The Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) has released new guidelines for its Abandoned Gas Station Cleanup Grant Program. The Program was established for the purpose of cleanup and remediation of Class C sites as established by the Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) and provide for the environmentally safe and productive reuse of Publicly Owned Lands. The goal of the program is to identify and address abandoned gas stations in key locations (i.e., along busy roadways or at key intersections) that cannot be redeveloped due to the cost of cleanup and lack of a financially viable party. An eligible property may receive up to $100,000 for property assessment activities and a maximum of $500,000 for cleanup or remediation activities.
Eligible applicants include a Political Subdivision (a county, municipal corporation, township, port authority, or a county land reutilization corporation). The Political Subdivision must own the property or enter into a relevant agreement with an organization that owns the property. Applicants or organizations with which a relevant agreement is entered into, if applicable, cannot have caused any prior release of petroleum or hazardous substances on the property, and cannot have operated any BUSTR regulated tank on the property, when such tanks were in service.
Eligible properties must have been formerly used as a gas station or service station and have a BUSTR Class C release, are vacant, and have had no commercial development or public use after its last operation as a gas station or service station. A confirmed release of petroleum must be documented at the property. If underground storage tanks (USTs) are no longer present on the site, the release must have been detected above BUSTR action levels to be eligible.
Program priority will be given to eligible properties that are owned by a political subdivision and have a well-defined redevelopment plan.
Grant applications will be evaluated and scored on a 100-point basis. Applications must receive a score of 70 or higher to be considered eligible for the grant program. The following rating criteria will be used to evaluate project applications:
- Community Location – High profile locations on main thoroughfares or key intersections (up to 20 points)
- Community Impact – Land use after cleanup, benefits to community (up to 20 points)
- Economic Impact – Job creation, increase in land value, etc. (up to 20 points)
- Redevelopment Plan – Known end use, committed parties, purposeful component of comprehensive land use plan (up to 20 points)
- Environmental Impact – Extent of site remediation, proximity to waterway or residential area, etc. (up to 20 points)
If you are aware of a vacant former gas station that may be a viable candidate for the OSDA Abandoned Gas Station Cleanup Grant Program, or would like more information on the program, please contact Rick Ordeman at 937-558-6993 or Tim Brown at 614-794-3570, Ext. 129.