Cincinnati Property Meets Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program Requirements

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 29, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Through the voluntary efforts of Red Bank Crossing II, another Cincinnati brownfield has been investigated and remediated under Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP).

Ohio EPA has issued a covenant not to sue to Red Bank Crossing II for the former Davis and Sons Pallet Company at 4400-4600 Red Bank Expressway. The company operated from the early 1980s through 1996, and the property is now used for commercial activities.

Following standards developed by Ohio EPA, the volunteers hired certified environmental professionals to assess the 6.2-acre site, identify any areas of concern and, if needed, remediate contamination to a level that would allow for commercial or industrial redevelopment. Chemicals of concern included volatile organic compounds, metals and petroleum-based residuals.

Covenants not to sue identify the property as acceptable for commercial or industrial use. Use of water from beneath the ground at the site is prohibited. The covenant and restrictions that run with the property protect the owners and/or operators and future owners from being legally responsible to the State of Ohio for further investigation and remediation when used and maintained in accordance with the terms and conditions of the covenant.

In the 17 years since Ohio EPA issued the first covenant under VAP, nearly 7,000 acres of blighted land have been revitalized at more than 350 sites across the state.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1972 to consolidate efforts to protect and improve air quality, water quality and waste management in Ohio. In the past 40 years, air pollutants dropped by as much as 90 percent; large rivers meeting standards improved from 21 percent to 89 percent; and hundreds of polluting, open dumps were replaced with engineered landfills and an increased emphasis on waste reduction and recycling. Ohio EPA — 40 years and moving forward.

PUBLIC INTEREST CENTER: (614) 644-2160
MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Lauer
CITIZEN CONTACT: Darla Peelle