Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance 2020 Annual Report

Providing technical, compliance, and financial assistance programs to help Ohio communities and businesses with their environmental needs.

March 2021

Introduction

2020 marked another successful year of enhanced services to Ohio’s businesses and communities through Ohio EPA’s Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance (DEFA). Through our team’s efforts, we surpassed prior years of assistance and service to our customers. DEFA serves as a one-stop shop for customers seeking technical and financial resources to help them achieve compliance. Listed below are just some of the resources and services available. • Providing environmental and financial assistance to support H2Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine’s comprehensive, data- driven water quality initiative to reduce harmful algal blooms (HABs), improve wastewater infrastructure, and prevent lead contamination. • State revolving fund (SRF) loan programs to help communities construct and maintain wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. • Funding to help communities address water quality issues from combined sewer overflows, failing home sewage treatment systems, nutrients, and lead. • Technical assistance to help small community wastewater treatment plants improve operations and efficiency. • Compliance assistance program to help small businesses with environmental regulations through on-site visits, help completing applications and forms, training, and plain-English publications. • Funding to support recycling, litter cleanup, scrap tire management, and market development for recyclables such as glass, plastics, rubber, and construction and demolition debris. • The Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) program, which recognizes the outstanding efforts of businesses, communities, and other entities making a commitment to environmental stewardship. • The Ohio Materials Marketplace, an online tool to facilitate the reuse of materials through a collaborative network of businesses, organizations, and entrepreneurs. In 2020, we reached out to thousands of businesses and communities throughout Ohio to increase the awareness of services and resources available through DEFA, and we look forward to even greater technical and finacial assistance in the coming year.

Funding to Help Communities Address Wastewater and Drinking Water Needs

Water Pollution Control Loan Fund Through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF), Ohio EPA offers financial and technical assistance to public entities (villages, cities, counties, and sewer districts) for wastewater-related projects, including: • improving and expanding wastewater treatment plants; • installing/replacing sewers; • eliminating sewer infiltration/inflow; WPCLF in 2020: $577 million • addressing unsewered areas; • repairing/replacing failing household sewage treatment systems; and • infrastructure improvements to address combined sewer overflow (CSO) problems. During 2020, Ohio EPA awarded WPCLF loans totaling more than $577 million to Ohio communities. Principal forgiveness (grant-like) funding totalling nearly $11 million was made available to help communities address failing household sewage treatment systems (HSTS). In addition, close to $28 million in principal forgiveness was made available to provide collection capacity in unsewered areas and address other infrastructure priorities, particularly in economically disadvantaged and small communities.

Page 1 of 9

Water Supply Revolving Loan Account Program Ohio EPA’s Water Supply Revolving Loan Account WSRLA in 2020: $315 million (WSRLA) provides financial assistance to communities for planning, design, construction, and improvements to public water systems. In 2020, Ohio EPA awarded WSRLA loans totaling more than $300 million to help communities address drinking water infrastructure needs. In addition, about $15 million in principal forgiveness funding was made available to help fund small, disadvantaged communities and regionalization projects. The table below summarizes WPCLF and WRSLA funding highlights and award totals.

WPCLF and WSRLA Loan Programs 2020 Highlights WPCLF Program (Wastewater Infrastructure) WPCLF Loans for Wastewater Infrastructure Planning, Design, and Construction $537,907,485 Household Sewage Treatment System (HSTS) Principal Forgiveness Funding $10,825,000 Principal Forgiveness for Non-HSTS Projects $28,742,861 WSRLA Program (Drinking Water Infrastructure) WSRLA Loans for Drinking Water Infrastructure Planning, Design, and Construction $300,006,778 WSRLA Principal Forgiveness $14,781,481 HAB and Nutrient Reduction Funding through Ohio’s SRF Programs WPCLF Nutrient Reduction Loan Total $19,404,010 WSRLA HAB Loan Total $42,945,811

Addressing Statewide Priorities through Ohio’s SRF Programs

Ohio EPA leverages financial resources through our SRF and grant programs to address some of the state’s most significant water quality challenges, including HABs, failing septic systems, lead, and combined sewer overflows. Working in partnership with other public funding partners, providing incentives for innovative approaches, and offering flexible financing terms have been effective strategies to help our communities in addressing these challenges. Harmful Algal Blooms During 2020, the WSRLA program awarded more than $42 million in loans for infrastructure improvements at drinking water treatment plants intended to address the effects of HABs on drinking water supplies. Nearly $20 million was awarded through the WPCLF for projects to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen at wastewater treatment plants.

