Governor Kasich’s recently approved state budget includes a new fund for assessing and cleaning up certain types of abandoned gas station sites. The $20 Million Fund has been established from monies left over from the old Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund within the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA). Political subdivisions, and organizations that enter into an agreement for redevelopment with political subdivisions, are eligible. ODSA will manage the program, and estimates that it will take applications later this fall.
Each site can receive up to $100,000 for assessing the contamination, and up to $500,000 for cleaning the site to meet Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) standards. This will help neighborhoods to get these classically blighted corner properties to be evaluated, cleaned up, and provide a much better chance to put them back to beneficial use.
These sites must have the “Class C” designation from BUSTR, meaning that there are no viable parties responsible for the release, the party seeking funds is not a responsible party, and the site is not under BUSTR enforcement. ODSA estimates approximately 600 abandoned gas station sites may qualify.
To get more information on the new program, please contact Tim Brown at (614) 794-3570 extension 29.