  While the program is funded through bonds it still takes state revenue to retire those bonds.  With an $8 billion budget hole and a difficult budget process, the challenges facing renewal have never been greater.

What Happens if Clean Ohio is Not Renewed?

The major source of assistance in Ohio to spur brownfield redevelopment will disappear.  There are other federal and local programs, but none with the resources and successful track record like Clean Ohio.  Unfortunately, if the program is not renewed, many brownfield sites with significant contamination will simply be avoided.  New development will be pushed out to greenfields and perhaps away from our urban core.

With the number of brownfield sites remaining in the State, the need for the program remains as strong as it was in 2000.

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Is the Voluntary Clean Up Program in Ohio Working?

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Joe Koncelik

In 1994, the State created the Voluntary Action Program (VAP) to promote voluntary clean up of industrial and commercial sites, including those currently utilized as well as brownfields.

By 1994 standards the VAP program was cutting edge.  It utilized certified professionals (CPs) who performed the investigation and implemented clean ups to meet standards established by Ohio EPA.  In this sense it was a privatized program.  Letting the company or developer ("volunteer") control the clean up process.

By allowing CPs to direct the clean ups to meet standards, costs would be reduced comparative to other clean up programs.  Rather than having sampling plans reviewed back and forth, the CP had to meet the rule.  Rather than debating appropriate remedies in documents back and forth, the CP designed the remedy and it was acceptable as long as it met VAP standards. 

There are many positive elements of the VAP program seventeen years later.  However, a look at just the numbers raises the question as to whether its enough or whether other programs need to be developed to get ahead of Ohio's growing brownfield problem. 

Here are the VAP statistics presented by Ohio EPA this winter: 

  • 422 No Further Action Letters ("NFAs") have been issued by CPs-  A NFA is the document that details the clean up meets VAP standards. 
  • 386 requests for Covenants not to Sue ("CNS")- There is no requirement that a volunteer h submit the NFA to Ohio EPA in order to obtain a CNS (the legal release)
  • 18 denied CNSs
  • 25 Withdrawn
  • 29 pending review 
  • 314 CNSs have been Issued

To summarize, to Ohio EPA's knowledge 422 NFAs have been issued by CPs in the seventeen (17) years the program has been in operation.  I say "to Ohio EPA's knowledge" because there is no requirement that you even disclose to Ohio EPA that an NFA was prepared.  In fact, many companies elect to simply obtain an NFA an never pursue the CNS from Ohio EPA due to the added administrative costs.

In seventeen (17) years, 314 sites have received a CNS, meaning Ohio EPA has verified the site meets VAP standards and issued a legal release. 

Brownfields-  Ohio Needs More Tools in its Tool Box

Focusing on brownfields, VAP is the only State tool to remove environmental legal liability with contaminated properties. (Click here for discussion of gaps in federal "AAI Rule")  To only have 314 sites addressed in 17 years has to raise the question whether we need other tools than VAP to address these sites in order to get ahead of a growing inventory of brownfield properties.

For comparison, a 1996 study identified approximately 350 brownfields and 1,000, to 2,000 condemned structures in Cleveland.  I can't imagine these number improved following the recent recession.

If you broaden out to Cuyahoga County, the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission found that 40,000 acres, or 14%, of the County’s land, has at some time been devoted to an industry that has historically been known to be a higher risk for environmental contamination.

Those are staggering figures - 314 VAP sites in 17 years versus an estimated 350 sites in Cleveland alone.  This represents only one city and one county in Ohio.  Just looking at the statistics suggests the VAP alone isn't  enough to encourage reuse of brownfields sites in the State.

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