Page 2 of 9

Failing Household Sewage Treatment Systems Local health districts were offered WPCLF funding to help their low- to moderate-income homeowners repair and replace failing HSTS. Through the program, more than $10 million in principal forgiveness funding was made available to homeowners through their local health departments. Health departments in 74 counties applied for up to a maximum of $150,000 each to distribute under the HSTS program. Since the program was initiated in 2016, more than $60 million has been awarded, $40 million has been disbursed, and approximately 3,500 systems have been repaired or replaced. Continuing to Support Disadvantaged Communities with Regional Approaches As the overall cost and complexity of infrastructure management has steadily risen, it has become increasingly difficult for some smaller communities to maintain their facilities. This is true of both drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. In some parts of the state, areas that need new centralized facilities are finding it very difficult to go it alone. For both drinking water and wastewater projects, Ohio EPA’s SRF resources provide incentives for utilities to consolidate or regionalize. In 2020, principal forgiveness and zero percent interest rate funds were available to assist in these cost-effective solutions. In 2020, $19.5 million in principal forgiveness was committed to six wastewater projects which regionalized by creating centralized wastewater treatment plants or by tying in unsewered areas to an existing wastewater treatment plant. Nearly $2 million in principal forgiveness was made available to bring public drinking water to the City of New Franklin; this project also helped to address drinking water well contamination.

Recipient Project Loan Amount Principal Forgiveness WSRLA Regionalization/Consolidation Projects Aqua Ohio, Inc. New Franklin Waterline Extension $3,833,169 $1,900,431 WPCLF Regionalization/Consolidation Projects Chesterhill Sanitary Sewer System $4,875,000 $4,000,000 Dupont Dupont-Cloverdale Collection System and WWTP $4,000,000 $4,000,000 Hocking County Enterprise Sanitary Sewer System $5,297,160 $4,000,000 West Milton Ludlow Falls Sanitary Sewer System $905,588 $905,588 West Salem WWTP Expansion $6,152,054 $4,000,000 West Union Crackel Subdivision Sewer Extension $2,651,715 $2,651,715

Ohio’s SRF programs are some of the largest in the country. Both the WPCLF and WSRLA programs are audited extensively each year by federal and state officials. In all audits of the SRF programs by U.S. EPA and the Ohio Auditor of State completed in 2020, no significant deficiencies of either program were identified.

SRF Funding – Community Highlights

Warren WWTP and Pump Stations Refurbishment Phase 1 In 2020, Ohio EPA awarded a $45 million loan to the City of Warren for its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) improvements project. The City of Warren owns and operates a wastewater collection and treatment system consisting of three major parts: a sanitary sewer system dating back to 1895 with approximately 195 miles of sanitary sewers, seven pump stations, and one major WWTP. These collection and treatment systems have historically experienced problems associated with wet weather and combined/sanitary sewer overflows for more than 30 years. The project will address upgrades to the sanitary sewer system, pump station, and WWTP.

Page 3 of 9

Columbus Advanced Metering Infrastructure System and Installation The City of Columbus was awarded a nearly $75 million loan to convert or replace approximately 300,000 meters with digital water meters and electronic transmitters over the next five years. Each installation will include a fixed base wireless system to instantaneously on a real-time basis automatically transmit all meter data to a central location. This will require installation of wireless/radio transmitting infrastructure throughout the service area, including transmitters, repeater stations, and wiring to allow the information to be transmitted into the City’s fiber network and ultimately conveyed back to a central location for processing and analysis.

Wetland and Stream Preservation and Restoration

Created in 2000, the Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program (WRRSP) uses interest monies from WPCLF loan sponsor projects to fund preservation and restoration of aquatic habitat. Since 2000, more than $222 million has been awarded for 170 projects to protect and preserve some of Ohio’s highest water quality resources. In 2020, Ohio EPA approved 12 projects for $16,006,254 in WRRSP funding.

