WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 17, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Through the voluntary efforts of the property owner, an Ashland brownfield is ready for redevelopment after undergoing investigation under Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP). Ohio EPA has issued a covenant not to sue to Pentair Pump Group Inc. (the volunteer) for a small portion of the former Landoll Corp. property at 425 Orange St.
A tenth-of-an-acre section was carved out of the property for investigation. Remediation was not required for the property to meet VAP standards.
The site had been used for two toluene and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) product underground storage tanks. In addition to toluene and MEK being in the soil and ground water where the storage tanks were located, acetone and benzoic acid were identified in the ground water.
The property can be developed for commercial or industrial uses, with some restrictions. Ground water cannot be extracted and an enclosed building intended for routine human occupancy cannot be used without further remediation for potential vapor intrusion. The property currently is being used for parking and that use is expected to continue. The property is owned by The Pump House Ministries.
Following standards developed by Ohio EPA, the volunteer hired a certified environmental professional to assess the site, identify any areas of concern and remediate the contamination on the property to a level that allows for redevelopment.
A covenant not to sue protects the property’s owner or operator and future owners from being legally responsible to the State of Ohio for further investigation and remediation. This protection applies only when the property is used and maintained in accordance with the terms and conditions of the covenant.
In the 18 years since Ohio EPA issued the first covenant under VAP, more than 8,000 acres of blighted land have been revitalized at more than 400 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
