Ohio EPA
Finding & Getting Your Site Ready for Business – Site Development Assistance
Expedited Permitting Assistance: Collaborative efforts led by the Ohio Department of Development and involving the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Department of Transportation, and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, will assure that all necessary industrial, building, environmental, and related permits are processed in a timely, business-friendly manner. Where possible, ombudsman services can be offered to further streamline any multi-agency permitting processes.
Click here to view the EPA website for permit assistance.
Ohio EPA Environmental Regulations and Pollution Prevention: Small businesses face unique challenges in understanding environmental regulations and in navigating permitting and reporting processes. Recognizing these challenges, Ohio EPA created the Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention (OCAPP) to help businesses comply with environmental regulations and identify pollution prevention opportunities. The OCAPP has a free online Permit Wizard to help individuals and businesses identify the basic Ohio EPA permits, licenses and registrations needed.
Click here to visit their website.
Ohio EPA Grant Programs
EPA Brownfields Program Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfield Program helps communities clean up and redevelop properties. EPA defines a brownfield site as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be contaminated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant." The program helps mitigate potential health risks and assists in restoring economic vitality to areas where brownfields exist. The EPA's Brownfields Program is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. EPA provides technical and financial assistance for brownfields activities through an approach based on four main goals: protecting human health and the environment, sustaining reuse, promoting partnerships, and strengthening the marketplace. Brownfields grants serve as the foundation of the Brownfields Program and support revitalization efforts by funding environmental assessment, cleanup, and job training activities. Thousands of properties have been assessed and cleaned up through the Brownfields Program, clearing the way for their reuse.
Click here for more information on this grant.
Tax incentives are available for these brownfield projects.
Click here to view the Brownfield Tax Incentive Fact Sheet.
Ohio Water Development Authority – Local Economic Development Fund:
Low-interest financing is available to communities for public water and sanitary sewer improvements. Loans are made directly to local communities on favorable interest rates and terms. Read the loan description on this
pdf.
Clean Water Act Grant
Local governments, nonprofit organizations, watershed groups, SWCD’s and local park districts may apply. Up to $400,000 is available to conduct stream restoration and nonpoint source pollution management projects. 20 percent of the total project costs are required to be provided as local match. Approximately $3.5 million per year is available. Applications are due in the spring. Application and more information is available on this
website.
Local governments, county park districts, soil and water conservation districts, city and/or county health departments, 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation groups with land management responsibilities, watershed groups (with local government sponsorship), state agencies with land managing responsibilities, recognized land conservancies or trusts are eligible to apply. Up to $150,000 is available for implementation of specific projects that address nonpoint source pollution and/or storm water runoff and result in water quality improvements in Ohio’s streams, rivers and lakes. More information is available at this
website.
Visit the Ohio EPA's home page to learn more.