Implementer Project County Amount Akron Eckert Ditch Portage $776,500 Appalachia Ohio Alliance Corby Addition to Bison Hollow Preserve Hocking $854,000 Arc of Appalachia Tremper Protection Scioto $2,332,833 Cleveland Metroparks Bonnie Park Dam Removal and Wetland Restoration Cuyahoga $1,880,239 Cleveland Museum of Natural History East Branch Cuyahoga River Wetlands Preserve Geauga $1,760,000 Cleveland Museum of Natural History Mentor Marsh East Basin Restoration Phase 2 Lake $925,932 Geauga Park District Beaver Creek Restoration Geauga $842,840 Lorain County Metro Parks Rocky River/Black River Headwaters Restoration Lorain $1,604,709 Metropolitan Park District of the Secor Metropark Expansion and Wetland Restoration Lucas $2,923,000 Toledo Area Ohio Department of Natural Resources Little Darby Creek Riparian Corridor Protection Madison $698,300 The Nature Conservancy Morgan Swamp – Frick Tract Ashtabula $287,900 Trust for Public Land Springfield Bog Expansion Summit $1,120,000

Project Spotlight Tremper Mound and Scioto River Protection

As a long-time land conservation organization, but a first-time WRRSP implementer, the Arc of Appalachia was successful in receiving the $2.3 million funding for its high-quality Scioto River protection proposal in 2020. This impressive WRRSP project will protect, in perpetuity, 618 acres of habitat within the lower Scioto River watershed including 5,500 linear feet (LF) of Warmwater Habitat along the mainstem of the biologically diverse Scioto River, 6,500 LF of Exceptional Warmwater Habitat along Pond Creek, 5,500 LF of Class III Primary Headwater Habitat, and 12 acres of Category 3 wetlands.

The project will also protect a significant archaeological site called the Tremper Mound and Works, a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)- listed Hopewell earthwork that’s approximately 2,000 years old and is the largest remaining unprotected Hopewell mound in Ohio. Arc of Appalachia’s Tremper Mound project was sponsored by a WPCLF loan awarded to the City of Warren’s WWTP and Pump Station Refurbishment project. Page 4 of 9

Project Spotlight Secor Metropark Expansion and Wetland Restoration As part of the on-going efforts to restore Oak Openings habitat in the former Great Black Swamp area of Northwest Ohio, the Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area will acquire an approximately 186-acre former golf course property that contains four acres of existing Category 3 wetlands and 2,800 linear feet of stream (Prairie Ditch) and restore 163 acres of Oak Openings Category 3 wetland communities and 12 acres of upland oak savanna habitat, all adjacent to the 610 acre Secor Metropark.

Existing golf infrastructure will be removed, and the site will Metropolitation Park District of the Toledo Area’s Secor be regraded to restore native floodplain, topography, and Metropark Expansion and Wetland Restoration project was hydrology. Approximately 7,000 LF of ditches will be sponsored by a WPCLF loan awarded to the City of Akron’s WRF Headworks Improvements project. plugged/removed, and vegetation will be restored to native, local plant populations. This restoration work will complement the remaining Oak Openings habitat in the region, which currently sustains more rare species of plants and animals than any other area of a similar size in Ohio.

H2Ohio: Long-Term, Cost-Effective, and Permanent Water Quality Solutions

H2Ohio is Governor Mike DeWine’s comprehensive, data-driven water quality initiative to reduce harmful algal blooms, improve wastewater infrastructure, and prevent lead contamination. Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative invests in targeted solutions helping reduce phosphorus runoff and prevent algal blooms through increasing implementation of agricultural best practices and the creation of wetlands; improving wastewater infrastructure; replacing failing home septic systems; and preventing lead contamination in high-risk daycare centers and schools. The Ohio General Assembly invested $172 million in the initiative in July 2019, and since then, H2Ohio experts have been developing strategies for long-term, cost-effective, and permanent water quality solutions. In state fiscal year 2020, Ohio EPA received $8.675 million in H2Ohio funds to make available to projects supporting focus areas of the H2Ohio Initiative. DEFA assisted in awarding grant funds in the following areas: Household Sewage Treatment System Repair and Replacement: A total of $1.75 million was awarded to seven local health districts in the western Lake Erie basin. Health districts in Erie, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Williams, and Wood counties each received $250,000 to assist low-income homeowners with addressing failing septic systems. Regionalization for Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: A total of $4.21 million was awarded to seven communities or service providers to address inadequate or unsafe drinking water and to extend sewer service to unsewered areas. Coshocton, New Waterford, Noble County, Pike Water, Pomeroy, Williams County, and West Milton each received between $500,000 and $1 million to provide critical water and wastewater services to Ohio residents. Childcare Lead Service Line Replacement: $725,000 was awarded to Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) to remove lead service lines serving childcare facilities. It is expected that the funding will allow GCWW to offer complete lead service line replacement for 185 childcare facilities. The funding is also supported by a federal grant which provides funding to test for lead in drinking water.

