In July 2023, the Ohio Legislature injected an additional $350 million into the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program (OBRP) due to the success of the program in the prior two years. Funding was split into $175 million in FY 24 and a second $175 million available in FY 25. The Legislature also reserved $1 million in
Ohio Budget Adds $500 Million in Brownfield Funding on a First Come First Served Basis
Since the sunset of the Clean Ohio Program in 2013, there has been a strong push for dedicated funding to address brownfield sites in Ohio. The Ohio 2022-2023 budget just signed by Governor DeWine comes through in a very big way by allocating $500 million in new funding under various programs. The budget allocates $350
New ASTM Phase I Standard Under Development- What to Expect
ASTM International publishes the accepted standard for performance of Phase I environmental assessments to evaluate a property’s environmental condition and assess potential liability for any contamination. U.S. EPA’s “All Appropriate Inquiries” Rule (AAI) recognizes the current ASTM Phase I standard, ASTM 1527-13, is consistent with the requirements of AAI and can be used to satisfy
New Ohio Law Reduces Cost and Time for Environmental Cleanups
On June 16, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 168, which provides greater flexibility to manage environmental issues on commercial/industrial property. The bill will take effect on September 14, 2020 (90 days after the governor’s signature).
What issue does H.B. 168 address?
The cost to clean up historical contamination at commercial/industrial properties has
Five Common Mistakes When Purchasing Potentially Contaminated Property
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:
- Could I be buying a potential mess, which could cost me six to seven figures to
New Ohio Bill Could Jumpstart Brownfield Redevelopment
Since the sunset of the very successful Clean Ohio Brownfield Revitalization Program, brownfield redevelopment has slowed in Ohio. At a time when the economy is finally doing well, and real estate development is in full recovery mode, brownfields are still being passed over for less costly redevelopment options.
This past week, Representative Arndt introduced House
JobsOhio Launches Site Selection Search Database
JobsOhio launched a new site selection tool called SiteOhio designed to provide easy access to businesses looking for locations to either develop new facilities or buy/lease existing buildings. The easy to use web based tool allows you to search by the following parameters:
- Available buildings of a certain size
- Vacant land based on acreage
- Businesses
Cuyahoga County May End Brownfield Program
After more than ten years of building a brownfield redevelopment program, Cuyahoga County Officials are currently contemplating bringing the program to a close. Over the last few years significant staff cuts have reduced the amount of resources dedicated to the program. Now it appears that in 2017 the various incentives available to attract redevelopment to
State of Ohio Pursues Recovery of Incentives
Companies expanding onto brownfield sites need public incentives to make their projects viable. However, the days when cleanup of contamination by itself could attract public incentives are long over. Under the new local and State brownfield programs companies must make job commitments and/or improvements to the property to attract government assistance.
When companies work with
Rethinking Brownfield Redevelopment in Ohio- Part 2 of 4
This second post in the series discussing brownfield redevelopment in Ohio will provide an overview of the extent and nature of Ohio’s brownfield problem. First, the post will discuss Ohio’s progress in spurring brownfield versus greenfield redevelopment. Second, the post will provide an overview of public information regarding the number of brownfields in Ohio