What action was taken?
On January 23rd, the Trump Administration released the final version of the rule which defines which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act. The new rule is called the Navigable Waters Protection. It replaces the prior Obama Administration rule referred to as WOTUS- “Waters of the United States.”
Back on
The Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) has been calling attention to Ohio’s so-called “legacy cities.” These are the smaller to mid-sized cities across the state other than Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Canton and Youngstown. Cities like Portsmouth, Mansfield, and Lorain.
A recent Dispatch editorial called attention to GOPC’s efforts regarding Ohio’s legacy cities citing
On Friday, the Legislative Service Commission hosted a seminar discussing Ohio’s efforts to solve harmful algae blooms in its waterways including Lake Erie. The seminar brought together researchers, government officials and business groups to discuss the science and solutions for addressing algae blooms.
The biggest takeaways from the seminar is that Ohio has a very
Many businesses or developers are intimidated about purchasing property former industrial or commercial property that may be contaminated. The fear of the unknown can be the biggest deterrent to considering properties that may be contaminated. Common concerns include:
The Trump Administration has made it a priority to shift more responsibility to the states on enforcement. On July 11, 2019, U.S. EPA released a memorandum to the Regional Administrators regarding federal and state enforcement. The latest policy memorandum was a collaboration between U.S. EPA and State EPA Administrators. The memorandum includes:
Despite its limitations, most commercial and industrial property transactions rely on the Bona Fide Purchaser Defense (BFPD) to CERCLA as the principal means of protecting new owners from environmental liability. While EPA has adopted the “All Appropriate Inquiry” (AAI Rule) to provide some clarity to the steps necessary to qualify for the defense, there is
On February 14, 2019, the IRS will hold a public hearing on its regulations governing Qualified Opportunity Zones. The public comment period closed on December 28, 2018. The IRS is expected to finalize regulations soon after the public hearing.
One of the most notable comments received during the public comment period on the IRS regulations