In Ohio, the primary brownfield cleanup program is known as the Voluntary Action Program (VAP). Volunteers can cleanup their site to commercial/industrial or residential standards. Upon completing the cleanup the volunteer can receive a legal release from the State of Ohio (called a "Covenant-Not-to-Sue" or CNS).
The CNS under the VAP does not include a
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
The Ohio House has introduced a bill that would provide a tax incentive to clean up contaminated properties. House Bill 10, if enacted, would provide an exemption from penalties as well as a tax credit to encourage companies to voluntarily remediate property.
Similar to other existing tax incentives, the bill encourages companies to remediate property under Ohio’s Voluntary
I was interviewed for a story on the local NPR station in Cleveland about a Northeast Ohio company that nearly went bankrupt because of confusion over Ohio’s brownfield tax abatement law. The title of the story was "How a Poorly Worded Tax Rule Nearly Bankrupted Ohio’s Oldest Company." Listen to the whole story by clicking