Page 5 of 9

Helping Businesses with Environmental Regulations and Permitting

DEFA’s Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention (OCAPP) provides free and confidential assistance to help businesses comply with environmental requirements. OCAPP responded to more than 13,159 environmental assistance requests from Ohio businesses, communities, and other organizations during 2020. This includes assistance in completing 2,603 forms, including permit applications and other Ohio EPA paperwork. OCAPP staff participated in 40 presentations and training events, reaching more than 1,161 people with information on a variety of environmental compliance topics. Informational Webinars on Compliance and Resources DEFA hosted 17 webinars covering a variety of topics, including environmental compliance, funding, and reporting. More than 5,460 people participated in DEFA’s webinars or viewed our archived library of training materials during 2020. Popular webinar topics in 2020 included: • Virtual Assistance and Resources from Ohio EPA and Ohio BWC • Open Dumping of Solid Waste and Scrap Tires • Recycling and Litter Prevention Grant Application Process • Lead Service Line Replacement Funding

DEFA also launched a new series of webinars focused on those environmental issues that have an impact at the local level. These seven webinars occurred throughout the year and cover a wide range of topics from how Ohio EPA regulates sources of air pollution, waste management, wastewater and storm water discharges to different ways your community can promote environmental stewardship and improve the environment in your local area.

Promoting Recycling and Environmentally Sustainable Practices

Ohio EPA’s Virtual Compliance Assistance Conference In March, shortly before our in-person compliance assistance conference in Columbus (sold out with 500 participants) was to begin, COVID-19 forced us to cancel. When we realized a new normal was here and we could not offer the conference live, our staff worked to come up with an alternative option to reach our customers virtually.

Ohio EPA’s first free virtual compliance assistance conference was held over three weeks Sept. 21 through Oct. 8, 2020, with 7,630 people logging on to 20 different sessions and interacting virtually. Sessions had polling to engage the participants and opportunities to ask questions. Certificates for continuing education credits were included for each session and all sessions were recorded for customers who could not attend or who wanted to review a session more closely. Conference sessions focused on compliance with air, waste, and water regulations. Interactive keynote sessions live-streamed with Ohio EPA’s Director, Laurie Stevenson, and U.S. EPA Region V’s Director Michael Harris.

Page 6 of 9

Ohio’s Materials Marketplace: Year Three Accomplishments In April 2017, Ohio EPA launched the Ohio Materials Marketplace (OMM), a free online platform connecting businesses to recycling and reuse solutions for their waste and by-product challenges. Ohio businesses, not-for-profits, and government organizations can now list available products and materials that would otherwise be destined for disposal in landfills. To increase connection opportunities, the Ohio Materials Marketplace is now linked with materials marketplaces provided by Tennessee, Michigan, Texas, and Ontario, Canada.

Ohio EPA manages and markets OMM with help from the Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Ohio By-Product Synergy Network, and Ohio’s solid waste management districts. To date, more than 1,100 members have joined OMM and 3.8 million pounds of materials have been exchanged for reuse and diverted from landfills, saving members more than $230,000. The Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable The Great Lakes Circular Materials Roundtable series is hosted in collaboration with the Michigan Recycling Coalition; Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE); RRS; Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; Council of the Great Lakes Region; and the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development. This virtual roundtable series facilitates opportunities to solve specific materials challenges from Great Lakes businesses that can lead to development of a more circular economy in the region. Throughout 2020, Ohio EPA collaborated with these Michigan-organized events, marketing the roundtable series to Ohio businesses and ensuring Ohio’s material challenges were heard and solved. Material challenges addressed in 2020 include wood pallets, film plastics, post-industrial organics and textiles. Encouraging Environmental Excellence Program Ohio EPA’s E3 Program recognizes businesses, organizations, and government entities for achievements in environmental stewardship. During 2020, Ohio EPA acknowledged eight Gold Level, and seven Silver Level E3 recipients. This was the fourth year Ohio EPA recognized organizations at the Platinum Level for their efforts to expand their environmental sustainability programs beyond their own facility to make a positive impact on their surrounding community with four organizations recognized at the E3 Platinum Level.

