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
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The Governor’s top legislative priority is the privatization of the State’s economic development functions. House Bill 1, known as "JobsOhio", has been introduced and a vote in the Senate may come yet this week.
The Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) plays a critical role in the administration of the Clean Ohio program which provides millions in
Ohio is facing a $8 billion dollar budget gap. Governor-elect Kasich has stressed the need to streamline state government as part of solving the budget crisis as well as making government more efficient.
During his campaign he already announced one very creative proposal to eliminate the Ohio Dept. of Development. Could an idea being tested in other states- combining State environmental programs-be a proposal worth considering in Ohio?
Good in Theory?
A brief overview of the current state structure suggests combining responsibilities would gain efficiencies. Similar functions and staff with similar capabilities are spread across five different state agencies.
Combining functions and potentially agencies could benefit those organizations. Greater efficiency is not only good for business, its good for agencies that are constantly fighting for funding to support their programs.
The counter argument is that combining large government agencies you run the danger of creating even a larger bureaucracy. Not only could there be even more layers of management the organization could become too large to effectively manage.
An Overview of the Current Ohio Structure
Most environmental regulatory functions are split between the Ohio EPA and the Dept. of Natural Resources. However, there are clean up, regulatory and grant programs related to the environment spread across a total of five different state agencies.
Here is just a quick look at various functions that have commonalities and are divided up between multiple agencies.
Brownfield Redevelopment and Clean Up
Federal Water Pollution Permitting Programs
Litter and Recycling
Wetlands
Ground Water Management
Surface Water and Lake Erie
Underground Storage Tanks
Diesel Emission Reduction Programs
The list of similar functions spread across multiple agencies is probably longer. In addition to similar regulatory functions, each of these agencies maintain their own Information Technology Offices, HR, Motor Pools, Facilities Management, Press Offices and Director’s Offices. Combining support offices could also gain efficiencies.
Not a Budget Fix
After modifications to its funding strategy, Ohio EPA utilizes no general revenue funds to support its programs. ODNR has substantially reduced its reliance on GRF. So combining agencies is not going to do much to fix the $8 billion dollar budget hole.
However, both agencies (as well as the other three agencies) assess multiple fees to business to support their programs. These fees have regularly been increased to support rising human resource expenses within the Agencies. Fees, while imposing costs on businesses, have traditionally not received the same political attention as GRF.
While streamlining and combining functions may not solve the $8 billion budget hole, it could avoid or reduce the need to raise fees on businesses.
For a discussion of what has occurred in other states…continue reading.Continue Reading Ohio EPA + ODNR?
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Clean Ohio Council has expanded the types of eligible projects that can receive funding under the Clean Ohio Revitilization Fund (CORF). Parks, urban waterfronts, solar and wind projects are now eligible for funding so long as these projects take place on a brownfield.
This change will create greater competition begining in Round 10 of the
Ohio has one of the best state brownfield grant programs in the country. There are two pots of money available at the state level:
Ohio is using federal stimulus money to establish a new grant opportunity in the renewable energy area. The Ohio Department of Development has released an RFP soliciting proposals with a total of $10 million in available funding.
Minimum award is $500,000 and maximum is $1 million.
The grant program is looking for projects that convert feedstocks such as
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The administration of the Clean Ohio program is largely governed by the policies developed by the Clean Ohio Council. Separate policies have been generated for the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) and the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF).
Over the life of the Clean Ohio program, the Clean Ohio Council has routinely updated the program
On May 18, 2009 the Clean Ohio Council finalized new policies that will govern future rounds of the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF). A major change has been incorporated into the policies that will impact developers, consultants and contractors who work on Clean Ohio projects. For the first time the Council has included conflict of
On May 26th, the Ohio Department of Development announced the recipients of the second round of the Diesel Emission Reduction Grant (DERG) program. The announcement once again highlights issues with implementation of this grant program.
After two grant rounds, school buses, transit and rail received the lion share of the total $19.8 million in available