This is the third post in a series of four assessing the current state of brownfield redevelopment in the State of Ohio.  This third post will evaluate the progress Ohio has made in the last twenty years with regard to addressing brownfields.

Current Options for Addressing Environmental Liability 

As discussed extensively in the prior posts

The Attorney General’s Office completed its review of compliance with job commitments the state received in exchange for various incentives.  Here is the summary of its findings:

  • Workforce Compliance Rate: 100% (49 of 49 awards in substantial compliance)
  • Grant Compliance Rate: 74.4% (29 of 39)
  • Tax Credit Compliance Rate: 62.4% (78 of 125)
  • Loan Compliance

Last week, we hosted a very successful seminar covering commercial and industrial property redevelopment.  I participated on a panel that included JobsOhio, the City of Cleveland and TeamNEO discussing brownfield redevelopment, in particular, incentives.  A major focus of the discussions was the relatively new JobsOhio Revitalization Program.  

I have worked with JobsOhio on

On October 22nd, Kristi Tanner, a managing director of JobsOhio presented regarding Ohio’s new brownfield redevelopment incentive program which will replace Clean Ohio.  Many in the brownfield redevelopment community have been anxiously awaiting the roll-out of the new program.

According to Ms. Tanner, JobsOhio will start discussing potential projects now, but awards under the new

Last year the Kasich Administration announced that it was phasing out the Clean Ohio brownfield grant program.  The Clean Ohio program,which had been in existence for over a decade, had provided approximately $37.5 million per year in incentives for cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields. 

Last May, the Administration allocated a final $15 million toward traditional

The picture is still very murky with regard to what brownfield funding will look like in Ohio.   The program is being transferred from the Ohio Department of Development to JobsOhio.  The Kasich Administration has stated it believes the program needs to be overhauled.  (Click here for prior post regarding transfer to JobsOhio