Page 7 of 9

The Encouraging Environmental Excellence in Education (E4) program recognizes any Ohio K-12 public or private school for its achievements in environmental stewardship and efforts to educate students on environmental topics. The program has three recognition classes: root, branch, and leaf, which are based on how many of the three Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) each school is incorporating in its curriculum or activities. In 2020, nine schools were recognized for their environmental stewardship, including Magnificat High School in Rocky River. Magnificat was one of two schools to receive Leaf Class recognition in 2020, the highest level in the E4 program. Director Stevenson hosted the first virtual E4 recognition ceremony with Magnificat in May 2020. Applications for the E4 program are accepted at any time throughout the year. Applications must be Virtual E4 recognition ceremony with Director Stevenson and Magnificat High filled out online at School on May 14, 2020. https://ohioepa.custhelp.com/app/apply. An individual school, school system, or portion of a school system can apply. Please contact Ohio EPA – DEFA at [email protected] if you have any questions about this recognition program. In late 2020, Ohio EPA announced the Encouraging Environmental Excellence in Communities (E3C) program. The E3C program recognizes any local government or community’s exceptional achievements in environmental stewardship. The E3C Program has three levels of recognition that recognize communities in different stages of implementing environmental stewardship initiatives through environmental, economic and social programs and activities: Implementation, Stewardship, and Sustainable. Communities and local governments can apply at any time through a simple online application. Recycling and Litter Prevention The recycling and litter prevention grant program was established in 1981 and has helped support the 50-year journey of Earth Day. In the 39 years since the program’s inception, more than $240 million has been awarded to more than 4,400 projects. These diverse projects include supporting Ohio communities with their litter prevention activities and supporting local recycling infrastructure needs. The program also supports Ohio businesses looking to expand their recycling capabilities or capacity to recover recycled raw materials/feedstock to put back into their manufacturing processes. Grants also support community tire collection events and tire processing manufacturers to expand their operations and find new markets/uses for scrap tires.

Page 8 of 9

Improving Curbside Recycling Ohio EPA continues to tackle the issue of contamination in curbside recycling by investing in education and outreach pilot projects around the state. DEFA’s Recycling and Litter Prevention Grant Program awarded five grants to a strategically and geographically diverse group of communities to work with The Recycling Partnership and create a toolkit and best management practices for replicable success statewide. Phase one of this project focused on outreach efforts in Akron, Centerville, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Fairfield. During this phase, nearly 87,000 households were targeted between the five communities. After Phase one, the average curbside contamination rate decrease for these communities was 33 percent. Phase two of this project will start Spring 2021. This phase is targeting three communities and 74,000 additional households. During 2020, COVID-19 impacted recycling, including increasing residential recycling volumes. Recycling right and reducing contamination is now more critical for the future success of curbside recycling programs in Ohio. Phase two will draw on lessons learned from Phase one and COVID-19 impacts on curbside recycling. Material recovery facilities participating and investing in this project include Waste Management of Akron, Rumpke of Columbus, Examples of phase one education and outreach. and Cincinnati. Reaching Our Customers Electronically DEFA’s outreach efforts include monthly eBlasts, a quarterly newsletter, and blog posts. Our eBlasts contain information on upcoming regulatory changes, funding opportunities, training, and other resources. DEFA’s quarterly newsletters contain more detailed updates and a range of articles related to environmental compliance, water, and wastewater infrastructure development, and sustainability efforts. Our 2020 eBlasts and newsletters reached an audience of more than 16,000 subscribers. We distributed 12 monthly DEFA eBlast updates and 70 special eBlasts for DEFA totaling 807,918 in 2020. Looking Forward In 2021, DEFA continues to focus on proactive outreach efforts to ensure that our customers, Ohio’s businesses and communities, are aware of the many resources available to help meet their environmental and financial asssistance-related goals. We appreciate the support from all our stakeholders and look forward to another busy and productive year in 2021. If you have any questions or need more information about our services, contact us at (614) 644-3469 or visit our website at epa.ohio.gov/defa/.

Page 9 of 9