In June, the City of Geneva, Ohio won another $100,000 Ohio Development Service Agency (ODSA) Abandoned Gas Station (AGS) grant for a former gas station located in the heart of their City. The first AGS grant was used to remove the two underground storage tanks, pump islands and piping; and to evaluate the soil and groundwater for contamination. Based on the results of the assessment grant, the additional grant will be used to conduct the necessary Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) risk assessment activities, and also to remove lead contaminated soil to meet the Ohio EPA Voluntary Action Program (VAP) standards. No Further Action (NFA) letters under both BUSTR and the VAP letters will then be written for the site. At that point, the City and the Ashtabula County Land Bank (owner of the property) will move forward with its community redevelopment plans.
Also, in June, the Ashtabula County Port Authority won another $63,500 ODSA AGS assessment grant to complete the evaluation of the former gas station located in Austinburg, Ohio. After the work is completed, the site will be in a position for a final ODSA AGS remediation grant to remove contaminated soil, and receive an NFA letter from BUSTR. This will allow the property to be redeveloped by the Port Authority for the community.
The $20 Million Abandoned Gas Station Fund was established from monies left over from the old Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund within ODSA, and will be available at least through June 2019. ODSA grants can be obtained at abandoned gas station sites for Phase II environmental site assessments, up to $100,000; and for clean-ups, up to $500,000.
GT assisted both the City of Geneva and the Ashtabula County Port Authority with obtaining the funds, and implementing portions of the grants. To get more information on the program, and to assist in preparing grant applications, please contact Tim Brown, (614) 794-3570 x29.
Picture of the tanks removals at the former Benson gas station in Geneva, Ohio.