H.B. 110 (Budget) Bill Highlights: New Grant Program To Help To Remediate Brownfields

Recently enacted H.B. 110, the State of Ohio's Budget Bill, has created a new grant program (O.R.C. 122.6511) to cover up to 75% of a project's total cost to help remediate brownfields. The program, called the Brownfield Remediation Program, resides within newly renamed Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). H.B. 110 provides that the Director of Ohio Department of Development will determine project eligibility, project sponsor eligibility and administration for the new program pursuant to administrative rule. The program must be operational and accepting application within 90 days of budget bill's effective date (September 29, 2021). H.B. 110 appropriates $350 million for the new program for state fiscal year 2022. Of that amount, H.B 110 further provides that $1 million will be reserved for each Ohio county for the first year of the program with all remaining funds after such reservation awarded by the ODOD on a first-come, first served basis. There is authority